God is love. God is just. God is merciful.

[genkaus]

[Chad32]

They had a recent animated movie called The Croods where the big theme was whether just surviving from day to day is actually living. In a basic sense, the father provided them all with life, because they lived longer than any other family in their area. In a philosophical sense, spending most of your life hiding in a cave is not a fulfilling life. Obviously once you get into philosophical meanings, things veer into the subjective.

[genkaus]

Obviously once you get into philosophical meanings, things veer into the subjective.

Do they? Why?

[Mudhammam]

Obviously once you get into philosophical meanings, things veer into the subjective.

Do they? Why?

Because everyone disagrees over definitions and meanings and typically endeavors to satisfy the Three P's as they relate to themselves:

The Will to Power
The Will to Pleasure
The Will to Purpose

[Chad32]

By virtue of the fact that there's a debate going on about it.

[ShaMan]

You would still need to define the terms, and make a case that he loves anyone but himself, and that he's merciful and just.

(bold added)

Does this not presume that you've already, in some way, defined the terms?

[Chad32]

Yes, I am confident that I know what people consider love, justice, and mercy. I think I've already said that one big sign of love is putting someone else before you, which Yahweh doesn't do.

[ShaMan]

Yes, I am confident that I know what people consider love, justice, and mercy. I think I've already said that one big sign of love is putting someone else before you, which Yahweh doesn't do.

(bold added)

Nor do many of these people whom supposedly know what these things are.

[Chad32]

And what are your thoughts about the other part of my post?

[ShaMan]

The "God" of the bible is a bastard. His character accurately mirrors the authors of the book. That being said, I'll answer your question... I like your post because it begs the question... Where is this "love, justice, and mercy?"

However, putting 'someone else' before 'you' still implies separation. It's when we recognize the other as our-self that "love, justice, and mercy" will truly bee seen for what they are, which is something out of this world. I'd say that the concept is there, but the method/message has been scrambled by ego-driven priests and overlords with corrupt minds and depraved intentions for so long that any value it may actually contain is obscured in Human waste.