Reasons why i can't worship the God of the bible...

by digderidoo 90 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Perry

  The years that I was atheist/agnostic, the main reason that I couldn't worship the God of the Bible, was that it seemed to go against my nature. I didn't have a problem with God being Sovereign. I had learned to accept authority the hard way on many occasions, and so got past that concept.

  I just didn't want to deal with anyone else's authority that wasn't absolutely necessary to immediate survival. I had things to do, money to make, education to pursue. God just seemed like a giant hassel and irrelevant to my immediate tasks at hand.
• 

  Satanus

  Authority/power structures/pecking orders are all systems of keeping order in the animals kingdoms. They are necessary for survival on this animal planet, where resources are finite, at this time. Perhaps, the lower spectrum of the the spirit realm has some of this. However, overall, it's democratic and voluntary.
  
  S
• 

  Perry

  A newbie here, posted recently that sin is a social construct, i feel that is right. It is something that has been made up by man for control.

  Sounds like stuff pumped out of a university sociology class. I know something about that since sociology was my Bachelor college major. Wrote many a social construct paper.

  Let's start with a definition of sin:

  1.	transgression of divine law

  2.	any act regarded as such a transgression,

  3.	any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.;

  4.	to commit a sinful act.

  5.	to offend against a principle, standard, etc.

  First, God is pretty clear that he put notions of his law inside of the human. I can see this law at work in my 3 yr. old. He seems to know that drastically harming his brother is wrong...even though he is none too happy about his little brothers' arrival and wanted to know many, many times when he was leaving.

  Atheists want to claim that they don't need God to tell them what is good...they just know it, how can they have it both ways? Or in the case of sociologists....they can create it for others. But then when faced with their own failures, they claim that is was just some social construct, reasoning that what is good for me necessarily isn't what is good for you.... no moral absolutes. Therefore, it really wasn't so much failure as it was a changing of what was "good".

  In other words, when principles are violated ..... don't look for a solution. Change the principles and like magic... no more sin.
• 

  Perry

  Perhaps, the lower spectrum of the the spirit realm has some of this.

  Satanus,

  I didn't know that you believed in the existence of Spirits..... do you?
• 

  Perry

  Well, I don't know why God thinks of me as his enemy. I certainly never did anything to him as painful as that childbirth thingy he did to me! Never raped anyone either. Whatever happened to an eye for an eye?

  Cognizant,

  According to God's rules, the punishment of sin is death. They have a one to one relationship.

  Mankind was made subject to vanity - Romans 8: 20. In other words, God placed man in a position where the natural state of things is for man to only see himself. I believe that it is a necessary psychological condition in a fallen world.

  In other words, if someone steals some office supplies from work and then they call the police when their car is stolen the next day.... they have a psychologicl problem on their hands that can only be dealt with by denial, rationalization, and self-centeredness. You still need to get up the next day and get dressed to go to work to survive. You need to feel sufficiently good about yourself so that your hypocritical nature doesn't overwhelm you and inhibit your performance necessary to your survival. The way I see it, sin is simply ignored or rationalized (I'm not as bad as that guy over there) as a survival mechinism.
• 

  Perry

  By your theology, he did it all to himself. Since he took his pound of flesh, full payment out of himself for himself, there was no forgiveness, just payment of debt.

  Satanus,

  When payment is made by someone who owns everything, it is also mercy and forgiveness. Think about it.
• 

  hamilcarr

  Reasons why I can't worship the God of the Bible...

  So, is there only one God of the Bible?

  Our theological view --- at least mine --- seems to be influenced by the society we live in and the values we believe in. One example (not mine:)

  One God, Sovereign, Creator, governing the universe --> one powerful Leader of the State (King or President) --> one Father governing the family --> Man Lord of his actions

  Another option is weak theology.
• 

  Satanus

  'I didn't know that you believed in the existence of Spirits..... do you?'
  
  I do.
  
  'When payment is made by someone who owns everything, it is also mercy and forgiveness. Think about it.'
  
  He himself is the 'terrorist', as per your analogy, to whom it is paid. The socalled justice is an attitude of having his will prevail at all costs. The terrorist who would shoot off his own arm, so that he can let his hostages go is a bit twisted, imo. Where is the mercy and forgiveness in that? Forgivness would be a letting the debt go, unpaid, not paying it yourself.
  
  S
• 

  Perry

  Forgivness would be a letting the debt go, unpaid, not paying it yourself

  That's just exactly what the Jehovah's Witneses claim. You do realize that don't you? Since they are not part of the Blood Covenant their sins are not forgiven. Like the atheist, they think they are growing to perfection. How'd that belief work out for you? It didn't work out very well for me.

  Now, I hear all the time from my atheist friends how bad God is for allowing suffering. Can you explain how it is possible for God to grant free will and at the same time prohibit sin.... the cause of suffering?

  The solution to suffering is not to let the debts rack up and go unpaid....that would make God a facilitator of sin and suffering. That's a no-brainer. The answer to sin and suffering is punishment. That's the only thing that will stop it. It is the only mechanism that will involve the free will. It is also the only appropriate response from a government. Not punishing sin, when an authority has it in their means to do so is unloving.
• 

  MissingLink

  he loves foreskins and burnt flesh - especially the smell of burnt flesh - tis a restful odor to him dont you know

  "Hey man, I think god's getting restless. Somebody throw a pile of foreskins on the BBQ. Last thing we want is that bastard waking up. He's unstable and could snap at any second."