Why doesn't God just kill Satan

MooseJam

It would solve a lot of problems wouldn't it ?

Zombrex

MooseJam wrote: »

It would solve a lot of problems wouldn't it ?

Can you kill an angel? Are they not immortal?

Pompey Magnus

Wicknight wrote: »

Can you kill an angel? Are they not immortal?

He made them, presumably he can unmake them. He is God after all.

I would like to know why he didn't just kill Adam and Eve and start again from scratch, learning from his mistakes by next time NOT creating a talking evil snake and maybe hiding the Tree of Knowledge deep inside a cave on a small planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. It would have saved an awful lot of suffering.

all the stars

ah sure, then who'd run "hell" or be blamed for all the badness in the world? Then , people might be considered responsible for their actions :eek: - heavens forbid and all

gordon_gekko

a better question might be , why doesnt god prevent natural disasters

besides , surely god needs satan , hes been a very successful spook story with which to recruit believers

AtomicHorror

I guess if you're going to grant your creations with free-will, you also want to present them with alternatives so that there are actual choices for them to make using said will.

Zombrex

AtomicHorror wrote: »

I guess if you're going to grant your creations with free-will, you also want to present them with alternatives so that there are actual choices for them to make using said will.

Why though?

It is easy to imagine a universe where the result of actions cannot harm, why create a universe where the results of actions can harm and then set out a bunch of laws to out law these actions? What purpose does that serve?

(I think this is turning into a collection of "Why does/did God.." issues. If the Christians can take these questions seriously without simply dismissing them as the result of the wondering imaginations of wicked faithless sinners, they might even convert some people! )

AtomicHorror

Wicknight wrote: »

It is easy to imagine a universe where the result of actions cannot harm, why create a universe where the results of actions can harm and then set out a bunch of laws to out law these actions? What purpose does that serve?

My answer to that would probably not go down too well with many Christians. I'll just say that there doesn't appear to be an objective purpose and leave it at that.

estebancambias

LOL, at all the posts so far on the Christian 'Board'..

Zombrex

estebancambias wrote: »

LOL, at all the posts so far on the Christian 'Board'..

The Christian forum is a forum for discussing Christianity, not a forum for Christians.

Christianity Charter wrote:

The purpose of this board is to discuss Christian belief in general, and specific elements of it, between Christians and non-Christians alike. It has the additional purpose of being a point on boards.ie where Christians may ask other Christians questions about their shared faith.

You can post in the atheist forum without having to be an atheist, you can post in the Linux forum without having to be a Linux user, you can post in the Lost forum without having to be lost :pac:

There is a system for Christians who wish to start Christian only threads to do so. Ironically, for all the complaining about the invasion of non-Christians that goes on here, these Christian only threads are more often than not completely ignored by the regular Christian posters here.

Dave!

God works in mysterious ways OP. You just don't understand him. Have a pray and everything will soon become clear.

kelly1

MooseJam wrote: »

It would solve a lot of problems wouldn't it ?

No, God needs to sort out the good eggs from the bad eggs. Satan is really only God's tool. Satan can only do what God allows him to do and God can allow Satan to tempt us.

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

I would like to know why he didn't just kill Adam and Eve and start again from scratch, learning from his mistakes by next time NOT creating a talking evil snake and maybe hiding the Tree of Knowledge deep inside a cave on a small planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. It would have saved an awful lot of suffering.

God doesn't make mistakes. He knows exactly what He's doing.

Dave!

Isn't it kind of immoral for god to use satan to 'sort out the good eggs from the bad eggs'? What I mean by that is that those who succumb to Satan's temptation are obviously of weaker mind than those who do not. So is it fair to punish people for being weak? Smells awfully like Social Darwinism to me.

Pompey Magnus

kelly1 wrote: »

God doesn't make mistakes. He knows exactly what He's doing.

“The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen 6:6)

Sounds to me like God recognised he made a mistake.

MrPudding

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

“The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen 6:6)

Sounds to me like God recognised he made a mistake.

Duh. That bit is not supposed to be literally. That is a metaphor thingie. Seriously, how could God make a mistake?

MrP

Phaetonman

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

“The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen 6:6)

Sounds to me like God recognised he made a mistake.

So according to the bible, God considers us a mistake. Fúck that prick thats a really hurtful thing to say.

