No, mankind is damned to hell because it misused and misuses its freedom and the blessings God gave us.
We just disagree on who the driving force behind that decision is
God gives. We (mis)use by His permission. You believe that God teaches you how to drive, gives you a driving license, and a car, but you never get to drive it.
I agree that God does not delight in perdition, but you describe a very weak God who most often fails to get what He wants
He desires to save all men, doesn't delight in seeing anyone lost, even the wicked (all biblical statements), but the reality tells us that not all are saved, and that the good and the wicked perish, none of which makes it my description. You have issues with those scriptural truths and how they play themselves out in the real world.
The Scriptures tell us that things happen even though God doesn't desire them. Are you denying that?
By definition, it is impossible for an omnipotent being to fail to get what He wants
God wants us to have freedom. We do. He gave us the intellect and the means to not to be helpless little morons, but rather to be a reflection of His image and likeness, not as His little robots but as His people.
And we failed. In your theology, that means, your omnipotent God either isn't omnipotent or He simply wants us to fail!
I really think the Reformed suppress the idea that this is what their theology subliminally teaches. It's a defense mechanism because it would crumble the whole foundation of their faith.
You have been shown all the scripture contradicting this idea. God does not love the damned, or else He would have saved them. He is omnipotent
Of course He loves the damned; He love all His creation. That's why He desire for all men to be saved. They are damned not because He created them damned (as you believe!) but because they chose to be damned by rejecting God.
And you misconstrue strength as forcing people to do what you want them to do.
-A8
No, I believe that God teaches me how to sit in the back seat and behave like a good boy. :)
The Scriptures tell us that things happen even though God doesn't desire them. Are you denying that?
Ultimately, Yes! :) Of course there is plain meaning scripture that says that God wants all to be saved. There is no denying that. But there is also scripture that says that God needed directions in Eden, that God changes His mind, and that God was "wrong". These scriptures clearly need interpretation because they appear to conflict with the more clear understanding we are given elsewhere in scripture that God is omniscient, and omnipotent. The interpretation that is MOST consistent with the latter clearer understanding is that God always gets what He wants. We have a rational, omnipotent Being. What else can we conclude? We can say that sometimes God gets what He doesn't "enjoy", but that is different from what you are saying.
God wants us to have freedom. We do. He gave us the intellect and the means to not to be helpless little morons, but rather to be a reflection of His image and likeness, not as His little robots but as His people. And we failed. In your theology, that means, your omnipotent God either isn't omnipotent or He simply wants us to fail!
God did not cause Adam to sin, but ultimately, it is clearly what He wanted, under my theology. He could have easily prevented it in multiple ways. God always gets what He wants. He, for His own reasons, has chosen this existence for us. How do you answer people when they ask you why God allows so much suffering in the world if He is a loving God? Omnipotent God could get rid of all of it with a finger snap. Yet, He lets it persist. The answer is NOT that God turned over the control of history to humans. The answer is that for reasons we may not even be able to comprehend, this is the way God wanted it. We can make reasonable speculation such as not being able to worship and give glory to good, without knowing evil, etc. But in the end, sovereign God remains in full control, and it is not for us to question Him.
I really think the Reformed suppress the idea that this is what their theology subliminally teaches. It's a defense mechanism because it would crumble the whole foundation of their faith.
I "hope" I'm being pretty open about it. :) I don't see any crumbling. The main difference here is in Who is really running the good part of this place we call earth. We say God is directly, and I think the Apostolic Church's position is that God turned over that responsibility to man. Given the authority of the Church (more so with the Latins), God has really become "God Emeritus".
Of course He loves the damned; He loves all His creation. That's why He desires for all men to be saved. They are damned not because He created them damned (as you believe!) but because they chose to be damned by rejecting God.
You are right that the damned are damned because they chose to be damned. Damn! :) You are also correct that I believe that God created them that way, with that specific predestination. I realize this is a difficult thing for very many people to agree with. However, the ultimate responsibility still lies with the individual. God had no duty to save them, and God does all the saving. In addition, we are specifically told that God hated Esau, and from that we can extrapolate that He also hated Judas, and others. God saved only those whom He loved. An omnipotent God's sacrifice would be meaningless if He failed to save all He loved.