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Author Topic:   God the father
Perdition
Member (Idle past 3238 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


(2)
Message 80 of 117 (652380)
02-13-2012 3:51 PM
Reply to: Message 79 by purpledawn
02-13-2012 3:07 PM


Re: Omnipotent Parent
Everyone dies and God decides who he wants to bring back.
Ok, let's go with this. If God is loving, and loves all of us as a father loves his children, why would he not want to bring back everyone?
I'm not a father (quite yet) but even if my child rejected me, I would want to bring him back. Why doesn't god? Does he, in fact, not love me as a father loves their child?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 79 by purpledawn, posted 02-13-2012 3:07 PM purpledawn has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 89 by purpledawn, posted 02-14-2012 12:06 PM Perdition has replied

  
Perdition
Member (Idle past 3238 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


(1)
Message 91 of 117 (652562)
02-14-2012 3:39 PM
Reply to: Message 89 by purpledawn
02-14-2012 12:06 PM


Re: Agape
Agape (selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love) is used in relation to God.
I understand that the concept of love has changed, just as our concept of god has changed...but wouldn't you say god, him/her/itself, hasn't changed? Just like our concept of the world has changed, but the world itself hasn't changed?
But, unconditional love would seem that no matter how bad the kid is, he'll always be loved and welcomed. He may not get candy, but he'll always be welcome.
One child breaks the rules and one doesn't; then one child suffers the consequences and the other receives the "prize". The idea that everyone gets candy no matter how they behave isn't an incentive to behave.
But candy is a temporary prize, and punishment is a temporary anti-prize. A punishment that last for eternity is not a punishment, or at least, is not a just punishment.
I guess its "unconditional" and "eternal" that are giving me issues. I can totally understand punishment and "prizes," but both would be as a way to condition someone, and as such, would have to be less than eternal.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 89 by purpledawn, posted 02-14-2012 12:06 PM purpledawn has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 92 by purpledawn, posted 02-14-2012 6:51 PM Perdition has replied
 Message 94 by GDR, posted 02-15-2012 11:32 AM Perdition has not replied

  
Perdition
Member (Idle past 3238 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


(1)
Message 93 of 117 (652654)
02-15-2012 10:13 AM
Reply to: Message 92 by purpledawn
02-14-2012 6:51 PM


Re: Agape
Once our children become adults and choose their lifestyle, we still love them unconditionally; but they may or may not be welcome visitors without behavior changes.
True, but I would still do everything in my power to keep the alive such that a future change in behavior would be possible.
That's why I find "eternal" so distasteful.
If I were God, some sort of purgatory, where a person has an eternity to change their behavior such that they might be "welcomed home" would be the more unconditioned love response.
For all we know God may have a good reason for not wanting to resurrect wicked people. Maybe the process doesn't work right with a wicked soul.
Perhaps. But wouldn't he still want to do so, he just knows doing so would be worse, and so refrains from doing what he wants?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 92 by purpledawn, posted 02-14-2012 6:51 PM purpledawn has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 95 by purpledawn, posted 02-15-2012 11:37 AM Perdition has replied

  
Perdition
Member (Idle past 3238 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


(1)
Message 96 of 117 (652680)
02-15-2012 12:32 PM
Reply to: Message 95 by purpledawn
02-15-2012 11:37 AM


Re: Agape
They have a life time to change their behavior and don't, then they have an eternity to change their behavior. What's the incentive to change?
The same thing that convinces some people to change their behavior and go back and make amends with their parents now. Time to reflect, perhaps growth, maybe just some sort of jolt to remove the veil that had been blinding them to how they were acting.
I don't know, but as a loving father, I would want my child to have all the time s/he needs, up to eternity, to be able to change their mind and come back. I would never want to just say, "Oh well, they had their chance, tough luck."
What is taking place in your Purgatory to cause them to change their behavior?
Perhaps just time. Maybe angelic counsellors. Maybe even some sort of court, like that seen in "Defending Your Life" (A very good movie, IMHO) where they can see clips from their life, and perhaps get a bit of perspective they didn't have before.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 95 by purpledawn, posted 02-15-2012 11:37 AM purpledawn has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 98 by purpledawn, posted 02-15-2012 3:18 PM Perdition has not replied
 Message 100 by GDR, posted 02-15-2012 5:26 PM Perdition has not replied

  
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