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That's a fine line you make there but I disagree, of course. We have God's creation as proof of His being but the bible is His Word. If He allowed men to write it but didn't have any part in the writing (the absent God) then it's useless. It's just men writing what they think about God. I don't care what men think about God. I care what God thinks and wants and that is made clear in the bible but when we say that God 'inspired' it but didn't author it, spiritually, then you make the bible out to be just another history/rule book.

We part company there.

The New Testament was written ,in large part, by those who walked with Jesus Christ. They wrote what they saw and heard, not what others told them. That is what makes the bible so valuable. God allowed those men to write - and he has preserved - the accounts and the teachings of Christ from those who were witnesses. The Old Testament is also valuable as it sets the stage for Christ and Isaiah 53 - written 700 years before Christ was on earth - describes him (his character) perfectly. To claim that God allowed falsehoods and man-made ideas to enter into the book that purports to represent Him doesn't compute for me. The bible is the Word of God. You are free to reject it but without it, you are wandering through the jungle of life that you have no compass, no guide, no map for and it is impossible to know God fully without knowing His Word.
He placed it there for our help, to know Him, not to mislead us and confuse us, as many attempt to do.

Calvinism is a religious doctrine that has been around a long time and has a minority of followers. It's false. It claims that scripture says God predetermined our eternal fate (heaven or hell) before time began. We have no Free Will in the matter, we're either one of the 'elect' or not. If not, bye-bye and no choice. Some merciful God they propose!

It's rubbish but has staunch defenders who have built their religion around this man-made misunderstanding of the bible. As with many bibical arguments, it gets pretty hot. People love to feel 'elect' and when you threaten that cocoon of 'electness' they get upset and defensive, to say the least. That's pretty much the content of this thread, I'm afraid. A doctrinal argument, but a serious one.

I hope you'll consider the bible and ignore the bickering here as we are mere men, contending over scripture, but we all accept the bible AS scripture - the Word of God, from God, not men.

As I possibly stated earlier, and also in reply to a private e-mail, if I wake up tomorrow a Christian, fine, a Muslim, fine, a Hindu, fine. I believe God manifests Himself in each person individually as God sees fit. You are as correct in your beliefs as I, and as anyone. God is all powerful, all influential, how can anything be other than the way God intended?

Why do you feel the need to know God? He is not your equal, why do you even think you can know God?

People love to feel 'elect' and when you threaten that cocoon of 'electness' they get upset and defensive...

By believing in free will you are the control--works freak...

election means God's got the control--outcome--finish...there's no game--multiple choices!

If you don't like the rain, you can stay in the house---that ain't gonna make the sun come out!

If the rain don't stop---better start swimming till your lungs fill up!

Is your free will gonna change anything?