AtomicHorror

kelly1 wrote: »

No, God needs to sort out the good eggs from the bad eggs. Satan is really only God's tool. Satan can only do what God allows him to do and God can allow Satan to tempt us.

Being all-knowing, God shouldn't really need such a tool. Unless our free will blinds God to which courses of action we will take. That would have huge implications as it would mean that the sum of the interactions of the 6.5 billion currently existing free willed humans would have to be unpredictable to God.

kelly1 wrote: »

God doesn't make mistakes. He knows exactly what He's doing.

But not, it seems, what we are going to do.

AtomicHorror

Phaetonman wrote: »

So according to the bible, God considers us a mistake. Fúck that prick thats a really hurtful thing to say.

I'm an agnostic but I kinda think we're guests of the Christians here. Try not to shake your fist at the local deity. It'll insult and hurt people, even if it's a joke.

Asiaprod

Phaetonman wrote: »

So according to the bible, God considers us a mistake. Fúck that prick thats a really hurtful thing to say.

You are new here, cool it down please.
Asia

Akrasia

AtomicHorror wrote: »

I'm an agnostic but I kinda think we're guests of the Christians here. Try not to shake your fist at the local deity. It'll insult and hurt people, even if it's a joke.

I hope that doesn't translate as 'we should respect for their beliefs'?

This is a discussion forum. We should show respect for the people who contribute and avoid personal abuse of any kind, but we are perfectly entitled to criticize aspects of Christianity that we don't think make any sense as long as we can back up our claims and don't engage in trolling.

If a christian wants to post in the atheist forum claiming that we're all doomed to eternal damnation (and they do) then they're entitled to do so (again, following the same rules of respect for the poster and no blatant trolling)

all the stars

MrPudding wrote: »

Duh. That bit is not supposed to be literally. That is a metaphor thingie. Seriously, how could God make a mistake?

MrP

how the feic do you know that?? darn it , we ate the forbidden fruit and went against our all powerful god! Why wouldn't he be heartbroken that he created such a sh*tty entity as us?

Akrasia

all the stars wrote: »

how the feic do you know that?? darn it , we ate the forbidden fruit and went against our all powerful god! Why wouldn't he be heartbroken that he created such a sh*tty entity as us?

What? First of all, Adam and Eve didn't really exist, its just a story, the world is not 6000 years old)

Secondly, The only reason eve ate the apple (in the story) is because a talking snake told them to and in their innocence, they believed him. (the garden was supposed to have been a perfect existence and they would never have experienced deception before) they were naive and too trusting.

Thirdly, God never warned them that some day a snake might try to tempt them to eat the apple.

fourthly, God stood back and watched eve be tempted by the snake. He could easily have stepped in and warned her not to when it was clear that she was being manipulated. The story is told as though God was busy somewhere else and only found out about it later, but God is supposed to be omniscient and it is ludicrous to suggest that he didn't know what was happening.

finally, God decides to punish everyone for all eternity for one tiny minor little sin, but christians claim that asking for forgiveness is enough to forgive any sin. I'm pretty sure that Adam (in the story) would have been very sorry for what he did and would have begged god for forgiveness after being thrown out of paradise, but God refused to forgive him.


If I had a teenage child and I told him to stay out of the drinks cabinet, that it was forbidden, and then he goes behind my back and sneaks a few beers out of it and experiments with alcohol. When I find out I am angry and disappointed with what he did, but I wouldn't throw him out of the house forever and never speak to him again. (if I did, I'd be the worst father ever, yet i'd only be following the example of the 'perfect being' in a story that is taught to all Christians as some kind of lesson in morality)

Pompey Magnus

MrPudding wrote: »

Duh. That bit is not supposed to be literally. That is a metaphor thingie. Seriously, how could God make a mistake?

It is a pity the Bible doesn't specify which bits are metaphor and which are serious. Perhaps there could be an asterix after every metaphor and misleading statement in the Bible or maybe different font? Does God accept suggestions for areas he could improve his religion?

God has made mistakes. If he made humanity then he created an imperfect product, if this was not a mistake then he punishes humans for a design flaw he intentionally placed in us.

To say God makes mistakes is being kind on him, it is just saying he is occasionally incompetent. To say he never makes mistakes is in effect calling him a sadist.

po0k

Debating the logic of a faerytale.

