jfryejr

This might have been beaten to dust already...

God is, according to xtianity, supposed to be the all loving father. He is infinitely compassionate, loving, kind, giving, etc. These attributes are assigned to him because...well, I'm not really sure. Oh wait, he is all of these things because even though we violate all of his precepts, such as not eating pork, not touching a menstruating woman, not stoning our willful children at the city's gate, he still came to "sacrifice himself to himself in order to appease himself" (read that from a post on this board, all credit to author, I just can't remember who he/she was...) for our sins.

So, this father lets a few of his children run the world into the ground, start wars, kill/slaughter millions, build nuclear weapons, let's small children die in car accidents/of leukemia/by bombs, etc. even though it would be barely a thought for him, the creator of a universe now 30 billion light-years in diameter, to ease suffering on an infetisimally small dot in that universe.

Is this tough love? Letting us work out things on our own? I let my child figure out how to put shapes into the proper holes, even though he gets a little aggravated. I've known parents who've let their children go to jail/prison from overnight to 3-4 years in the name of tough love (when they might could have stepped in and lessened the consequences somewhat). Sometimes it is necessary to teach children through their own mistakes. I wouldn't, however, let my child kill any number of people to learn that there are consequences. I wouldn't let my child die in a car accident to teach him that seat belts are necessary. I would also forgive my son for anything he did, without requiring my other son to be crucified in atonement. I wouldn't force a majority of my children to live starving in disease infested parts of my world through no fault of their own. If I, a finite mortal, can be this compassionate, how could an infinitely loving god be any less compasionate.

If god knows the sins and outcomes of each man's life, why not judge them even before they are born and take them to heaven directly. Why even create those that are going to be bad? Free Will is no excuse. God created Pharaoh and "hardened his heart" in order to prove that he's the baddest god on the block. This included killing all of Egypt's firstborn males. Our father killed his own children to show how mighty he was. And he took away Pharaoh's free will to do it.

The same with Judas. Before he was born he was to betray Jesus. Did God give Judas free will? His punishment must be bad for Jesus said (something like), "It would be better for that one had he not been born." Assuming the story true, which is a big assumption I know, Judas is the most pivotal character in God's plan--he betrayed Jesus and was responsible for Jesus' crucifixion and the start of xstianity. God made his son betray his Son to appease himself for the sins of his sons. God is burning his son (Judas) in hell for all eternity for killing his Son (Jesus), even though it happened all according to the way HE ordained it.

I think this post mostly regards the xstian viewpoint of god (loving, compassionate father), although that might be out of ignorance of other religions. If god isn't cruel and heartless, in what ways does he show his love? The last question is not meant to be rhetorical if it seems that it is...

Gothic_J

if god is all powerful, then he can cure all sickness, disease, and famine.

consider the pictures of aids or starvation, and you can remove from yourself any hope of a loving god.

HaysooChreesto!

If neglected my kids like the Xtian god does, social services would be at my door in no time along with the cops.
The last image my kids would see of me would be me running down the street and two guys chasing me with a net.

beyelzu

god is just stern, you know how it is

spare the eternal damnation and spoil the child.

christ-on-a-stick

Further to the "god as an cruel, abusive and negligent" parent allegory, I have often said that the Xian god is eerily similar to the abusive boyfriend of husband.

"Love me... or I'll kill you!!!"

Restraining order anyone?

Gothic_J

I argued for 20 minutes about that with a fundy. indeed, its happened in a lot of arguments. they dont understand the phrase, false analogy :banghead:

reprise

If God was my parent, you can damned well bet I'd be going to court to seek emancipation - and substantial damages.

mike_decock

There was a thread a few months ago called "God the abusive father?" in which this concept was discussed.

-Mike...

jfryejr

Ahhh, curses...I even did a search before I started the thread. Didn't think of using the word abusive, though...tried cruel and unjust...

I think we need a more intelligent search engine, one that guesses at what I want to know so I don't have to do any real work...

mike_decock

Nah... It would make me feel even more useless on this forum than I already feel sometimes .

-Mike...