Pondering the posts here, Goodlife quotes from The Watchtower or his preferred version of the bible, Theland quotes from anything that agrees with his own views at any given time (even the much despised Billy Graham organisation if it suits the purpose), Khandro quotes philosophers and those he regards as men of wisdom… and so on… but not one of them ever appears to have an independent thought. They accept it all ‘religiously’ without ever asking ‘Why?’
Why, for example, if God is, as we’re led to believe, omniscient/omnipotent/omnipresent, did he err? Why, if he knew what the outcome would be, did he create man and then regret it? Why (as Idiosyncrasy claimed the other day).did God give Satan permission to rule the earth when that sort of rule wasn’t what God wanted at all? To me none of it makes sense - so it makes sense to ask ‘Why?’ ... doesn’t it?
I did ask why to a few things many years ago as a teenager that went to CoE sometimes with my friends family, and all the answers I received both in books and from people didn't pass my own personal smell test so I just quietly stopped going. However it should be said that religion wasn't a large part of my life or identity, I had plenty of more enjoyable activities...
Theland @ 3:31 this morning
//I think He created Man with the capacity to freely love in obedience, but that came with the built in choice to err on the side of selfishness//
Having a creation that can 'freely' love or go his own way is one thing.
But you miss something out. If Bible God's creation err on the side of selfishness they end up been tortured for eternity. That's not a choice. That's an ultimatum! Love me or be tortured?
''Ive given mankind free will but dont use it or you'll be sorry''
Theland; what is, is. Wanting life to be wonderful doesn't make it so. Wanting Santa doesn't make him exist. Look life in the face and find out what you can about it, don't give in to wishful thinking.