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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/30/2010 3:27:06 PM
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abraxas
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The story of Job is one of the most despicable stories of the bible. To someone "outside", who is still seeking God and investigating and weighing things out, the question remains, Why or how in the world would a reasonable person, assuming that they did acknowledge that this was caused by God, then grow to love and worship that God?????? really!
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/30/2010 7:09:32 PM
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Ezra
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quote:
ORIGINAL: abraxas The story of Job is one of the most despicable stories of the bible. To someone "outside", who is still seeking God and investigating and weighing things out, the question remains, Why or how in the world would a reasonable person, assuming that they did acknowledge that this was caused by God, then grow to love and worship that God?????? Because in spite of all the trials and tribulations of Job: (a) God gave him a revelation of his Redeemer -- the Lord Jesus Christ -- and that Job would be finally resurrected and glorified and see God face to face, thus revealing His grace and mercy two thousand years before Christ appeared on this earth (Job 19:25-27). and (b) after all his trials and tribulations, God restored to Job double of what he had lost, as well as all his sons and daughters, thus revealing His righteousness and justice (Job 42:12,13). So to call this narrative "despicable" is to reveal your own ignorance of the truth. Go back and read the book of Job very carefully to see what a tremendous lesson it has regarding the majesty of God. Then fall down and worship at His feet.
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And whosoever will, let him take the Water of Life freely. Revelation 22:17
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 12:54:50 AM
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abraxas
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Well, this is coming from a guy who believes God teaches people the importance of worshipping him by squashing them in collapsed buildings. And correct me if I'm wrong, but Job didn't get back the children who God let Satan kill.
< Message edited by abraxas -- 1/31/2010 1:00:59 AM >
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 3:34:19 AM
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dbark
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quote:
ORIGINAL: lightbeamrider We assume God loves everybody but since scripture clearly states God hated Esau, the question remains is Esau the only person God had hatred for? I don't think so. This is a good example of how language evolves over time which can lead to misunderstandings. When God said ... “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the Lord says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” ... the meaning is more like Jacob I chose, but Esau I rejected - not hatred for Esau in the modern sense of the word.
_____________________________
"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it, thou art a fool." ~ Rabbi Ben Azai
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 4:04:15 AM
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dbark
Posts: 287
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Ezra quote:
ORIGINAL: abraxas The story of Job is one of the most despicable stories of the bible. To someone "outside", who is still seeking God and investigating and weighing things out, the question remains, Why or how in the world would a reasonable person, assuming that they did acknowledge that this was caused by God, then grow to love and worship that God?????? Because in spite of all the trials and tribulations of Job: (a) God gave him a revelation of his Redeemer -- the Lord Jesus Christ -- and that Job would be finally resurrected and glorified and see God face to face, thus revealing His grace and mercy two thousand years before Christ appeared on this earth (Job 19:25-27). and (b) after all his trials and tribulations, God restored to Job double of what he had lost, as well as all his sons and daughters, thus revealing His righteousness and justice (Job 42:12,13). So to call this narrative "despicable" is to reveal your own ignorance of the truth. Go back and read the book of Job very carefully to see what a tremendous lesson it has regarding the majesty of God. Then fall down and worship at His feet. I think the lesson that is to be learned from the book of Job is that we cannot fathom God or His ways. Despite that, so many people are quick to explain why God has done this or that - when reasons are certainly not clear to us, nor will they ever be in this life. I would not call the book of Job "despicable", but I would certainly characterize it as troubling. God is proud of Job and boasts about him to Satan ... Satan dares God to torture Job and God acquiesces - apparently for sport ... Job curses the day he was born and is further persecuted by his "friends" who've dropped by to tell him he deserves this fate and that he should curse God and die ... God eventually points out to Job that Job has no business questioning God's motives because he cannot possible begin to fathom God's mind ... Job agrees and then God gives him back twice as much stuff. More sheep, more cows, and more kids - the most beautiful daughters you ever saw. People like to point to the last part of the book and take note that God gave Job all his stuff back and now he's better than ever. His new and improved 7 sons and 3 daughters replace his older and deader ones and all's well - thanks God! The only part of that book that makes sense to me is the part when God speaks to man and tells him to stop acting like you know anything about me because you haven't got the first clue. The rest, to me at least, is incredibly troubling. The point in all this IMO should be that we don't know why there was an earthquake, we don't know why anything happens, but we especially shouldn't speak for God to try to explain it all.
