Gods supposed perfection

[Chad32]

No, he is not justified in torturing people for eternity.

How do you know that it's torture and how do you know He's not justified?

I said somewhere recently, in this thread or another, that if it was some sort of community service for a finite amount of time, I'd be happy to work it off for any crimes I've done.

You're proposing that we let the criminals determine their own sentence?

I'd like to think you aren't stupid enough to not get this. There are more reasonable and constructive ways to meet out justice than eternal hellfire.

According to what standard?

I have not killed anyone, despite being tempted to. I have not raped anyone despite being tempted to. I have not stolen things, despite being tempted to.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [f]merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Yet I would apparently be judged by your god for thoughts as if they were actions. These are the kinds of things I have no control over, yet apparently would be judged for.

We haven't been discussing anything about thoughts. Our context has been about actions, of which you've admitted wrongdoing (see post #40 paragraph 2). Is God just in punishing you for the wrong you have done?

The place you go if you don't believe has been described as a lake of fire where you will burn forever. Eternal fiery torture is not justified against someone who at best as committed less than a century of crimes. Now some people believe the fire will just destroy your soul, and you won't exist anymore, and some have described it as just a separation from god. Since they believe all goodness comes from god, then they assume being separated from him would be a miserable existence.

I'm proposing that the punishment should fit the crime, and that it be constructive. Not just floating in a lake of fire for eternity. Rehabilitation is this nice thing going on recently where they try to make you better, and not just make you suffer because of the bad things you did. I'm pretty sure if a judge decided death by fire would be the sentence for everyone, he wouldn't keep his job for long.

According to the standard of the culture I grew up in, and the moral code I developed over the years of my life.

I'm not that humble. I think I am worth more than god seems to think I am, and I will speak up for myself and others. I do not draw my worth by what someone else says I am, and I do not draw my morals from what someone else says is moral. I decide for myself because I am a free thinking person.