(May 22, 2013 at 7:25 pm)Praetorian Wrote: Posting from a phone sure is annoying when there are multiple things to respond to.
First, GC, why does God nees to be respected by his creation? That's a non-sequitur, but it still doesn't make any sense. God doesn't need our approval, and if he wanted it, he still didn't need to sit idly by and let the world unfold like it did. I'd contest that the world we see around us is far more likely to occur if there is no god, rather than a loving one who needs to earn the respect of the things he created by doing nothing to help them.
Exactly where did I say God was trying to earn respect, you see what you are doing, making your disrespect for God into my thoughts, that is at least dishonest. You keep your thoughts about God out of my statements and apply them to yours, be honest and we can cut down on unnecessary argument.
God deserves our respect no matter how one might feel about Him, the creator and giver of life could as you put it interfere in my life and zap you out of this existence, and cause everyone who knows you to forget you ever existed. This would not be fair to you, because you might be going ......... well you know, it on the other hand could be good for others but they would not know it because no one would have ever known you existed. This by no means is a reflection on you because in reality I do not know you other than our few exchanges, this is an example of what could happen with God interfering in one's life, someone else is always effected, none of are here alone.
God needs nothing and never has, His omni........ takes care of that, He does desire our love for Him and a desire is far different than a need. Even with love God can no more force our love than we can force another's love, this is a desire that all of His omni........ can not do, if He could have don't you think He would have. He would not have had to allow Christ to sacrifice Himself for us and all the other things His creation has put Him through, He's allowed these things because of His patient love. Yes He deserves our unfailing love!
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.