RE: A rational explanation for hell?
September 15, 2010 at 2:21 pm
(This post was last modified: September 15, 2010 at 2:59 pm by Skipper.)
(September 15, 2010 at 1:29 pm)tackattack Wrote: @Skipper- Like any father wants their offspring to grow up, learn to be a good persona and live their own life. I don't want my son to be an automoton, but there are choices. I hope he learns to make right choices and is happy in his life. When he's young I don't respect his opinions as much because he doens't know better, but as he gets older and knows better I allow him to suffer the consequences of his actions. That sin and temptation that you're talking about,yes God did create, but you're blaming him for your choice. I'm all about pesonal accountability and when I see a big mac and a salad in front of me, I'm man enough to call myself a pudgie becuase I can't controll myself or make the right decisions and choose the Big Mac. I don't sue McDonalds because I'm fat. As a caveat.. apparently some people I think have tried this and that just shows the degredation of society and lack of Personal Accountability.
But would you think it's ok to punish your son ETERNALLY for whatever mistakes he make during his life...especially if you are the one who purposefully put the opportunity to make those mistakes in front of him?
Surely a fair and just god, as we are told he is, would forgive whatever sins, regardless of belief, and not punish people ETERNALLY for the overall small sins, including just that of not blindly believing in him during their 70 odd years on earth.
Again, you say he doesn't want us to all be the same mindless beings, then sets out a fairly strict criteria of how we are to live our lives, and even what we are to think and believe, if we want to avoid eternal torture...it does look exactly like he wants us to all be the same, and be controlled. Yet I don't think a truly great and eternal being would be to fussed if people didn't live exactly like he wants them to, and believe in him as the highest power...I suggest those qualities of control and exploitation via threats of unjust punishment are more easily attributed to men, especially those who created and are at the top ends of the faith you follow.
Edit: As a side note... correct me if im wrong though, if god is all knowing, what point is there in us being on earth? He created us, he knows all that we think, all we have done and all that we will do, if it's already a foregone conclusion as far as gods concerned whether im going to hell or not due to the decisions he knows I will make...why bother putting me on the earth at all? Why not divide all the souls up into two camps and leave it at that. Seems like a waste of a week of his time creating everything if you ask me.