Better reasons to quit Christianity

[spockrates]

You keep using that word............

Indeed. For it's a favorite phrase of Lenard Nemoy and part of the enjoyment of the Spock persona.

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Why do you think it oral, rather than written?

I read books.

Should one believe everything one reads? What do you do when one thing you read contradicts something else you read? For example, what do you do with this?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omniscience

I did not give birth to the idea of inherent omniscience, Mister.

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Unless you have something to add, I believe this satisfies the question for me of it being impossible for God to be omniscient, given that we have free will. That does still leave the question of whether God is actually omnibenevolent. If he is a monster, he is not worthy of being imitated, or loved, I think. If you want to move one, we can address the question: Is God really omnibenevolent? If not, we can continue to think through the question: "How can God be omniscient if we have freewill?"

The important thing is that you are satisfied. As far as omnibenevolence goes, how is that compatible with a God who can choose a better future, is capable of seeing it, but chooses not to know it? The very thing you've offered to salvage your God's omnibenevolence (that he only knows what he chooses to know), undermines it.

Satisfaction does me no good if I'm satisfied with a lie and self deceived. If lies are all that satisfies me, then I hope that (as the Rolling Stones sang), "I can't get no satisfaction!" Like Spock said, "I always endeavor to be correct." When I quit Christianity, I want to reject the real religion, not some false misconception. That way, no Christian will accuse me of knocking down some straw man.

Having been a Christian yourself for a time, Mister, you are likely familiar with this one:

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

(Galatians 5)

What you are saying to me is that it is irrational for Christians to believe their God empowers them to be more like him. For their God has NO self-control. He cannot control what he thinks about! So he must be a hypocrite, because he tells others to imitate him.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

(Ephesians 5)

And he tells them to think about good things.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

(Philippians 4:8)

Yet his thoughts are not noble, right and admirable. For they destroy our freewill, making love impossible! Hence, he makes it impossible for anyone to obey his command:

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

(John 13:34-35)

This is the logical consequence of putting blind faith in the idea that omniscience means there is nothing God doesn't think about. Is this what you think every rational Christian truly believes?

Please let me ask you this, my friend: Does omniscience mean Christians must believe God thinks any and every thought--no matter how hateful and evil? Or do you think they believe the God in whom they trust abstains from thinking thoughts he believes are inherently evil?