Posted on 01/03/2002 11:19:13 AM PST by ArGee
A very rich man decided that he wanted to show kindness to the people of the fair city where he lived. Since he was very rich indeed, he decided to throw a banquet for the entire city. He rented the largest sports arena in the city and began his plans. He planned for huge amounts of the best food possible, making allowances for every religious and medical diet. He advertised the banquet in every possible manner - television, radio, billboard, door-to-door canvassing. Considering that there might be some who could not travel, he arranged for free bus transportation to and from the event, and some special-needs vehicles for all who could not ride busses. He even scheduled the banquet to run for 24 hours a day for several days so that everyone could be sure of being served.
He planned long and hard and finally the big day came. The rich man ate quickly and then went about wishing all his guests well and personally making sure that all had every need met. After a while he went outside to tour the grounds and talk with those who had not yet gone in, and those who had already left. Everyone was happy. Many were profusely thankful. It was a glorious occasion.
At one point the rich man noticed a group of people sitting outside a locked door with most unpleasant looks on their faces. Sensing they were not happy, he went over to them. He did not introduce himself but simply asked them if he could be of service.
"We want to go in through this door," one of them replied.
The rich man explained to them that the hall was arranged to feed a large number of people as quickly and effortlessly as possible. This required order inside, and the entrances and exits had been carefully planned to be as efficient as possible. He then offered to go call one of the golf carts that were avaialbe to help people who could not walk far to take them to the entrance. But the man replied, "We do not want to go in the entrance. We want to go in this door. We don't understand why we can't go in any door we wish. We think the man who set this banquet up is mean and hateful for insisting we go in through the entrance. He has tried to bill himself as a very kind man by offering this banquet, but he is not kind at all if he will not indulge us and let us go through this door.
The rich man was distressed at these words, but still attempted to please these people. He tried once more to explain to them what was behind this particular door, and how if they went in this door they would disrupt the meal service being offered inside. He offered to drive them himself, not only to the door, but inside the hall to their tables if they would only go through the entrance to enjoy the meal. Again the man said, "No, but only a hateful man would keep us from going through the door of our choosing. And we will sit here and tell anyone who will listen to us what an awful man he is until he lets us in."
At that the rich man was enraged and he shouted, "Enough." Then he called a police officer to have them thrown off of the property and ordered that they not be allowed to return until the banquet was over and all the scraps had been hauled away. Then, mourning for their loss, he turned to visit with other guests.
As for me, I'd suggest that my moral code (derived by reason) suffices just fine.
Can your moral code (derived by reason) explain how abortion is legal then?
Why? Because Job had some sovereign rights superior to God? What kind of god would that be? If it's too much to ask you to be a believer, can you not at least concede the theoretical point of Job -- that God, being perfectly justified in his absolute sovereignty, has has no need of human approval?
I wouldn't be too quick to judge people's knowledge of scripture and theology without knowing anything about them if I were you. You're likely to find yourself somewhat embarassed.
But if it makes you feel better to dismiss anything I may have to say with a wave of the hand, because you don't think I'm "qualified", then feel free to do so.
It makes you look rather petty though.
MILLIONS of people actually believe that all life came from rocks and water and lightning! (and lots and lots of time)
Why do you fear him?
The only people who fear G-d are people who believe that His Justice is greater than His Mercy!
LOL. Maybe it's because Eve encountered the talking snake in the "tree of knowledge of good and evil" first and not the singing opossum in the "tree of eternal life" ;->
It occurred to me, yes.
The First Commandment says that we should LOVE G-d, not fear Him.
As many on this Forum know, I am an elderly Jew who is totally satisfied with what Judaism offers. Judaism is much more emphatic about living the proper life here on earth than most other religions. The Ten Commandments are not "suggestions", and their violation is not something easily remediated by confession or "finding God".Nevertheless, God tells us that in the long run, ALL GOOD MEN GO TO HEAVEN (including those who do not believe as we do).
All I have is an Old Testement from my Bible. Will that do just as well?
I am particularly interested in the definition of a 'good' man.
My moral code (derived by reason) recognizes abortion as immoral, just as your moral code (derived from God) does.
Peculiar huh?
Christianity is a rational faith.
Philosophical thinking is what every mature, rational person does.
If you claim to embrace "the Christian faith", you surely realize that by merely making that claim, you are saying that you *know* what it is.
For instance ... I'm sure you know that certain essential (cardinal/core) doctrines are what make up the "Christian religion". What are they? And I'm also sure you know that if one steps outside those essentials of the faith and teaches or believes a different God and a different gospel, then that one is stepping outside the Christian faith.
That's fine. People do it all the time. The only time there is a problem with that is when they still think they can legitimately call what they believe "the Christian faith".
I enjoy defending my position.
And every once in awhile, a little light clicks on for someone.... somewhere.
That makes me happy.
This I do believe: all who have ever lived will someday bend the knee and acknowledge that God was and is perfect in His judgments--some to their joy and some to their shame. Like Paul, I do not dare to presume to judge even myself in this matter.
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