Inspired.

all the stars

Akrasia wrote: »

What? First of all, Adam and Eve didn't really exist, its just a story, the world is not 6000 years old)

Actually by jewish calender it is over 6000 yearts old - need to mention at this point Jesus himself was Jewish so yes infact, its dare i say quite possible that your info there is wrong - sorry.:o

Akrasia wrote: »

Secondly, The only reason eve ate the apple (in the story) is because a talking snake told them to and in their innocence, they believed him. (the garden was supposed to have been a perfect existence and they would never have experienced deception before) they were naive and too trusting.

So shame on god allowing an evil entity be created in his perfect garden.. and shame on people for believing a talking snake...

Akrasia wrote: »

Thirdly, God never warned them that some day a snake might try to tempt them to eat the apple.

Then he ill - equipped his beings for the world he created for us, small oversight on his part and here we are sufering for a mistake which we did'nt cause!

Akrasia wrote: »

fourthly, God stood back and watched eve be tempted by the snake. He could easily have stepped in and warned her not to when it was clear that she was being manipulated. The story is told as though God was busy somewhere else and only found out about it later, but God is supposed to be omniscient and it is ludicrous to suggest that he didn't know what was happening.

So, i clearly remember from it being drummed into us that God is an all seeing all knowing entity and therefore knew what was going on and made no effort to kill the snake or maintain the purity or innocence of his creation.

Akrasia wrote: »

finally, God decides to punish everyone for all eternity for one tiny minor little sin, but christians claim that asking for forgiveness is enough to forgive any sin. I'm pretty sure that Adam (in the story) would have been very sorry for what he did and would have begged god for forgiveness after being thrown out of paradise, but God refused to forgive him.

this seems to be the case - not very nice eh?

Akrasia wrote: »

If I had a teenage child and I told him to stay out of the drinks cabinet, that it was forbidden, and then he goes behind my back and sneaks a few beers out of it and experiments with alcohol. When I find out I am angry and disappointed with what he did, but I wouldn't throw him out of the house forever and never speak to him again. (if I did, I'd be the worst father ever, yet i'd only be following the example of the 'perfect being' in a story that is taught to all Christians as some kind of lesson in morality)

yes, perfectly normal human response - imperfect forgiving things we are eh?

all the stars

po0k wrote: »

Debating the logic of a faerytale.

Inspired.

indeed and its getting interesting too!

AtomicHorror

Akrasia wrote: »

I hope that doesn't translate as 'we should respect for their beliefs'?

This is a discussion forum. We should show respect for the people who contribute and avoid personal abuse of any kind, but we are perfectly entitled to criticize aspects of Christianity that we don't think make any sense as long as we can back up our claims and don't engage in trolling.

If a christian wants to post in the atheist forum claiming that we're all doomed to eternal damnation (and they do) then they're entitled to do so (again, following the same rules of respect for the poster and no blatant trolling)

I'm not for a moment suggesting that we shouldn't debate the fundamentals and I'm not sure how you got that from what I said.

What I am saying is that it is quite possible to have respect for someone's beliefs without agreeing with them. It's the difference between "I don't believe in your God" and "F**k your God, he's a lie". Nobody benefits from such irrational and emotive attacks.

Zombrex

kelly1 wrote: »

No, God needs to sort out the good eggs from the bad eggs. Satan is really only God's tool. Satan can only do what God allows him to do and God can allow Satan to tempt us.

What you are describing is known in legal circles as entrapment, which is generally frowned upon.

It works like this. An under cover cop may arrest someone carrying out a crime if the crime is being committed in a manner that would be reasonable to conclude would take place even if the cop wasn't there. A cop can buy coke from a drug dealer, because a drug dealer deals coke and would do so even if the cop wasn't there.

On the other hand a cop cannot initiate a crime where the person involved would not have carried out the crime without the initiation of the under cover cop. A cop can't go around hassling random punters to by coke off him and then arresting them when they give in.

What does this have to do with God and Satan?

You say Satan exists so God can weed out the good from the bad.

This implies logically that without Satan we would all be good or at least gooder than we are with Satan, otherwise what purpose does Satan serve?

Akrasia

So shame on god allowing an evil entity be created in his perfect garden.. and shame on people for believing a talking snake...

