(May 2, 2021 at 3:59 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(May 2, 2021 at 3:57 pm)edial Wrote: But the New Testament expands on the fact of the love of God. Christ said that God loved the world and gave his son (meaning Christ) for the entire world.
People who hate God, walk away from God. And people have the right to do so. 

Thanks.
Ed

Then how can you square the Biblical phrase ‘God is love’ with God’s stated ability to hate?

Boru

'God is love' refers to God's essence as love, not his ability.
Throughout the Bible God hates sin.
But in the New Testament there is a distinction between hating sin from hating a sinner.
There is no longer hating a sinner in the NT.

In the Old Testament it states that God hates sinners (meaning real sinners, not just the everyday drunks or whatnot).
Then, after all the sins of the world were paid for by the sacrificial blood of Christ, there is not even one instance in the New Testament that God hates anyone. 

Thanks,
Ed

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(May 2, 2021 at 4:19 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote:

(May 2, 2021 at 4:04 pm)edial Wrote: But God does not abuse anyone. People abuse people.
And those who walk away from God choose him not to help them.
People have the freedom of choice.

I don't think people here think God abuses anyone. But (historically speaking) people have done some pretty bad things in God's name. But of course this was called "good" and "justified" by the perpetrators of such acts.

If you put your head into an atheist's mindset for a moment, you'll see that a lot of what appears justified or good to a theist can appear downright immoral to an atheist.

There were many wars in God's name and there is much, much corruption among churches ... that however does not change the facts about Christ and God.
And about God abusing people, there was one guy here who said that, I believe. It was just a response to him.
Thanks,
Ed

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(May 2, 2021 at 4:19 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote:

(May 2, 2021 at 4:04 pm)edial Wrote: But God does not abuse anyone. People abuse people.
And those who walk away from God choose him not to help them.
People have the freedom of choice.

I don't think people here think God abuses anyone. But (historically speaking) people have done some pretty bad things in God's name. But of course this was called "good" and "justified" by the perpetrators of such acts.

If you put your head into an atheist's mindset for a moment, you'll see that a lot of what appears justified or good to a theist can appear downright immoral to an atheist.

(My posts are jumping out of sequence sometimes ... still getting used to vBulletin ... reposting)
There were many wars in God's name and there is much, much corruption among churches ... that however does not change the facts about Christ and God.
And about God abusing people, there was one guy here who said that, I believe. It was just a response to him ... but I see now, he corrected it). 
Thanks,
Ed

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(May 2, 2021 at 4:25 pm)Eleven Wrote: I meant that god punishes people.

Most theists are of the belief that god punishes non-believers by denying them access to heaven after death. Instead, sending them to hell.

There is no word 'hell' in Greek or Hebrew. It is a made up word.
There is an underworld called Hades. Every culture and nationality has a type of an underworld where people go to after they die.
Egyptians, Irish, Jews, anyone.

In the underworld there are levels, some say circles, where people would live. If you lived a life of a great sinner, you go lower.
The environment in the lower levels is bad.
But if you lived an average life, you go to the higher level of the Underworld and live there.
Then there is a Judgment Day, but that's another story.

Heaven was always closed to everyone because everyone sinned. And Heaven is only for holy people, of which there were none.
When Christ came he opened Heaven to those who want to follow him.

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Looks like I cannot post no more ...