RE: Deism: I don't get it
February 13, 2015 at 8:06 pm
(This post was last modified: February 13, 2015 at 8:14 pm by Lek.)
(February 13, 2015 at 5:27 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote: Sheol literally meant "the grave". Early books in the OT make it clear that you die and are no more. Later books, admittedly before Christianity, started to flirt with fuzzy notions of the underworld, alluded to when King Saul has a medium contact Samuel from beyond the grave. Most likely, the Greeks and Egyptians had their influence before Christianity morphed into a new religion.
The following are quotes from the old testament alluding to life after death.
Psalm 49:13-15New International Version (NIV)
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
1 Samuel 28:13-20New International Version (NIV)
13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”
The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth.”
14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”
There was continuing revelation throughout the biblical period. Job knew nothing of a coming messiah. Abraham didn't know of the law. Moses didn't hear the prophecy concerning the coming destruction of the temple.
(February 13, 2015 at 7:32 pm)Parkers Tan Wrote: Why do you absolve your god of his guilt in those evils? How can an omnipotent being be compelled to do anything?
God has no guilt in those matters. That's how he chose to create the world. Now you tell me how an eternity of peace and happiness offered to everyone who ever lived is not a trait of a loving God?
(February 13, 2015 at 7:38 pm)Nestor Wrote: Savior from what exactly? The boogieman? Insecurity? Guilt? Fire and brimstone? Annihilation? Global terrorism? Separation anxiety? Kind of sad that you guys can't seem to agree on the most basic points of doctrine that the Creator himself apparently took such efforts to codify.
Eternal death. But if you want eternal death you can choose it. You don't have to accept eternal life. So quit complaining. You seem to be happy enough in this world as it is.