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"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it, thou art a fool." ~ Rabbi Ben Azai
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 9:41:58 AM
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lightbeamrider
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quote:
ORIGINAL: dbark quote:
ORIGINAL: lightbeamrider We assume God loves everybody but since scripture clearly states God hated Esau, the question remains is Esau the only person God had hatred for? I don't think so. This is a good example of how language evolves over time which can lead to misunderstandings. When God said ... “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the Lord says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” ... the meaning is more like Jacob I chose, but Esau I rejected - not hatred for Esau in the modern sense of the word. Not in the modern sense of the word or in the human sense of the word (and i did not print it was) but if u are insuniating God is incapable of a divine Holy Hatred then i would beg to disagree. All credible english Bibles translate Romans 9:13 as Esau have i hated. Living Bible (translated for children) uses rejected along with perhaps Good News Bible. People have fixed ideas about God and the word hatred does not fit when associated with God. God loves us all they tell us. As a result they have to water down Romans 9:13 from hated to rejected. Rejected (I suppose will work) but hated is the more accurate english translation and if u disagree then take it up with the translaters of NASB, KJV, ESV, etc.
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 5:36:19 PM
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dbark
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quote:
ORIGINAL: lightbeamrider quote:
ORIGINAL: dbark quote:
ORIGINAL: lightbeamrider We assume God loves everybody but since scripture clearly states God hated Esau, the question remains is Esau the only person God had hatred for? I don't think so. This is a good example of how language evolves over time which can lead to misunderstandings. When God said ... “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the Lord says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” ... the meaning is more like Jacob I chose, but Esau I rejected - not hatred for Esau in the modern sense of the word. Not in the modern sense of the word or in the human sense of the word (and i did not print it was) but if u are insuniating God is incapable of a divine Holy Hatred then i would beg to disagree. All credible english Bibles translate Romans 9:13 as Esau have i hated. Living Bible (translated for children) uses rejected along with perhaps Good News Bible. People have fixed ideas about God and the word hatred does not fit when associated with God. God loves us all they tell us. As a result they have to water down Romans 9:13 from hated to rejected. Rejected (I suppose will work) but hated is the more accurate english translation and if u disagree then take it up with the translaters of NASB, KJV, ESV, etc. I do disagree, but since this is not the topic of this thread I'll leave it at that.
_____________________________
"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it, thou art a fool." ~ Rabbi Ben Azai
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 1/31/2010 10:24:33 PM
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sledmt
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God allows it because his body allows it...
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/1/2010 3:29:29 PM
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frankman
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It`s story time. There was once a group of 18 man who were in the process of building a large tower in the City of Jerusalem. Then for some reason or other the tower crumbled killing all 18 man. Why did this happen? Were they worse sinners than others living in Jerusalem at that time? Was it Caesar`s fault or the employers fault for not following the Workers Compensation Code of the day? Or maybe it was God`s fault as to why they died. They were all innocent workers. They were not protesting against the government of the day or troubling anybody. So let`s ask Jesus as to why these man had to die. Jesus tells us this story in Luke 13:4+5. "Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them- do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." So if we could ask Jesus the question today, why the earthquake in Haiti, He would probably tell us today. The people of Haiti are good people. Sure they were into synchronise religion, but so are many of the people in the rest of the Western world. He would then tell us that the Haitian earthquake is a warning to all of us who are still here that "unless you repent, you too will perish." (not my words, but Jesus` words from Luke 13:3+5) Yes; many people died in Haiti`s earthquake. The truth is someday everyone of us reading this post will become like them. Did you know that the death rate for all forum readers is 100%. People like us that know nothing about death will someday die too. So because we`re all sinners, we all better get prepared to die. That was Jesus message to His disciples in Luke 13, and I believe it would also be His message to us today. God is God and we are not.
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"Is not My word like fire,` declares the LORD, `and like a hammer that breaks a rock in peaces?" Jeremiah 23:29
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/1/2010 6:24:42 PM
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abraxas
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quote:
"unless you repent, you too will perish." So the workers perished, and unless Jesus' listeners repented, they too would perish. Did any of them repent? Like you said, death rate for humans is 100%. If "perish" means something worse than physical death, then this brings us back to the problem of evil. God, apparently, has created a situation where a lot of people need to die and go to eternal hell in order to serve as a lesson for the survivors. But it's not a very effective lesson, because for one thing, even if a person did read it as a wake-up call, it could easily push them towards a "false" deity, in which case they'd be equally damned. For another, it requires a certain selfishness to heed to that call and not be troubled by the method God has apparently chosen to use--the many doomed souls used as a means to an end. How does a person react? Does it become an internal battle between empathy and selfishness?
