Doesn't that make him a sadist? I asked a variation of this question last night, and was told by nearly every Christian respondant that since God gives us a choice, I am to blame if I choose poorly, and God is basically blameless.
But isn't that like saying that if a psychopath comes into our house, and insists that I do whatever he says or he'll set me on fire, that the psychopath is blameless? After all, he gave ME a choice, just like God, right? So we shouldn't consider him crazy for wanting to set me on fire, right?
2007-01-18 17:06:02 · 20 answers · asked by truth be told 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
itsnotmyfault - I appreciate your sincere answer - but in my analogy, God can't provide an escape FROM the psychopath, because God IS the psychopath
2007-01-18 17:14:24 · update #1
Yes. God is a sadist all throughout the Bible, drowning people, sending plagues, hardening hearts. slaughtering babies, sending his own kid to be beaten and executed, etc.
2007-01-18 19:46:42 · answer #1 · answered by gelfling 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't believe in Christianity, there is no need to ask a Christian about why God is doing all the things that's happening. Between an aetheist and a Christian, or for that matter Muslim..., it's like a regular person vs someone who's been brainwashed. A Christian can give you an explanation to any question, even though after you compare all the anwers, some of them contradict with each other.
2007-01-18 17:18:39 · answer #2 · answered by longliveabcdefg 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most religions do teach, that bad people will go to a fiery Hell of eternal torture Hell Do you know that even Good people go to Hell when they die? Hell is really just the common grave of mankind,
Have you ever seen someone tortured? Hopefully not! Deliberate torture is sickening and abhorrent. What, though, of torture inflicted by God?Can you imagine such a thing? Yet this is exactly what is implied by the teaching of Hell an official doctrine of many religions.
Imagine for a moment,the following horrific scene:A person being roasted on a hot iron plate. In his agony he screams for mercy, but nobody listens. The torture goes on and on, hour by hour, day by daywithout any pause!Whatever chrime the victim may have committed, would not your heart go out to him? What of the one who ordered the torture? Could he be a loving person? In no way!Love is mercyfull and shows pity. A loving father may punish his children, but he would never torture them!
Nevertheless, many religions teach that God tortures sinners in endlesshellfire. This is claimed, is devine justice. If thatis true,who created that terrible place of eternal torment? And who is responsible for the excruciating agonies inflicted there? The answer would seem obvious. If such a place really exists, then God would have to be the creator of it, and he would be responsible for what happens there.
Can you accept that? The Bible says:"God is Love"(1John4:8)Would a God of love inflict torture that even humans with any measure of decency find revolting? Surely not! Still, many believe that the wicked will go to a fiery hell and be tormented for ever. Is this teaching logical? The human life span is limited to 70 or 80 years. Even if someone perpetrated Extreme wickedness for his entire lifetime, would everlasting torment be a just punishment? No it would be grossly unjust to torment a person forever for the limited number of sins that he can commit in a lifetime.
Who knows the truth about what happens after we die?
Only God can reveal this information, and he has done so, in his written word the Bible.Here is what the Bible says:"As the[beast]dies, so the[man]dies; and they all have but one spirit......All are goingto one place.They have allcome from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust
2007-01-18 17:12:47 · answer #3 · answered by I speak Truth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nice analogy with the psychopath. If God really does exist and is like Christians describe him, I hope he can find it in his infinite power and wisdom to check himself into the psychiatric ward at Heaven General Hospital.
Creating flawed humans then punishing them for error
Sentencing people to eternal damnation for a mere 80 years of life
Clamoring for blind devotion and worship
Drowning and unleashing plauges on entire civilizations
These are obviously the actions of an insane dictator.
2007-01-18 17:19:45 · answer #4 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a million. there is extra suitable than sufficient info to coach that God exists. Please clarify to me how count number, how something for that "count number" (get my pun?), might have been created? Do you have info that there is not a God? 2. you will not burn in heck except you willingly circulate against the Lord and choose to not obey His commandments. 3. you could desire to have a choose to not purely examine yet in addition learn the bible to ensure that it to make experience and reason a stirring interior. 4. There are alot of issues you could and can't administration. you could administration having a gay marriage or not. Homosexuality is concept to be a sin. 5. go searching you! What do you notice? I see attractiveness all around me because of the fact i know what ever God creates is sturdy and is info that He exists (reread huge variety a million). 6. there is such element as faith, you recognize. Your pal might desire to not have any faith. in any different case he might have confidence. Believing in God or not is a call. I know your selection, yet supply us Christians the excellent thing with regards to the doubt. do not stone us like this.
2016-10-07 09:30:26 · answer #5 · answered by bungay 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is written that it is God's will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (a). Each person does have a choice. But I believe God is well capable of wooing each person toward making the right choice (b). All a person needs to do is acknowledge Him, in order to receive His assistance.
I believe that hell was created for Satan and his angels who had rebelled against God originally. But then Eve chose to follow Satan's command instead of God's. And the rest of humankind were all tainted by sin. Then God made a way for all people to be purified by the blood of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. This is what is required to enter heaven, and it is given freely to all people who will receive it.
Anyone who is actively seeking a relationship with God, will find Him (c). Therefore, if a person is sincerely seeking and loving God with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength... with all of their being... they will not miss the mark (d). They will not choose poorly, and if they happen to make a mistake in choice, God Himself will correct them because they were earnestly seeking Him. He is not just going to allow someone to mis-choose themselves into hell, if they are earnestly seeking God.
If one continues to seek God with all they have, then they will find Him, and they will have no hell to worry about.
And to make it simple, according to my faith, and from the Bible: Jesus Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life... the only way to God (e). He is the Answer at the end of the path of seeking God, Truth, and Eternal Life in Heaven. One would do well to hurry and find Him!
2007-01-18 17:40:20 · answer #6 · answered by prodaugh-internet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your illustration is wrong. Here's my view.
We are in the middle of the ocean, and God comes with rescue boats, helicopters, life vests. He offers us help. He jumps in the water but in order to be saved we just have to swim just a couple feet towards him. If you tell him to go away, that you don't want him, dont think you need rescue, you can try floating but you will drown.
God is the opposite of a sadist. He takes no pleasure in seeing people perish.
Ezekiel 18:32
2007-01-18 17:13:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many Christian theologists reject the thought of a 'fire and brimstone' hell nowadays. As it was explained to me, Hell is simply a place absent of God. The denial of being in God's glory is the eternal damnation.
(By the way, I'm agnostic...this was explained to me by a priest when I asked him the very same question.)
2007-01-18 17:10:42 · answer #8 · answered by Omni D 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I see where you are going, but here is where it falls apart... His idea was never to send us to hell in the first place... we weren't even supposed to die. He does not force us into sin or hell... he provides the escape from the psychopath... He asks us to live in a way that will add to our lives, not take away... It is just that as a society we are accustomed to getting our way... not the best way.
2007-01-18 17:10:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian (a very devout one) and I don't believe 'fire and brimstone' to be the nature of Hell. So - to answer you simply, no I (nor those of my faith) believe that God condemns those who do not believe in Him to burn in Hell for eternity.
IMO your analogy makes a lot of sense. It's for that reason we don't believe in the typical Christian doctrine of eternal fire and damnation form of Hell. In my personal opinion, I think it's more a result of Dante than anything from the Bible. :)
2007-01-18 17:11:10 · answer #10 · answered by mx_hart 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