How can evolution be true if there are no between-stage fossils? (+ 1 more question)

The problem of pain/suffering/evil. If God is "able to do anything", why cant he create a world where there is no option for evil to exist. This raises the question of what is possible/impossible. C.S.Lewis argues that a world in which we have free will and yet not have be able to choose evil is self-contradictory and thus intrinsically impossible because it carries this impossibility within itself. Unlike most impossibles, which include an UNLESS. Eg, "But it is impossible for me to go to the top floor" UNLESS my friends carry me. Anything intrinsically impossible cannot be done by all agents, as omnipotence allows God to do anything intrinsically possible, but not anything intrinsically impossible.Now, how does this apply to the problem of pain? For a creature to be free, it must have freedom to choose, and this implies something to choose between. A creature without an environment has nothing to choose. The choice of choosing God or rejecting God. Rejecting God is sin.[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-20-2002]

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Consequence is a meaningless concept to one who doesn't understand the concepts of right/wrong or good/evil as well. But since you believe in the bible I can see why you would see no problem with contradicting concepts since the thing is nothing but. If you use this as an example of how to raise your children I would only have pity for them and maybe put a call into a child protection agency.

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You don't understand what the passage meant when Satan told them that they would not die, their eyes would be opened, be like God, and know the difference between good and evil. In this, Satan tells four lies. That they will live forever (the basis of reincarnation), that they will be like God (the basis of pantheism, that the universe is God and you are a part of God), their eyes would be open (the basis of esotericism) and know the difference between good and evil (the basis of relativism; that good and evil are relative). Adam and Eve weren't ignorant or stupid, as you seem to be making out. I can understand why you thought so, since Satan said that they would "know the difference between Good and Evil".

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You are not getting the context here. You are going by what things are like now. None of this was suppose to have existed BEFORE they ate of the apple. Haven't you read the myth, or at least have someone read it to you? Life was suppose to be "perfect" before the so-called "fall". Do you understand perfection?

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God said it was very good, not perfect. Where did you get the idea that he said it was perfect?[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-20-2002]

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Isaiah 45:7 - I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

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"I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness. I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7)Which translation is yours from?

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It was what we were taught in Church and Sunday School that Lucifer rebelled against god because god wouldn't let him love a woman he met while on Earth.

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Where'd you get that idea? It was because Lucifer wanted to place himself higher than God that God kicked him out. It was because of his pride.

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12How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit (Isa. 14:12—15, NIV).

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[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-21-2002]

Don't dodge the point. Back to your argument

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It was what we were taught in Church and Sunday School that Lucifer rebelled against god because god wouldn't let him love a woman he met while on Earth.

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saying that Lucifer rebelled because of love for a woman. Cite.[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-21-2002]

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Does it really matter if it is suppose to be the word of god?

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We believe that the Bible in its original form is inspired by God. However, humans make errors (as we always do) and in the translation process may misinterpret something.[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-21-2002]

It just demonstrates the limited nature of language. You ever learnt another language nos482? You should realize that translating a word from one language to another isn't perfect. In the translation, some of the meaning is lost.

Please read it before you talk about it.

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The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.--Rev ch12:4

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and

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When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman as given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.Then from his mouth the serpent spwed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with a torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon ad spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring-those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. -- Rev 12:13-17

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[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-21-2002]

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Though, this is probably another case of something being taught as being from the bible which actually isn't in the the bible as stated. Since most Christians don't actually read it in any real depth, and aren't bible scholars, they will go mostly by what their clergy tells them. If you can't trust what your clergy says who can you trust?

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Not really. If you mean by sermons by the clergy, sure, they usually aren't in any real depth. But many Christians are in Bible study groups, in which we study each book of the Bible (about 1/2 to 1 term to study one book). In these groups, we discuss and learn about them as a group-we did Revelation last year. Right now we're doing Deuteronomy (which you'd probably agree is one of the harder to understand books).Anyway, if you've ever read the Left Behind fiction series (By Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins) about Armageddon, you quite quickly realize how Revelation is applicable. The series has sold >50 million books, so it shouldn't be too hard to find those apocalyptic fiction books (theres about 10 in the series right now). Anyway, even if you don't believe in Christianity, the books are a fun read. (Books #7,8,9,10 have all reached the #1 position on New York Times Bestseller list).[This message has been edited by blitz77, 10-23-2002]