Problems with God

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>     <snip>

> Matthew Bell

> God is under no obligation to you or any other individual  . . .


ELF  And THAT is one of the biggest problems any of the Abrahamaic religions
has
with the theology of their omnimax deity

Matthew Bell
I fail to see what 'biggest problem' Christianity has with God's lack of
obligation to prove his existence. Perhaps you could elaborate?

    You see, mere humans in a contract have reciprocal duties and rights under
the
contract.

Matthew Bell
God too has reciprocal duties and rights when he enters into a covenant
relationship with a people, or an individual. 

 If a concrete plant has a contract with a construction company to provide
concrete on a certain day, then if it fails to provide the concrete it is
responsible for damages, direct, incidental and consequential -- and  if the
construction co. refuses delivery of the concrete on the specified day then IT
is
liable to the cement company for damages - direct, incidental and
consequential.
    But if God doesn't deliver on the promises Matt et. al. think are in the
Bible?
Or that Muslims think or in the Q'uran? 
    Their God is indeed under no obligation to keep any of his promises.

Matthew Bell
So which promises has God not delivered on, which breaches His side of the
contract (covenant)?

    But to get the goodies apparently the believer has to follow a set of
sometimes
silly, complex and difficult rules.

Matthew Bell
So what are these 'silly, complex and difficult rules'?

    Think of it like this: If I had a fortune, and I made an offer such as
this;
Climb Mt. Everest, and sail solo around the world, then, IF I FEEL LIKE IT, 
I'll
cover all the expenses you incurred and give you 10 million dollars of your
own.

Matthew Bell
Such an act would be arbitrary. In what way is God analogous to such? I do not
consider God acts on whatever mood he happens to be in, but on his infinite
wisdom and knowledge.

     I've made no enforceable commitment, no promise, to pay up, so would you,
based on that offer, undertake those tasks? Both have been done may times so
its
hardly anything impossible, difficult yes, but do-able.

    We can also note that the threats of hell fire are just as open to doubt.
God
is certainly under no more obligation to punish "sinners" than he is to reward
the
"righteous".

Matthew Bell
God is just. He will not punish sinners because of any obligation, or
appearance to man, but becuase he is just.


    This God is under no obligation to even tell the truth about anything.

Matthew Bell
If the Christian God lied(s) then he ceases to be the Christian God, who cannot
lie. 

    It's a good thing that there is little reason to suppose that this
particular
God exists, because if we could be sure that he did, we really wouldn't know
what
to do.

Matthew Bell
I find no such dilemma in my Christian life.

Thanks
M.Bell

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