Dan,
I think I did a poor job of explaining the sin aspect. think of it this way(it is simpler) After you committ the sin, after your free will comes into play, it is decision time. God can decide to decide to punish you, or to rehabilitate you. He can treat you with love, or torture you.
<<You are right . It IS totally up to Him. So why are we telling Him what He should or should not do?>>
I am not telling him what to do. I am trying to understand a philosophy/belief system. If it doesnt make sense to me, what am I to do? I am not saying you are wrong for believing it. I am trying to understand why you believe it. I certainly mean NO disrespect, but everytime I find soething that I dont understand, the answer, "dont tell God what to do", doesnt explain it to me, and makes me think there is no answer.
<<Do you punish your children for "retribution" or "revenge"? No you
punish in most cases to protect them and help them grow.>>
Dan, my will can not be made manifest at my whim by the cosmos. If it can, I am not aware how:-) If it could, I would never punish my children through the use of physical or emotional punishment, and certainly never by the use of torture. I would always choose love, knowledge, and rehabilitation if necessary. Wouldn't you?
<<I don't see fear as a vehicle...I see it intertwined as a part of
each.fear/awe/reverence.>>
But why is fear even included? What purpose can it serve that isn't better served by love, acceptance, and tolerance? I am not saying that I know better, I am just asking why...........
mark
also, I want to make sure that you understand that I am not questioning you out of an attempt to disprove or change what you believe. I just wish to understand soemthing that I currently don't.
|
