Why Does God Allow Evil? (page 6)

AhHah

Could it be that they know what we've journeyed to find?
That each moment is an answer from the universal mind?
If our questions are all wrong and our doubt brings pain,
Do we miss the truths that each moment contains?

In an ecology course I took in college several years ago we were doing some population dynamics studies including one that calulated the total number of humans thought to have inhabited the earth since the begining of recorded history. I don't recall but it seems to me that it was over 30 BILLION people. If all the "believers" and "non-believers" minus the few that sinned against the holy spirit, which is a very minor portion, are going to be resurrected you will see six people then for every one you see now. Prehistoric humans may make that number much, much smaller. So you could be seeing a hundred for every one you see now. 500 billion people all shoulder to shoulder praising god for being brough together with all the other sinners and unbelievers. (not to mention all the 5 million or so self-righteous JWs)

Do you want to be resurrected into such a world? And what for, to die again enlightened? About what?

Sorry if I sound challanging but the concept sounds pretty unpleasant to me.

carmel

AhHah

Carmel,

I agree that the earthly resurrection scenario would present some real "challenges", to say the least.

Did I write something that gave you the impression that I believe in an earthly resurrection?

If you read my last post to Frenchy above, I make an argument that Christ never personally taught earthly destruction, and I would now add that he did not teach earthly resurrection/salvation either. I am more inclined now to believe that any judgment and salvation is not on earth.

What exactly were you challenging?(puzzled)

Edited by - AhHah on 17 October 2000 18:28:55

Carmel

Ahah,

I looks like I didn't read your post carefully enough! Sorry. Thanks for the gentle hand slap!

carmel

AhHah

Carmel,

No apology necessary! I really enjoy your posts! I don't always understand them ... but I always enjoy them!

Frenchy

What did Jesus mean by: "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.?" Matt 5:3 NWT

-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-

Carmel

Hi Frenchy,

It seems to me you are asking the question to inforce the idea of personal literal resurrection. There are other possible ways of understanding "inherit the earth". One, it could be a collective inheritance in that humble, loving, nurturing and honest people will as humanity evolves (hope that word doesn't offend)replace the rapacious, agressive competitive types. I think you can see that process in play as we speak. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the masculine qualities no longer are effective in virtually all walks of life, other than making war, and are being modified by the inclusive, multi-cultural, multi-racial tolerant attitudes.

Setting in Israel, I can assure you the makers of war will not inherit this land for long term as the loosers would surely extend the conflict. Those that are willing to compromise, willing to see the other sides' perspective, those that are "peace makers" are "blessed" and inherit the earth.

This can also be looked at individually on spiritual level where the meek and humble in manner inherit or have the "kingdom within them". Perhaps another way of understanding sovereignty other than purely in a temporal way.

carmel

AhHah

Hi Frenchy,

What did Jesus mean by: "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.?" Matt 5:3 NWT

That is an excellent question in response to my post about my belief that Christ did not teach an earthly resurrection.

I offer for your consideration the explanation for Christ's statement, that I have quoted below from "The Complete Bible Commentary" (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., ISBN 0-7852-0854-2):

" The meek ... shall inherit the earth refers again to those who have been humbled before God and will inherit, not only the blessedness of heaven, but shall ultimately share in the kingdom of God upon the earth. Here, in the opening statements of the Sermon on the Mount, is the balance between the physical and spiritual promise of the kingdom. The kingdom of which Jesus preached is both 'in you' and is 'yet to come.' The Christian is the spiritual citizen of the kingdom of heaven now."

To that I would also add that in Matthew 5:3, just two verses previous, Christ is quoted as saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The same Bible Commentary states the following about verse three:

"... They are the ones who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. It is obvious in this usage that the kingdom of heaven is a general designation of the dwelling place of the saved."

If Christ had intended us to understand that his words about the mild-tempered ones inheriting the earth implied their eternal life, or salvation, or resurrection, on earth, would that be understood to be in contrast to the poor in spirit, of whom he had just stated "theirs is the kingdom of the heaven"? Would the qualities of being mild-tempered versus poor in spirit cause one to qualify for earthly versus heavenly salvation or resurrection? Most likely, his comments were not intended to make any such distinction. If there were a distinction that needed to be made between earthly versus heavenly salvation, would he not have made that clear at some point to his disciples? The JWs try to support the earthly hope with their misinterpretation of Christ's words about the "other sheep". That is universally understood by Bible scholars to refer to the Gentiles.

I believe that this is essentially the same as what Carmel stated in his response above:

This can also be looked at individually on spiritual level where the meek and humble in manner inherit or have the "kingdom within them". Perhaps another way of understanding sovereignty other than purely in a temporal way.

Edited by - AhHah on 18 October 2000 13:13:0

Edited by - AhHah on 18 October 2000 22:1:17

Zep

Why does God allow evil and suffering?

hmmmm

big question

Suffering is a neccessary part of life, like it or not. Everyone needs a degree of suffering in their life to grow as individuals. People who haven't experienced pain are usually pretty shallow people.

The existence of Suffering and evil isn't a problem to me, more so the extreme nature of it in this world.

But anyway........I'm planning on asking God this Question -along with a few others- when i make it to the pearly gates. I'll let you guys know the answer to it all when God cuts me in on the deal.

Why Does God Allow Evil?

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