rlr@pyuxn.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (02/21/84)
If the Book of Ubizmo is a book claiming that Ubizmo is the supreme god, and if that book contains passages showing Ubizmo engaging in heinous, disgusting acts of violence and violation to horrific to describe in a family newsgroup, then I have options as follows: 1) To believe in the Book of Ubizmo, and therefore to believe that Ubizmo did indeed do all of those things described therein 2) NOT to believe in the validity of the Book of Ubizmo, and NOT to believe that anything contained in it necessarily describes the truth 3) Not to care. Option (1) has one of (at least) two consequences. Either you can do what Tim, myself, and others have done: say that if the Book of Ubizmo is true, then (by definition) Ubizmo DID all of the terrible things in it, and, by our judgment as thinking beings, then Ubizmo is a terrible entity. Or you can do what David, Larry, and other Christians (apparently) do: say that if the Book of Ubizmo is true, then (by definition) Ubizmo DID all of the terrible things in it, but that since we are not equipped to understand the real meaning of Ubizmo's acts, we will believe anyway, since Ubizmo has done wonderful things in our lives like giving us Cuisinarts and electric snowshoes. Even if I did believe (option 1) that the content of the Book of Ubizmo is gospel truth, I would (and apparently others would) make the choice to judge Ubizmo based on the actions described in the Book. If the supreme god of the universe behaves like that, then it is not fit to be worshipped. Of course, others choose not to judge. That is their decision. The crux of the problem may be that Larry and David cannot envision a supreme god that is different from the one described in the Bible, since they hold it to be self-evident truth. The proposition (that they keep tearing down) is this: if god were as abominable as it is depicted to be in the Bible to be, then I could choose not to worship it based on my own judgment. I can also choose not to believe that god is that way, or not to believe that god exists at all. Larry and David apparently do not see these three choices as alternatives, and presumable WILL not. And therein lies the problem. -- Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway oh, god, I'm so depressed... Rich Rosen pyuxn!rlr
tld@ssc-vax.UUCP (Thomas L Davis) (02/24/84)
The assumption is being made here that the Christian faith is based on the acts of God as described in the Bible. This is not correct. The Christian faith is not based on anything Jesus said, or did, or taught. It is based on Who He was. God made Incarnate. "Very God of Very God" in the words of the Nicene Creed. Christian doctrtine is based on the works and teachings of Jesus as they have been interpreted by the Apostles, but our faith is given to us by the Holy Spirit. It is He who convicts us of sin and moves us to accept Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. Not enough accept. When we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and begin making us fit to be the Bride of the King. That process does not always move as fast as some would like, but it does move. The acts of God described in the Old Testament are not all that different from those described in the Revelation to John. Continued refusal and denial of God will be rewarded appropriately. You can chose the reward - Eternal Life at the side of Christ the King or the lake of fire and brimstone. It is up to you.