ingres@ucbcad.UUCP (06/13/83)
#R:princeto:-18700:ucbcad:1800004:000:133 ucbcad!ingres Jun 11 11:59:00 1983 I must say that I would think that to claim to know that God exists is just as hubristic as claiming to know that God doesn't. Ken
russ@dadla-a.UUCP (06/21/83)
You point out how you think it would be impossible to feed and care for so many animals on the Ark. I agree, but some early accounts mention terrific cold in the ark. I think we should allow the possibilities of hibernation or other techniques to assist in taking care or so many animals. I do not believe that the rainbow existed before the flood. I think that before the flood the earth was covered by a canopy of clouds. God does not expect you to ignore your reasoning abilities. He only expects us to believe that which is true. We just need to be careful that our prejudices don't limit our understanding of truth. I will admit that putting all the animals on a single ark may seem fantastic, but why can't we allow God to use techniques that we are learning about like genetic engineering. Could a subset of animals be used to create all our present species? I know some people may object to this possibility and I am not saying that God used genetic engineering, but I am saying that we should allow the possibility that he could have done many things to make it a realizable task. I also think that parts of the earth may not have been covered very long. Relative to your perceived inconsistency with the mercy of God let me say that from an eternal perspective death is only moving from this sphere of existence to the next. The purpose of existence is for us to grow and learn. That purpose would be totally thwarted if God always intervened. It is important for us to ask questions, but just because we do not get all the answers now does not mean that there are no answers. There are many unanswered questions in science also but I have not given up on science. About the man paralyzed by the tractor: 1. He was paralyzed because he was where the tractor fell. God does not cause you to touch a hot stove but if you do you will be burned. 2. If God answered every prayer and always blessed the righteous then it it would not take any faith to be good. We would be good not because we wanted to be but because it was advantageous. The purpose of this life in learning to choose would be nullified. I don't know why some die and others don't but prayers may be answered according to what will help us. Death may be good for some. 3. He could stop all bad accidents but it would serve no purpose. Sure we would all be healthy, but learning to live with a disability has been very good some people. Russell Anderson Tektronix
tim@unc.UUCP (06/28/83)
You point out how you think it would be impossible
to feed and care for so many animals on the Ark. I
agree, but some early accounts mention terrific cold
in the ark. I think we should allow the possibilities
of hibernation or other techniques to assist in taking
care or so many animals.
Surely you jest. The ark was built by Noah with divine guidance,
but all God did was shut the door. If God was supplying Noah with
cryogenics, why not just make the whole boat? Better yet, why not
just knock off all the people and leave the animals alone? If your
answer is "God works in mysterious ways", see my recent posting on Dr.
Eby and rational proof of God's existence.
Relative to your perceived inconsistency with the
mercy of God let me say that from an eternal
perspective death is only moving from this sphere of
existence to the next. The purpose of existence is
for us to grow and learn. That purpose would be
totally thwarted if God always intervened.
Then why is murder a sin? All you're doing is causing the person
to undergo a growth experience, right? If different laws apply to God
and Man, by what standard is God "good"?
[God] could stop all bad accidents but it would
serve no purpose. Sure we would all be healthy, but
learning to live with a disability has been very good
some people.
Oh yes, certainly someone in a fatal accident is helped by it, and
will live to become a better person. Are you making a sick joke of
some sort, or what?
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