Has the lion laid down with the lamb?

[sandyRoe]

Have the atheists and theists agreed to study war no more and live in peaceful silence? I've never seen it so quiet...

[naomi24]

Truthabounds, you haven't answered my question. This is what I said.

//....no matter how genuinely altruistic or morally upright a person is, that's [eternal damnation] what your God threatens if his narcissistic ego isn't consistently massaged by a trembling sycophant. Where is the love in that? I can't see it.//

So, where is it?

As for atheists blaming God for the ills of this world, this is an argument that theists like to use regularly. Now I can only assume you don't understand the discussion because you have grasped the wrong end of the stick entirely, so please allow me to explain. Whilst atheists do counter your arguments with illustrations of why, if you believe as you do, your God must ultimately bear responsibility for everything that happens in this world, since they don't believe he exists they cannot, and hence do not, blame him for anything whatsoever.

//As to diseases - a consequence of the imperfection resulting in death that was passed on to the human race by the sinner Adam.//

If your God is omniscient, then it follows that he knew precisely what would happen before he created the universe - and us. Therefore, whatever ills have befallen this world since then - including the appalling results of God's mistakes - must have been part of his original plan, so I don't believe anyone can, in all sincerity, lay blame for anything at all at anyone's door - except God's. Or perhaps he isn't omniscient at all?

[Truthabounds]

DTD:
In English the noun “will” means ‘desire, wish, determination, something desired, especially a choice or determination of one having authority or power.’

The Hebrew word for “will” carries the thoughts ‘delight, desire, favor, or pleasure.’

The disasters that happen, tsunamis, earthquake, floods etc. are not God's Will. That is a phrase put out by man, especially clergy who have no answers. when asked as to why these things occur.
The disciple James, wrote: “When under trial, let no one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’ For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.” (James 1:13) God is not the source of what is bad. Plainly, therefore, not all that happens on earth today is God’s will.

It is man's fault. Many times warnings are given by those in authority but do the general public obey them? No, so when disasters happen and thousands are killed in many (not all) instances it happened through disobedience. For example, if I saw a small fire near your house and warned you about it, you laughed and said it would not reach your house and it did. The result being that your house burned down and maybe killed or injured members of your family - is it God's will or just your own stupidity for ignoring the warning?

[seadogg]

So the movement of tectonic plates is man's doing. Are we to assume then hat far beneath the earth's crust there are evil little men stirring up he subduction currents in molten and semi molten rock which lead to the seismic phenomena which occasionally causes havoc to humans and animals?

[jackthehat]

<<God is not the source of what is bad. Plainly, therefore, not all that happens on earth today is God’s will.>>

Well, if God hasn't got the power or authority to stop the things that are bad, it's little wonder that so many of us are 'taking our business elsewhere'.

[Davethedog]

Truthabounds so at what point does god interfere in the ways of men.

God is all knowing and all seeing so why does he allow so many to die in Earthquakes, which I admit are all my fault, I sometimes jump off chairs, if its not his will.

[naomi24]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Truthabounds has ignored my last post. Or perhaps I'm judging him too hastily and he's working on an answer as we speak.

[Davethedog]

naomi - Please do not hold your breath you will turn blue, however I am sure a cut and past will appear on this thread in a couple of days, when he/she hopes no one is paying attention.

[seadogg]

By the way, who are these omniscient "those in authority". Would they be the elders of the JW's who definitely know it all?

[vetuste_ennemi]

Yes, Seadog. The WT fat cats through their unpaid message boys & girls are warning Naomi (i.e. all of us) about the fire (i.e. the impending Armageddon - 36 years late accroding to their last prophecy). You're probably aware of what Armageddon will (in one sense or another) be like, but if not check Revelation. Other metaphors the WT nabobs use is the WT Society = the Ark, Truthabounds, Mymom etc. = Mr and Mrs Noah and kids.
I've known a lot of JWs (and other fervent Christians for that matter). A few of them actually relish the destruction of the wicked (stand up when you're being talked to, Naomi!) and their inheriting the earth, but for the most part I found them very decent people. So it's sad to see people like Truthabounds giving these programmed response. No JW on AB the short time I've been using it seems capable of coherent or independent thinking of any kind.

[naomi24]

Dunce's cap on and into the corner! ;o)