advanced string theory

[Hardcore Newbie]

God has reasons for leaving some things vague. Sometimes it is to actually confuse people who have rejected Him permanently anyway... think of it as the beginning of their punishment. Jesus even told the disciples he spoke in sometimes confusing parables so that only those who were seeking after Him would understand. Sometimes it is simply to make us dig deeper to learn more about Him and come to rely on Him more. It could be any number of reasons really. But I understand how it can be frustrating. I've been confused by some verses and believed wrong on some pretty important things before... and I just have to trust God had a reason for letting me be confused for a while.

If I had genuine concern for all the people on earth, I'd make sure that people understood exactly what I was saying, I wouldn't try to confuse anybody. Christ and myself seem to have very different ways of thinking. We both are very loving, but if I had a secret that would allow for the salvation of mankind, I don't see why I would talk in riddles. I'd also question the motives of the person who is deliberately confusing.

I don't believe that those who reject faith in God are eternally tortured. Some Christians believe Hell will come to the end, and that those in it will cease to exist. I tend toward that belief. I believe God will punish them and, unless they have faith in Christ which leads them to follow His commandments, they will not have eternal life. They will suffer punishment in hell, and then cease to exist... what I refer to as eternal death. I can see why some people think hell will last for an eternity, but there are verses in which "forever" simply means for a lifetime. For instance, Duet. chapter 15 says, "He shall be your servant forever," of a servant who simply would serve you for the rest of his life.

Even that punishment seems harsh and unfair, see further for why.

I don't think it is unfair for God to punish someone who refuses to love God and God's ways. He created them after all! How could anyone say that is not fair? It would be ridiculous. If he really did create them, then God is fair in punishing them and removing them from his presence if they refuse to follow His rules. And they wouldn't be happy with God in eternal life anyway, since they hate His ways. So why should he make them suffer with Him and His ways forever?

I have a somewhat sadistic proposal of parents leaving a huge tablet on the fridge for their children to read. After 18 years, the children are either punished or "forgiven" depending on what they've done, but they are given no proof that the tablet is "real", nor have they ever talked to the maker of this tablet. If they break the rules on the tablet, they are not immediately punished, and when they succeed in following the rules, they are given no immediate rewards.

The parents have set up a torture device for the disobedient, and something fun for the obedient. Even if the disobedient was a decent person, and didn't believe in the tablet (one of the requirements) that child is tortured for the rest of their life. The parents feel justified in doing this because they created the child.

Yeah, it's a sadistic example but if does quite sum up the way I feel. Just because I don't believe in His word, if his word is true, I'll be tortured. I don't get to heaven, nor would I want to, as heaven would be very constricting to my nature. The only alternative is hell, and because Christ doesn't allow me into heaven, since I wouldn't want that anyways, the only other place to go is Hell. That doesn't seem fair either. I question the very nature of these rules, and I believe that I am doing so with good reason.

As far as Christ being the only way to heaven, He definitely taught that. There is no getting around that. The only thing I can do is trust that He knows what He is doing. The Bible does teach that He is gathering all who will believe to Himself. I just trust that He is doing that. I went to Iran on a mission trip with a couple of my believer friends once, just to talk to people and exchange religious thoughts. An Iranian man told me that Christ came to his great-grandfather in a dream, and that his whole family has been Christian since that time (and I shit you not, no missionaries had ever been to his area of the country). After hearing that, I have no doubt that Christ, even though He is the only way to the Father, can reach whomever he wants whenever he wants and present them with the Truth, giving them the choice of whether or not to follow Him.

You say the only thing you can do is trust, the only thing i can find myself to do is question. Why? If you were to say that heaven is a gift, that I can understand. It's his gift to do with as He pleases, and if believing in Him and following his word is the way to accept the gift, that works. But you don't punish someone you love for not accepting their gift with torture, not matter how brief or how lengthly the torture.

"here's a bracelet, because I love you"
"aww thanks, you shouldn't have, but I'm allergic to gold, and I can't accept your gift"
*SMACK*

Again, I have a mind, whether given to me, or through acquiring, that does not allow me to just accept this word as truth. I don't feel as if I should be punished for doing so, and have trouble believing that an all knowing all powerful being would use such rationale.

I say this without ill will or malice, but such a divine being seems petty to me. I am a person that needs to know the logic behind the rules. I don't consider myself to be a bad person, even tho I'm a marijuana smoker. I give that law no rule over me, because I disagree with the fundamental principles behind it. If I am caught breaking this rule, I will be punished. But the government isn't an all powerful, all knowing being, it's simply there to take my money. I hold an all powerful, all knowing creator of the universe to a higher standard than the government. Why does He need my faith so desperately that if he doesn't get it he will punish me for it?