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 1:28:57 AM
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Gloryandgrace
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Lisa, Abraxas.... Just what part of the bible do we throw out? Maybe the parts where Jesus is talking to his own Churches.. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Rev 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev 2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Rev 2:22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, Rev 2:23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve Jesus meek and mild, Jesus =God is love, Jesus picks up little children etc...but thats only part of the bible. If its ok with you all, Ill seek to know the whole bible. Jesus wouldnt do this or that bad thing? Really? Jesus will throw those folks in Thyatira into a sick bed, those who commit adultery with her, I will throw into great tribulation....that a judgment thats not waiting for post rapture fulfillment...I suppose Jesus wont judge his churches anymore? The lists are long, extensive and demolish any idea that Jesus is the goody goody lamb carrier. No, Jesus is not the meek mild peasant carpenter anymore. Jesus is revealed in Revelation as the Worshipped King/Lamb upon the throne.. The wrath of the lamb as it is said by John So while Jesus is tender and kind to his own flock and that is every where proved. Jesus is no meek mild weakling. Jesus is no helpless goody two shoes that has nothing to say to bad churches and evil nations. I dont care what your eschatological view is, the Lamb of God is going to punish the earth with so many horrible tribulations, so many hard and catastrophic disasters haiti will look like a domino set in comparison. Just how many multitudes will die and go to hell then? What difference does it make whether pre post or pan trib you might be? Those vials of wrath didnt come from the Devil. Those trumpets didnt get sounded by the Devil, those seals were opened by the Lamb of God...remember the lamb that opens the seals? Rev 6:7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. Jesus gave authority for death to 'ride over the earth' and to kill with sword and famine and pestilence. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the carpenter, the silent one at his crucifixion now has a few things to say and has mighty judgments to pour out. It does no good to put all the judgments at the tail end of an eschatology that makes you feel safe. The same God will punish the earth and will destroy those who destroyed the earth. The very thing you say Jesus wont do, He will do and get glory from it. Yes, glory from punishments, judgments, wrath, tribulations, vengeance.....Its Jesus that treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God. This is not old testament, this is new testament, its new covenant and he who reads this and believes it has a blessing coming to him. So, tell me what parts of the bible do you want to start ripping out? Shall we just leave the parts that fit our cultural demands of a god that fits the role we want him to play? If theres any sort of 'making a God to please our own selves' it sure doesnt sound like Ezra is the one constructing him. Ezra told you the truth. John
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Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.....
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 1:49:45 AM
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Gloryandgrace
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If you hold to a dispensationalist point of view on judgment...then heres something to consider. If Jesus is only dumping all this wrath and anger and torment on the last generation of people, and no doubt many of you feel that generation is this one. You havent answered any of your own questions. Jesus is still going to dump wrath on people who dont know him, and havent heard the gospel. Jesus is going to bring famine, wrath, boils, hailstones, drought, scorching heat upon children, little babies, single moms, teens with kids, dads with young sons, young beautiful wives newly married. Out of Jesus Christ will come all these things upon them....and they will drink double, they that are in babylon that mystical false religious system will suffer terribly and then die and go to hell, then after that the lake of fire. What difference does it make in the character of God to judge Haiti as it is to judge the world with scorching heat and burning up the trees, grass and poisoning the seas? If only some period of time makes a difference to you, show us how God who says he "changes not" has changed between Haiti and the event of world wide suffering? I am not here with criticism about dispensationalism, Im saying that it really doesnt prove God is nice if he puts judgment in some 7 year period while I am saying that God has judged Haiti now? Wouldnt it be more equitable for you who think God mean to judge Haiti to reconsider that it would be better to judge the nations as they sin themselves than to dump the judgment due to Haiti upon the last generation of people who didnt commit the sins of Haiti? But thats for you to answer. John
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Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.....
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 2:04:14 AM
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abraxas
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quote:
judge Haiti quote:
the sins of Haiti This is the collectivist approach I was commenting on earlier. Haiti is not a person, it's a large collection of people. "Haiti" doesn't sin. But anyway, I guess you and I respond to terroristic threatening differently. If you're right about how God is going to treat his own creations, then I really wouldn't want to be in "heaven" anyway--in fact it wouldn't be "heaven". So I guess I'm scrwd either way!
