If Not Hell then what?

[The Reality Salesman01]

The Bible wouldn't call either option 'malevolent' or 'benevolent' but rather justice and mercy. God has a choice to be just/fair or to be merciful/unfair. Do you mean to talk about the Biblical God or another hypothetical one?

The type of word describing the act is really just an aside. The questions remain the same. I mean to ASK about the biblical God. I'm trying to get information from anyone that claims to know. Lets see what our buddy Drich has to say...

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I am interested in the claim. Where you get it only matters if its verifiable. If it is NOT, then it is only the claim that need be assessed according to its logical value. Not my opinion of value, its logical validity. There's a difference.

you only want to discuss 'the claim' but not the actual claim, your understanding of said claim that has absolutely nothing to do with what is actually recorded in the bible.

My understanding isn't necessary. If you claim to understand and are able to speak on The Bible's behalf, all we need is that in order to have a good discussion. That would prevent me from creating straw-men, at least in that sense. I thought it would be a respectful way for us to discuss the God you are defending, and not the one that I represent in a manner you feel to be distorted. No?

Then you want to discuss what a joke you believe God to be, but not the God of the bible your strawman version of God. One that you know how to attack and dismiss???

Whether or not I find your God character funny is quite irrelavant. What I want is to nail down exactly what God you are defending as there are no 2 claims alike. If I wish to engage you with a debate, I must understand what it is you are actually arguing for. It was a cordial offer.

There is no need to go any further than this. for if you have no intrest in discussing what the bible actually says.

But, that's what I asked YOU. You claim to know what the Bible says. If i were to make a claim, that would more than likely be your rebuttal-That I don't know what the bible says. But, if you can present the information on God's behalf or the Bible's (especially since that's what YOU are defending), then we will have a solid topic. An interpretation of both God and The Bible that represent your exact views. That sounds like the absolute fairest way to continue this accurately without me misrepresenting your views.

then I have nothing more to say to you. After all what can I say if you only want to discuss a god of your own creation and a hell of your own design???

I hope that at this point you see that you couldn't have misunderstood my intentions more.

I guess your right about all of it.

Right about what? Neither of us will be right or wrong. It's not a debate about that. We are just trying to figure out if a certain claim is more likely to be true, than it is to be false.

Just let me know when/if you think your ready to discuss what the bible actually says

Drich, surely you've realized that I don't believe anything the bible says to be true. You are defending it. Why would I tell you my interpretation of what I read as a means of disputing your interpretaion? I've made a decision different than yours. If you wish to defend it, It is your interpretation alone that matters. Secondly...

"what The Bible actually says" may be one of the most controversial topics in the world, next to determining why we would even care about it in the first place. So, to save time and pointless arguments over details our situation can be simplified.

Drich- Believes in a God, and a Bible. Drich understands what he believes to be an accurate interpretation of both. Drich believes both to be true.

TexasSailor-Does not believe in God or a Bible, TexasSailor has yet to hear an interpretaion of either that he believes to be true.

You see how there's nothing else that really matters in this debate? It's just me and you here home-sclice!