If god knows everything then presumably he already knows who is going to hell or heaven before they are even created, right? Does that mean he damns some people before they even exist (that is, he knows they are going to hell, so why force them to exist knowing their fate?). Does he do it for the benefit of those of us whom he knows are going to heaven? My pastor says all the 'bad' people are just meat robots with no souls that god puts here as spectacles for the rest of us? Is that right? I mean, he doesn't really damn people before they even exist right?
2006-07-07 17:17:20 · 42 answers · asked by sebek12345 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Wow. Your Pastor said Meat Robot? Cool!
2006-07-07 17:21:06 · answer #1 · answered by go_to_girl 3 · 15⤊ 14⤋
Wow. You ask some really heavy questions. And wow. Your pastor actually said that "bad people are just meat robots with no souls that god puts here as spectacles for the rest of us?" That's pretty sick.
The subjects of the soveriegnty of God and "predestination" are very confusing. I have studied them for years and never really come to a complete conclusion. I'm going to leave all of that stuff to God. Otherwise I'll get all confused and have heavy questions like you do at this point. All I know and believe is that I just need to take responsibility for my actions. So, I personally believe very strongly in free will and that we are held responsible for our choices.
"Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).
And, the thought of an innocent baby being born that has already been "predestined" to go to hell is absolutely sick. I could never believe something like that.
I personally believe that God is more loving than we realize and really wants us to experience the fullness of His love, joy and peace. I wish you all of those.
Hesed
2006-07-07 17:38:29 · answer #2 · answered by Hesed 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good grief! The fact that you are even asking such a question indicates that your brain is hopelesly muddled. Well... maybe not hopelessly. If you get away from that moron pastor, and start thinking for yourself, there may be some hope for you.
Think about it... supernatural creators? Eating your god's son in the form of a cracker? Walking on water? Raising people from the dead? Get a grip.
In a sane world, a single person spouting such ridiculous nonsense would be judged insane, locked up, and subjected to pharmacology and psychiatric therapy. However, it seems like mass insanity conveys some sort of immunity from such judgements.
Get away from those morons. Read some science books. Use your brain. Think for yourself.
2006-07-07 17:27:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What answer are you looking for. If I said, yes, God loves everyone the same, you would give all sorts of examples and proofs to the contrary. Does he know who will go to heaven? Yes. Do we? No. Does he damn people? No. Who does? We damn ourselves. We choose the direction we want to take, not God. If we choose to follow him, he will save us and direct our paths. If we choose not to follow him then we send ourselves to hell.
Does it seem like he loves some more than others? Good question, because it can seem like that. It depends on how you define his love. He must love Bill Gates because he is so rich. He must hate my pastor because he isn't as rich. He must love the next door neighbor more, because their children are healthy and mine aren't. (They are, just an example)
God is harder on some than others, yes. Why? Because he has a particular use for them. He needs them to spread his word. They just don't always know it, so they run from him.
The reason we can't seem to find God, is because we are too busy running from him. We are trying to escape that which scares us the most - self surrender. When you get to that point - the point where you stop questioning his existence and just accept that he is, you won't wonder if he loves some more than others.
God's ways will always be higher than ours. Don't try to out think him. Take care.
2006-07-07 17:32:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure he does look at Exodus
11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto...
11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, ...
11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel
2006-07-07 17:21:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Phew! Where did your pastor get that hair-brained idea. Excuse me but he sounds like a Dingbat.
Have you found anything in scripture to back up his statements. Not me. Dude, you better find another pastor, this one is going to get you into trouble.
Sorry, there are no zombies out there just to entertain Christians. According to the scripture God knows everything and he gave everyone free will to choose His way or the highway. Of course if you choose the highway then you are under condemnation of total separation from God. But up until you die a physical death there is still a chance that the "bad" folks will make the grade.
Jesus said: "All of you that are heavy laden come to me and I will give you rest." Notice he said "All", not just good people but all people. But alas, not all people accept his gift of salvation and when physical death over takes them the opportunity is lost for eternity.
But then you ask, How could God condemn people to an eternity of separation from him if He loves them so much?
Here is your answer. A man on a ship falls into the ocean. A life preserver is thrown to him. He refuses it because he thinks he can swim to shore 200 miles away. The ship keeps circling him and throwing out the life ring. The people on the ship keep encouraging him to take the ring and they will pull him to safety. He refuses and drowns.
