When I was 19 years-old, a co-worker of mine (who seemed very hostile against God) made this comment to me: "Say what you want, but God is a cosmic tyrant full of Himself, and I refuse to be a pawn in His power struggle with Satan."
If you "choose" not to choose, you've still made a choice, correct?
Your thoughts, please. As usual, only serious and intelligent responses welcome.
2007-08-22 02:51:50 · 25 answers · asked by RIFF 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Delylah- Correction: not my comment- "his"
2007-08-22 03:04:16 · update #1
Delylah- Right. Gotcha. I don't know what got into me there for a moment. Sorry!!
Sheesh- I need more coffee!!!
2007-08-22 03:12:42 · update #2
Delylah- Right. Gotcha. I don't know what got into me there for a moment. Sorry!!
Sheesh- I need more coffee!!!
2007-08-22 03:12:53 · update #3
Hogie- He was (and still is from what I hear) a pompous and arrogant jerk. But, some people live and learn; some people just live.
2007-08-22 03:28:53 · update #4
Marcus Maximus - Cool name. Anyway, I guess he is one of those people who thinks of God as being a "genie in the bottle" types who felt that God existed to do his bidding. Interestingly enough, when he thought he had testicular cancer (had all the symptoms of it), God assumed a new-found importance to him. All of a sudden, God was all-important; meta-important. Oh, how I do despise the hypocrisy of such people.
2007-08-22 03:34:31 · update #5
Correct. Your co-worker chose to make that specific choice, although it sounds very biased and uneducated.
Throughout the Bible, very little is said about Satan. It is well known though, not only through the Gospels but also through Pauls writings to the Corinthians as well as Jude and Revelation that there is no struggle for power between God and Satan. Satan is given boundaries where to act on ( see book of Job) that is, the kingdoms of Earth pertain to Satan because of sin (Mat. 4). Biblically, Satan's power is limited, infinitelly inferior to God's and one day it will cease. See also the dreadful interactions of demons and Jesus in the Gospels.
All in all, Satan is just a microscopic creature on his Creator's shoulder who is about to get flicked off should God decide to sneeze in his direction.
As far as God being a tyrant, where does he get that from? Surely, not from the Bible.
From the very first book, God is all about giving you freedom to do as you please, although you will reap the consequences of your actions (as Adam and Eve did).
Most importantly, God gives you freedom to live, act and think as you please whether you're with Him or not. That in itself, nulls the conception of tyrany altogether.
2007-08-22 03:21:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If God were a tyrant, then why would He allow us free will, the ability to choose to accept or reject Him? Furthermore, there is no power struggle between God and Satan. Not only did Satan lose, he never stood a chance against an omnipotent God. The only question now is which side we're going to join.
2007-08-22 04:08:12 · answer #2 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Choosing not to choose is indeed a choice.
The comment of your coworker is not that unusual and I believe is probably something read or overheard somewhere. Hostility to God is indeed the root of the sentiment while the quote itself shows a flawed understanding of God and Satan. The question then becomes, why the hostility to God?
How and by whom was she hurt? How does her misapprehension of God figure into the hurt? How much is related to the common sentiment to live one's life by one's own rules as one wishes? How much is reaction to early, flawed religious instruction?
As to the comment itself God is indeed: Cosmic, Tyrant, Full of Himself but it the words have different understandings when applied to God rather than man. Substitute the words: Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Self Sufficient and you would agree with them. He is not in a power struggle with Satan as Satan is still subject to God. Also note the comment is somewhat contradictory in that God is a cosmic tyrant but not capable of ruling Satan or your coworker. You might get a conversation started by agreeing to and exploring the first part of the statement.
2007-08-22 03:12:07 · answer #3 · answered by chessale 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, first let me correct your one statement that your friend has made in error.
God is not in a "Power struggle" with Satan.
God is Omniscient. He knows how the world will end and he also knows Satan will be defeated.
Your friend is going through a rebellious stage in life. I went through it, too. I was hostile towards anything that was religious, but I grew up and became a devout Christian.
There is nothing cool or funny about being hostile towards God. My life was a total mess. Now that I have found.. I am at peace with the creator.
2007-08-22 02:58:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13). The Bible tells us that, “pride brings destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to live it up among the rich and famous (Proverbs 16:18-19). The Message paraphrase of Proverbs 16:5 goes on to say that, “God cannot stomach arrogance or pretense; believe me, He’ll put those upstarts in their place.”
Throughout scripture we are continuously told about the consequences of pride. Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-15). He had the selfish determination to replace God Himself as the rightful ruler of this world. But Satan will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God. For those who rise up in defiance against God, there is nothing ahead for them but disaster, because “I will rise up against them” is the promise of the Lord. He will cut them off (Isaiah 14:22).
2007-08-22 04:00:00 · answer #5 · answered by Freedom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
there is no power struggle, God loves you no matter what, but if your choice is to follow the ways of satan then at the end you join him in hell, all God asks for is that you believe in him and love him , to follow the commandments, to live your life here on earth as a good person, he really asks no more of you then your own family members. If you owned your home, would you let someone move in that didn`t like you, showed you no respect, and wouldn`t follow the rules you laid out for them, you give them choices, they don`t follow them they get evicted, heaven belongs to God, should he expect any less from us?
2007-08-22 03:12:57 · answer #6 · answered by ~*littledebbie*~ 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't agree with the statement about God being full of himself. God is a God of love, not tyranny. Everyone is a pawn in his Divine plan, but there's nothing wrong with that.
It's true, if you choose not to choose you have made a choice. The question is...was it the right choice?
2007-08-22 03:00:37 · answer #7 · answered by Soul Shaper 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree completely. He already stated that he believed that there is a God and that he was not choosing to be part of anything God has to offer. knowing and choosing against God is in effect, choosing.
I think we all get angry at times with what we have to endure on this earth in this life, but God understands our struggles and will give us strength to endure them all. If we stay focussed on Him, things are less stressful and painful
2007-08-22 03:14:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many have faith Elijah went to heaven the place God is yet it is not genuine. examine John 3:13 the place Jesus says no guy has ascended to heaven! So in case you think Jesus instructed the fact then you definately comprehend that Elijah did no longer bypass to heaven. Elijah is lifeless & he will come back to existence on the resurrection. The heaven that he went up in is the 1st heaven the place the birds fly. bypass back & examine the tale lower back. After he disappeared those adult males went & seem for him! Had he went promptly up which course could they have long previous? He disappeared over the mountains out of their sight! they did no longer locate him by way of fact God did no longer want him got here across by way of fact the mantel had handed from him to Elisah, he in result grew to become into retired & lived his existence out hidden someplace in a small city or such till he died. You examine in 2d Chron 21:6 or it could be 1st Chron. the place Elijah wrote a letter to a wicked King & this letter grew to become into written after he had disappeared interior the whirlwind. the reason being using the fact Elijah had dealt with this King earlier the mantel have been handed directly to Elisah. Elijah isn't certainly one of the two witnesses!
2016-10-09 00:51:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is our Father - literally the father of our spirits - who loves us and wants what is best for us.
He has provided the plan of salvation, or plan of happiness, to help us receive the blessings of eternal life. This plan is set forth in the scriptures; men and women cannot rewrite it to accommodate their desires. God alone gives the reward of eternal life. Some of the greatest blessings promised by the plan, including eternal life, are not intended for immediate enjoyment. Eternity is long, and mortality is short. As we base our decisions on eternal principles rather than on earthly challenges or desires, we can have “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come”
2007-08-22 03:04:40 · answer #10 · answered by The Corinthian 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