Magus55

Because, reparations for sinning against an infinite perfect being can never be payed back to God on our own. And since you can never pay back the debt, the punishment is infinite. The price has to be that heavy, or God wouldn't be perfect. Anything less than perfection is inexcusable by our own merit. God can't allow a sinner to go unpunished. Its basically the same as our justice system, except on a perfect and infinite scale. Life imprisonment and the death penalty are the ultimate punishments, because the government deems that it would take the criminals entire life, or the termination of their life, to pay back society for the crimes committed. But, in our system, the human body is finite and has an end, and the amount of reparations needed to pay back society are finite. The amount of reparations needed to pay back God on the other hand, are infinite, as is the soul. There is a reason that Jesus discussed Hell and how to avoid it more than anything else in the Bible. Because of how severe it is, and because of how much He wants us to avoid it. He told you how, and Jesus made redemption possible - the rest is up to you and your decision. Endure God's punishment for not meeting His standards of perfection with no remorse, or accept His offer, and seek forgiveness.

Now you may not think its fair for God to hold you accountable for not being perfect, but all of humanity is at fault - and you are part of that fault since you continue to live in sin. God knows very well you can never meet His standards or be perfect, which is why He set up the only way possible for you to meet His standards, by going through the Mediator between God the Father and humanity. God came to earth and died on the cross by our hands in order for us to be able to be redeemed despite our imperfections. He payed the price for our faults that we can't do because we aren't perfect, but God is perfect and therefore is able to redeem us through Jesus.

winstonjen

No, it proves that other religions have invented worse hells.

winstonjen

Who created that fault? Hint: It's the being that put the tree in the GoE.

Gawdawful

Who is the Mediator? Jesus? Your very next line betrays that in saying "...God came to earth and died on the cross....". Is Jesus God or not? You can't have it both ways. The bible is so clear on that that (Not!) there are many interpretations, some of which are the very reason for all the different denominations. I won't even get into how stupid it sounds to say that your almighty God died, or that it was somehow a sacrifice.

Infinite punishment for finite sins just plain does not make sense no matter how you frame it. It is like saying "You stole a candy bar, so now you must forfeit everything you have or will have, ever." Overkill. Pure and simple overkill. Every "sin" is finite, even murder; the murderer only deprived their victim of one finite life, not their supposed eternal life, so why must the murderer pay for all eternity? Just punishment for the murderer is met either by taking his one finite life or depriving them of their freedom for the rest of their one finite life, you can't take away more than that. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, to coin a biblical phrase.

Warren in Oklahoma

winstonjen

Sorry, those laws were repealed. Funnily enough, by the same god who established them.

Nowhere357

Quantum randomness.

Virtual particles.

It looks like your entire world-view is without merit, since the above two points are critical to your position.

Calzaer

Why does Magus have to hijack EVERY SINGLE THREAD HE EVER POSTS IN? Can't we please get back to the topic?

Godless Wonder:

I made a really long post, then decided abruptly that I didn't really want to go into all that detail. It just makes me feel silly. So if I sound vague or evasive, that's probably why. It's not my intent to be vague or evasive, I just don't feel comfortable going into specifics right now. Particularly with all the arm-chair shrinks who run around on this board.

I'm only 21, and I've long past anyone's definition of "a few". And there are no obvious psychological meltdowns that could be causing it. [Not interfering with daily life or societal functioning, not telling me to kill puppies, etc. Doctor said I didn't even meet the symptoms for schizotypal, much less anything more serious.](<-included for the benefit of arm-chair shrinks)

Yup, had that one. A couple times. And learned accurate, verifiable information I didn't previously know, to boot. [And she's never told me that people in black hats are out to get me, or that I should drown all the kittens in the city to save them from sin.] (<- included for the benefit of arm-chair shrinks)

Nowhere357

It seems to me that these types of experiences are then interpreted according to whatever indoctrination the person has received. I don't think that Christians for example receive any more of these than any other type of person.

I wonder if you have strong dream recall, and if you've studied dream control and lucid dreaming? I've had experiences that have led me to study and practice the subject of dream control, and I'm very glad that I have.


Btw sorry I fed the troll (Magus is not a troll, but I don't have a better word). Usually I ignore his posts.

Mageth

The amount of reparations needed to pay back God on the other hand, are infinite, as is the soul.

Jeez, Magus, you make God sound like some kind of really vicious loan shark.

We've gone over this many times before, I'm sure, but infinite punishment or "reparations" for finite "sins" just doesn't make any sense, and your explanation of why it's necessary doesn't either. If that's indeed god's plan, then god is nonsensical.

I have a sneaky suspicion that you have no idea what "infinite" entails.

notMichaelJackson

Magus55,

My conscience tells me not to worship the Christian God. If the Christian God exists and wants me to worship him, why did he cause my conscience to be this way?