Why should there be shame on people for believing a talking snake, there was no negative cultural association attached to snakes in the garden of eden because back then everything lived in harmony and peace and there was no suffering or death. They had no reason not to trust him. Did God warn them that there were evil forces out there They thought God Loved them and wanted to protect them. Creating an evil manipulative talking snake would contradict that belief.
Anyway, God wanted Adam and eve to be innocent and to never experience or understand evil (thats why the tree of knowledge was forbidden) so if they didn't know the difference between right and wrong, then how could they have known disobeying God was wrong?

The story of Adam and Eve is the story of a petty vengeful fallible egomaniac father who decided to punish his children in the most severe way possible for something that was really his own fault entirely.

all the stars

Akrasia wrote: »

Why should there be shame on people for believing a talking snake, there was no negative cultural association attached to snakes in the garden of eden because back then everything lived in harmony and peace and there was no suffering or death. They had no reason not to trust him. Did God warn them that there were evil forces out there They thought God Loved them and wanted to protect them. Creating an evil manipulative talking snake would contradict that belief.
Anyway, God wanted Adam and eve to be innocent and to never experience or understand evil (thats why the tree of knowledge was forbidden) so if they didn't know the difference between right and wrong, then how could they have known disobeying God was wrong?

The story of Adam and Eve is the story of a petty vengeful fallible egomaniac father who decided to punish his children in the most severe way possible for something that was really his own fault entirely.

So my whole thing is:
God created everything in the world that ever was and is.
therefore, god created evil. Why?

God wanted people to never understand the evil he had created.
he wanted people to be stupid.?

once again as a non member of the club - this just sounds so odd.. interesting... but odd

PDN

AtomicHorror wrote: »

I'm not for a moment suggesting that we shouldn't debate the fundamentals and I'm not sure how you got that from what I said.

What I am saying is that it is quite possible to have respect for someone's beliefs without agreeing with them. It's the difference between "I don't believe in your God" and "F**k your God, he's a lie". Nobody benefits from such irrational and emotive attacks.

Swearing is also contrary to the charter and will earn an infraction.

donutface

Genesis 2:16: And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die".

Seems like plenty of warning to me not to be eating from a tree, regardless of how trusting they might have been. Eve herself knew she must not eat from that tree as she told the serpant exactly that!

Why doesnt God kill Satan? God is never going to kill Satan, in revelations it says he will be thrown in a lake of burning sulphur. Just like if I murder your parents or children, I wont immediately be sentenced to life imprisonment, judgement has to happen first. Judgement day hasnt happened yet, when it does I'm sure Satan wont be getting away without punishment.

If you look at the amount of non-christians in the world, whenever judgement day does happen, every non christian will be complaining that they werent given enough time to seek Jesus, and to just judge Satan and not every other human being on earth that did something wrong would simply be unfair dont you think?

Akrasia

donutface wrote: »

Genesis 2:16: And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die".

Seems like plenty of warning to me not to be eating from a tree, regardless of how trusting they might have been. Eve herself knew she must not eat from that tree as she told the serpant exactly that!

But she didn't know right from wrong because god didn't want them to know there was such a thing as wrong.

Secondly, The Serpent was right, he told her that god was lying and they wouldn't die if they ate the fruit (and they didn't.... well, not immediately anyway) If the fruit had killed eve immediately, then adam wouldn't have eaten it, and we wouldn't have original sin.

Anyway, the whole story is completely ridiculous and barely worth thinking about.

Why doesnt God kill Satan? God is never going to kill Satan, in revelations it says he will be thrown in a lake of burning sulphur. Just like if I murder your parents or children, I wont immediately be sentenced to life imprisonment, judgement has to happen first. Judgement day hasnt happened yet, when it does I'm sure Satan wont be getting away without punishment.

If you kill your parents you will be kept in police custody until the end of the trial so you can't harm other people. God appears to have let the most evil being in creation run amock to do as much evil as he likes and destroy billions of souls for all eternity. (and by most accounts, there will be many more souls in hell than in heaven, does this mean satan is winning?)

If you look at the amount of non-christians in the world, whenever judgement day does happen, every non christian will be complaining that they werent given enough time to seek Jesus, and to just judge Satan and not every other human being on earth that did something wrong would simply be unfair dont you think?

Satan knew that god existed for a fact and he chose to lead a rebellion against him. He is on a far different league to non believer humans who are expected to accept god on faith even though there is (allegedly) an active demon constantly trying to instill doubt and turn people away from god.

