Oh there’s a big ole thought spaghetti work around for it im sure
The other perspective is to reflect on just which Commandments we truly wish to keep, yet failed at keeping them. Heaven, where spirit is stronger than flesh, and we can always keep those Commandments we truly wanted to keep.
Are there any Commandments you do not wish to keep?
One thing about christianity that really makes me shake my head (and there are many) is that god is credited for miracles (I prayed and my sick baby pulled through, but is absolved from blame whenever bad things happen with the whole “free will” argument.
You cant have it both ways. If he gets credit for the good ■■■■■ he should take the blame for the bad ■■■■■ I get it thats why christians created a devil, but if got were all powerful, he wouldn’t allow a devil to exist.
1 Like
Perhaps it is because atheists want to keep a scorecard, whereas Christians don’t bother with it. We understand that the mysteries of God are beyond our understanding, but we also understand that He is with us–even when we cannot figure Him out.
Which is one of the biggest reasons I’m an atheist.
1 Like
And that’s fine. But don’t imagine Christians thinking of God as their own personal Genii or a magician.
I don’t. I obviously think more highly of myself than most christians do, feeling the need to prostate themselves to a “higher power” I feel that we as people are the highest power. Time tells who is ultimately correct, but in death we can’t explain it to future generations.
Some Christians may. ; )
I’m still trying to read the Bible straight through. Stopped for a bit, and have now restarted again.
The amount of times the Israelites are saved by God, then go back to serve other gods, til God sells them into slavery and they pray for him for deliverance and finally he does…it’s like 5 times he does that before Samuel 1 & 2.
Seems kind of silly to have made them his “Chosen People” when they seemingly wont’ follow his commandments for more than 20 minutes.
But the reason I’m responding is Samuel 1 & 2, which actually tells the story of Saul.
As far as the omniscience of God is concerned, why would he raise Saul up to be King, then “repenteth” that he had done so, when he should have known how Saul would turn out.
Or did he make Saul turn out the way he did, because on two separate occasions he, God, sent an evil spirit to Saul to make him do the things he did. No free will there.
You dodged the question. Do we have free will in heaven? If “flesh” is the problem and spirit is not, then God should have just created us as pure spirits in heaven.
1 Like
Yep. I see it all the time on these boards. They shout free will, yet believe God visited us 2000 years ago, performed miracles, and rose from the dead to show his existence. Conveniently in a time with no film or photography. Too bad God took a 2000 year vacation and didnt stick around. He could gave had a nice suite in Trump tower 
Ah, God is mysterious and cant be understood. This argument is used anytime Christians cant explain something that contradicts the classic characterization of God. Yet, Christians on this board spend nearly all their time “explaining God”. Especially to atheists. So which is it? Is God beyond our understanding or not? Then why post here about God?
God is never responsible for anything and views himself as the greatest thing ever, who never does anything wrong. Why would I worship a being with that attitude? I have bosses like that. Toxic.
Yep. The bible is filled with God intervening and performing miracles on behalf of people. Many people on these boards have shared stories of “miracles” happening in their lives.
God has never made a miracle in your life?
Plot twist—we’re still going to be in the flesh in “Heaven”, seeing how it’s actually going to be the New Earth. So, super duper new flesh is going to be stronger than our current version, I guess? Would have been nice to just skip the prototype.
1 Like
People who have been very close to death (near death experiences) have explained. People who have experienced God in their lives have explained. These stories have been handed down throughout the generations.
Who is the author of Samuel? Who was his original audience, and what was his purpose? Have you identified the political parties? Do you get the idea that history was written by the winning party? And, that the winning party, when it did not (or refused) to understand the actions of the other party assured the people it was an evil spirit, and further, it was an evil spirit sent by God so that the people would know that whatever side God was on, it certainly was not Saul’s. God was on the side of those who opposed Saul. Had Saul won out, we would be reading that God sent an evil spirit into Samuel and David…
Have you figured out what the main cause of dissension was? What was the wall people were fighting over in those days?
Well that settles it
Its almost as if the Bible is a man written story filled with hidden agendas and falsehoods, and that we should be extremely skeptical about claims of it being inspired by God. Interesting that you apply skeptic context like the above, but with NDEs you seemingly dont apply that same skeptical context about biology - ever heard of DMT?
Except…
Genesis explains that humans wanted to know both good and evil. I understand it is not possible to experience evil in heaven.
Is there free will in heaven? I thought evil is a product of free will.