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 12:28:48 PM
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Gloryandgrace
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Abraxas: The sinful nature inside of you is in rebellion to God. Since it cant have its way, it now makes God the bad guy because he judges sin. But Abraxas, even if God didnt judge any sin you still wouldnt want heaven. The sinful nature is always at war with God, it just shifts from excuse to excuse. But there is a reality that you are missing. That truth is God has sent his Son to save sinners. You need not die in your sins nor continue under the slavery of your own sinful nature. It is surely true, you will need to come to grips with the fact that God has shown his mercies and kindnesses and that they are only found in Jesus Christ. Without him, there is nothing for you but doom and death. Your sins have already made you the object of his wrath, just like so many others in the world, multitudes of them. God is not calling you on your terms, God is calling you on his terms. His terms are unconditional surrender and asking forgiveness for the sins youve committed against him. Repentance of judging God, rationalizing your own life while condemning the Holy God in heaven. When you first joined Crosswalk you didnt judge God openly as you do now. But youve resisted the Holy Spirit and shown that all that is said about sinful humans is true for you. Now youve become more hardened in sin and wage your little open war against God where it suits you. Abraxas, there is genuine merciful compassionate love to be found in Jesus Christ, until you put down your sword against him you will grow worse and worse. If you do not want to retain the knowledge of God in your mind it will be darkened by the deceitfulness of sin. John
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Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.....
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 12:43:12 PM
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Gloryandgrace
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Collectivist approach....you mean like When God said I will judge babylon, I will Judge the Assyrians, I will judge Israel, I will judge Ninevah, I will judge Edom, I will judge Egypt? How God treats his own creation is pretty good Id say. He owes us nothing, we are indebted to him. How many of God enemies are alive and well today? They speak evil of him, deride anything that is said about him, slander his Son, blaspheme him in countless ways.....yet, God does not crush them. Because from these wicked men will come forth those whom He will have mercy. God will give them eternal life in his son. These undeserving wicked people will obtain the privilege of seeing God on his throne and be welcomed forever to abide with him. God will no longer call them enemies but friends, beloved, redeemed, holy ones. He will do all of this because Jesus Christ has been made a sin sacrifice for them. God is just to forgive them. From the mass of sinful humanity God has chosen to save a numberless multitude of people that will see the love and accept it, believe and trust him and be rewarded for diligently seeking him. They will never say "Im screwed in heaven". Nothing that defileth will be there and that goes for ingratitude and a haughty spirit before God. John
_____________________________
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.....
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/2/2010 3:46:20 PM
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frankman
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quote:
ORIGINAL: abraxas [ If "perish" means something worse than physical death, then this brings us back to the problem of evil. God, apparently, has created a situation where a lot of people need to die and go to eternal hell in order to serve as a lesson for the survivors. The other day on T.V. I heard somebody blame the country of France and not God for the earthquake in Haiti. I laughed at that comment at first, but in reality that person was closer to the truth than those who blame God for all the evil and bad things that are happening in our world today. Sure God allowed the quake to happen. However He isn`t the cause of it. Truth be known, we all are the cause of it. It is because of our sins that we`re living in a broken world that God is allowing to destroy itself. Sin must be judged. The wages of sin is death. So if God never allowed disaster to happen causing death in judgment of sin, God would be unholy, unjust and not true to His word. Why Haiti and not us is a question I can`t answer. Nor can I answer the question, why did these people die? So because of my sin the question may be what right do I have to still be alive? So why am I still alive? God is gracious and patients towards us wanting us all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." So the only reason why God is giving us another day of life on this earth is to graciously give us one more day of grace to repent. Will we take it? The free gift of salvation will not be ours forever.
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"Is not My word like fire,` declares the LORD, `and like a hammer that breaks a rock in peaces?" Jeremiah 23:29
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/3/2010 10:59:32 AM
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abraxas
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quote:
It is surely true, you will need to come to grips with the fact that God has shown his mercies and kindnesses and that they are only found in Jesus Christ. quote:
there is genuine merciful compassionate love to be found in Jesus Christ quote:
Jesus is still going to dump wrath on people who dont know him, and havent heard the gospel. Jesus is going to bring famine, wrath, boils, hailstones, drought, scorching heat upon children, little babies, single moms, teens with kids, dads with young sons, young beautiful wives newly married. Out of Jesus Christ will come all these things upon them....and they will drink double, they that are in babylon that mystical false religious system will suffer terribly and then die and go to hell, then after that the lake of fire. I'm not sure what sins I've been hardened in that you're aware about, John, but this kind of schizophrenic talk gets to the heart of the "problem of evil", at least for me. You are right that I've been more exposed to this kind of talk since I've started discussing here. I don't discuss many other places. Not sure how else to react. edit to move link to the post where I meant it.
