(July 20, 2011 at 9:57 am)Rhythm Wrote: This isn't something I'm directing at anyone, just want to comment on the idea of "fearing god". Those that believe in lets say the biblical god in all truth probably do not fear him. They believe, by self definition, that they are part of the "chosen group". The group of human beings who will avoid eternal punishment. It's always that way with believers, they conjure up a terrifying god that they themselves have no reason to fear as they are part of the "club".
We don't leverage this particular quirk of humanity solely with regards to gods. We also trot it out in social constructs, whereby one has nothing to fear from a dictator as long as he's part of the dictators club. The devoted subjects of a tyrant (earthly or heavenly) do not consider the issue of what the tyrant does to defectors one that they have to account for. It won't happen to them, or anyone like them. Since they are the "good people of such and such" obviously, those punished were defective or undesirable in some way.
Food for thought I suppose.
So you tink hell is the only punishment there is, God punishes those who disobey Him in this life to, the omnipotent God is to be feared. When the fear of God is mentioned in most of scripture it means to have respect for God not to shake in your boots.
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