The ship represents God. The people are God's children. The life ring is salvation. God keeps in close proximity to his creation until they either grab the ring or drown. Those are the two choices of free will. God doesn't force anyone to believe, to accept salvation, or to go to heaven. It's our choice and our choice alone. No one can make it for us. So the "bad" people who remain "bad" make the choice by rejecting God's salvation.
2006-07-07 17:42:41 · answer #6 · answered by BP 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God knew you while you were still in your mother's womb. He created you fearfully and wonderfully. God does not create robots, if he did we would not have a free will. God gave man a free will. Which means we either choose to follow him or not to follow him. God loves everyone the same, he does not show favortism. He does not damn anyone, he wants everyone to go to heaven and live with him forever, but that is your choice. I don't know where your pastor gets his information but he is not telling the truth. The truth is in the Bible. The gift of Salvation is free, all you have to do is ask. You must choose to follow Jesus and become born again, meaning accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and living for him. God does not damn people before they are born. Please read your Bible. Jesus accepts you just as you are, you do not have to be perfect for Jesus to love you he already does love you. He is waiting for you with open arms, but you must be willing to accept him and live for him. All you have to do is ask him.
2006-07-07 17:38:56 · answer #7 · answered by peacock 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good Question! God has given all of us souls and free will. We have the choice whether we want to follow God or not. He does not "damn" us to Hell. Heaven is a place where we will be able to fellowship with God in person. Hell is a place where God is absent. I hope this helps.
2006-07-07 17:22:36 · answer #8 · answered by shepherd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing that ignited my disbelief in religion, was the whole idea of pre-destination.
This is the conversation I used to have with the teachers in Sunday School:
Me: How can we be punished for things that God already laid out for us and planned, if that's part of his grand plan?
Teacher: God didn't lay out everything, just the big stuff.
Me: Like what?
Teacher: Like when you're born, who you'll marry, your children, when you'll die."
Me: So if someone is killed in deep meditation and prayer, they automatically get into heaven, right? Why is that fair? If God decided who gets accidently killed in prayer, why does that person get a better chance to heaven? And what about suicide? If God predicted when we'll meet our maker, why is suicide a sin if the day we die is planned? What about disease, and dying early from it? How come some deaths are planned, and others aren't?
Teacher: ....
Me: So predestination isn't really accurate then, is it?
The End.
2006-07-07 17:20:29 · answer #9 · answered by rt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm... God is absolute. He loves everyone he created. People were given free will to choose. It's us humans who condemn ourselves to 'somewhere'. Why do you think we are on this Good Earth? It is a place for us to prove ourselves that we believe in God. God loves us. That's why He gave us the freedom to choose. We are not controlled by anyone to do anything! Don't misunderstood - If you are a believer, you should know that God has no favourtism over anything. And yes, God knows of our fate. But it's our duty to choose the right path. It's us humans who made ourselves think this way.
2006-07-07 17:30:46 · answer #10 · answered by Kurniawan A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, God loves us all the same, beyond measure. He may know who is going to hell or heaven, but he gives free will, and does not interfere. There are people that believe and teach predestination. They do not believe in free-will and believe God made robots, not humans.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Why would God not be willing that any perish if he predestinated this person to hell and that person to hell? It makes NO sense.
The author of predestination John Calvin, wrote the following, "Human curiosity renders the discussion of predestination, already somewhat difficult of itself, very confusing and even dangerous. Therefore, if anyone with carefree assurance breaks into this place, he will not succeed in satisfying his curiosity and he will enter a labyrinth from which he can find no exit"
In other words, he himself says it's turmoil when you believe in this doctrine. It is false.
He gives us all a chance. He will only save those who obey him through the faith.
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
He predestinates a class, not individuals. He predetermined salvation to all of those who obey him. In that sense, he predestines, but he does not hand-pick from the beginning..he goes to hell, she goes to heaven. That is absurd, and God would have to be a respector of persons.
God loves you, and he loves all. The main question is, Do you love him?
Remember this passage:
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
Predestination of individuals, as you say in your question, is a blatant false doctrine.
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/does_john_637_teach_calvinist_predestination
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/ephesians_14_predestination
The above is an excellent website to questions, and they contain many scriptures for those seeking the truth, and not merely "opinions" on one or two.
Follow the scripture.
2006-07-07 17:23:29 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