< Message edited by abraxas -- 2/3/2010 7:50:16 PM >
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/3/2010 11:16:22 AM
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abraxas
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Frankman, I read a recent article tying France to the troubles of Haiti. It probably wasn't the one you read because it didn't actually blame the earthquake on France, but rather Haiti's history of poverty. It certainly is food for thought--and we may as well add on other nations--and international banks--to the pile. Not to mention their own, as is often the case (rabid dog duvalier) Haiti has been an exploited and suppressed nation, the poorest of the western hemisphere. That the wealthy governments and lending institutions of the world don't forgive Haiti's debt to them is a real shame. Here's the link to the article I had in mind: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/ben_macintyre/article6995750.ece On a side note, and also not exactly on topic (except for his ties to Haiti)--if anyone wants to learn about a truly inspirational soul, look up Paul Farmer. His biography is called "Mountains Beyond Mountains" I think. What a guy. edit to put link where I meant it to go..
< Message edited by abraxas -- 2/3/2010 7:51:25 PM >
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/5/2010 1:33:32 AM
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abraxas
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Jeez, why in the world would they even give that clown airtime? This reminds me of a funddrive for the San Fransisco earthquake a while back. The T-shirt read, "It's everybody's fault" (I thought it was clever.)
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 2/19/2010 4:09:33 AM
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lovelylisaaln
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I will do some praying, research and study of those Revelation verses given but for now i strongly stand with Franklin. Unfortunately some people only get put off by some preachers or people that tell them about God. Its about meeting people where they are at yes God never changes but thats his job OUR job is to bring people to Christ and it start with meeting people where they are at and where they are comfortable otherwise they will push you away because you freak them out with all your information its up to God to change peoples hearts we are to become all things to all people (without being tempted into sin of course) this approach work i have seen it. LOVE people. This is my approach and view and its not going to change because i LOVE showing the love of Jesus that is my calling showing people his condemnation comes later not all thrown in at once it does not work. For some it does as i have sen but a lot will just be scared off and hate God more. Peace. Lisax
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Thou seemest human and divine, The highest, holiest manhood, thou. Our wills are ours, we know not how; Our wills are ours, to make them thine.
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 3/7/2010 3:01:26 PM
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tacitus
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The problem with attributing natural disasters to God or as a warning from God is that it turns God into a very limited, and fairly ineffective deity, dependent on a lot of help from natural circumstances. Why, for example, can God only take out his wrathful vengeance in the form of tornadoes in certain parts of the mid-western United States, for example, and thus why does he reserve his most wrathful judgement for what is probably the most faithful group of conservative Christians in the country? (And usually only in the spring?) The same goes for earthquakes and hurricanes. Why does God only mete out punishment on those who just happen to live on certain sub-tropical coastlines or in seismically active areas? What's so bad about Chileans and Haitians that required them to be punished by devastating earthquakes when the sinners who live in Argentina or Great Britain get away with it year in year out for centuries? Great Britain has only had a handful of natural disasters in the last 1000 years of history. A lot of old people died during several weeks of a heatwave a few years back, I guess, but that's hardly the headline grabber that a good earthquake or tornado swarm gets. The most damaging tornado in recorded history killed a grand total 2 people over 900 years ago. We once had an earthquake that killed a couple of children. Naturally, the Puritans blamed the increasing popularity of the theater at the time. Is it because God is particularly partial to the Brits? Or might it just be because the UK doesn't sit in a hurricane-prone zone, is seismically stable, and almost never gets weather conditions that are conducive for the formation of tornadoes? I guess the city planners of Las Vegas -- America's Sin City -- were on to something when they built it in the middle of the Nevada Desert. No tornadoes, no hurricanes, and major quakes about once in 1,000 years or less on average. Who knew it was so easy to keep God's wrath through natural disaster at arm's length?
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RE: BBC article - natural distasters and God - 3/7/2010 3:23:00 PM
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RSchorne
Posts: 157
Joined: 1/9/2010
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To be fair to Las Vegas, though, it is a particularly pious town.
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