STEVE!
I didn't know everyone was so sick in your house. Please accept my sincere wishes for everyone's physical and mental well being. Are you sure this is a good time for conversation????(sincerely)
I will continue, but at any time, please let me know if it is more convienent to pursue later. Obviously your family must come first......
Steve, it is my opinion, and also the the opinion of many experts,(although I am sure as with any subject, we could both find plenty of "experts" on either side of any question) that punishment is a poor deterrent to crime, and a poor motivator for behavior. In almost all cases Love is an infinitely better motivator. the death penalty is proven to NOT decrease the amount of crime. With your wife, do you try to please her out of fear or love? Which would be more pleasurable(emotionally:-) )? which emotion would you choose for her to react to you by?
I know that all kids are different, so this example may be of limited utility, but my daughter reacts much better to a calm explanantion, and loving hug than she does to ranting and raving.
Also, we must remember, we are talking about God, and not mark/steve. We assume that he has more tricks up his sleeve than we do. If we could bend cosmic rules with a simple thought, create the uncreatable by wishing it so, how would you treat your own child.
If your child never acknowledged you as the authority that you are, was a decent person, better than some and worse than others, but refused to acknowledge you for a myriad of reason. Stubborness, ego,
a dash of rebellion, whatever. Would yu banish that child to an eternity of hellfire? Let's say that child , didnt acknowledge you for other reasons. Let's say this chid is Hindu. All of the people it loves are Hindu. It is heard the your mesage many times, but within the context of where he lives, where everyone seems to believe that all good comes from the Hindu relgion, the message is dimmed by it's influences from everyone and everything it holds sacred in its life.
Because of that, the child never acknowledges you. It listenes to it's parents, brothers, sister, family, and culture, who it holds dear.
This is a very kind and loving child of yours, whois devoutly practising the faith of its loved ones and culture. After a long life, your dhild dies.
Dpo you banish it to an eternity of hellfire, or do you accept its choices, lovingly,, and explain with care and love what your Godly reality is? Which accomplishes more? If i were that child, and you banished me to eternal hellfire, I would probably even more fervently believe that the Hindu religion is correct, and youare some sort of devil. With love an patience and care, there is a very good chance that I may come to believe you correct.
Now you are no longer a diety, just Steve. Your own child does something wrong. what works better, instant screaming and yelling, followed by a slap(akin to hell) or take her in your arms, explain the problem, and lovingly teach her the difference? Both ways may fail, but what is the better attempt?
Now consider that God may achieve any outcome he desires. That is a given. the outcome is not id doubt. what outcome does want, whatever it is , the eventuality is a certainty, there are no mistakes, no failed efforts. does he want to inflict punishement, or bring you to wisdom? what would be his desire? What outcome would he want to see? Under what circumstances, would you cast away the soul of your child?
Mark |