Satan is guilty of the highest form of treason imaginable. He is the ultimate insurgent. Atheists and believers of different faiths are the equivalent of non voters, and supporters of a political opposition movement.

Zombrex

donutface wrote: »

If you look at the amount of non-christians in the world, whenever judgement day does happen, every non christian will be complaining that they werent given enough time to seek Jesus, and to just judge Satan and not every other human being on earth that did something wrong would simply be unfair dont you think?

Is it not more unfair to allow Satan to run amok when God already knows how he will be judged?

PDN

Akrasia wrote: »

But she didn't know right from wrong because god didn't want them to know there was such a thing as wrong.

No, the Bible does not say that God didn't want them to know there was such a thing as wrong. He wanted them to know it was wrong to disobey Him, and if they did wrong then there would be consequences.

Secondly, The Serpent was right, he told her that god was lying and they wouldn't die if they ate the fruit (and they didn't.... well, not immediately anyway) If the fruit had killed eve immediately, then adam wouldn't have eaten it, and we wouldn't have original sin.

They began to die the moment they ate the fruit. And, unless you think they are still alive and hiding in a special chamber in the Vatican somewhere along with all the secret Gospels, they did die.

Zombrex

PDN wrote: »

They began to die the moment they ate the fruit. And, unless you think they are still alive and hiding in a special chamber in the Vatican somewhere along with all the secret Gospels, they did die.

What was the purpose of the tree of life if Adam and Eve were immortal?

Genesis 3
22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Would that passage not imply that Adam and Eve were never immortal, and the eating of the Tree of Life that sustained them and it was the banishing from the garden that lead to a natural death because they had no longer access to this?

Pompey Magnus

PDN wrote: »

unless you think they are still alive and hiding in a special chamber in the Vatican somewhere along with all the secret Gospels

I smell a potential Dan Brown storyline there.

Akrasia

Wicknight wrote: »

What was the purpose of the tree of life if Adam and Eve were immortal?

Genesis 3
22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Would that passage not imply that Adam and Eve were never immortal, and the eating of the Tree of Life that sustained them and it was the banishing from the garden that lead to a natural death because they had no longer access to this?

+1

Akrasia

PDN wrote: »

And, unless you think they are still alive and hiding in a special chamber in the Vatican somewhere along with all the secret Gospels, they did die.

No I think they never existed at all, the garden of eden was a made up story to try and scare people into believing in god.

God cast them out of the garden of eden and did some silly things to prevent them from getting back in (cherub guards and a fiery sword thing) What was the point in keeping the garden if the people he made it for weren't allowed into it. For the pleasure of the unicorns? To torment adam and eve?

Why did he eventually decide to destroy it in the flood? (there were no evil corrupt people in the garden, why did he maintain it for thousands of years and then destroy it?)

donutface

if you continue taking heroine you will surely die. God never said they'd die immediately but he still stuck by his word.

There are plenty of murderers out there that arent immediately held into custody. If Satan is thrown into custody as soon as he's done something wrong, im pretty sure the rest of us would have to go along the same lines and that would mean that theres no free will. Satan is still being given the chance to stop what he's doing on his own accord, and the fact that he wont would make the judgement even more fair.


It wasnt just the garden that got destroyed either, it was the entire planet. Who said he maintained it? Wasnt Adam given that job in the first place?

Silly in your opinion, symbolic in mine. What he did was effective, if it was silly surely they'd be able to get back in If you were to start a night club and for some reason close it down so no ones allowed back in, if the buildings still standing and not costing you a cent why destroy it?

Akrasia

donutface wrote: »

if you continue taking heroine you will surely die. God never said they'd die immediately but he still stuck by his word.

they didn't die because the apple killed them, they died because God decided to remove their immortality.

Its a bit like if the government decide to ban apples and impose a death sentence on anyone found eating one. If they eat an apple, they will die, but its not the apple thats killing them.

There are plenty of murderers out there that arent immediately held into custody.

Only because they can't be found, or because of corruption. Are you suggesting God is incapable of finding Satan or that god is corrupt?

If Satan is thrown into custody as soon as he's done something wrong, im pretty sure the rest of us would have to go along the same lines and that would mean that theres no free will. Satan is still being given the chance to stop what he's doing on his own accord, and the fact that he wont would make the judgement even more fair.

So god is sacrificing the souls of billions of people to prove a point to satan?

It wasnt just the garden that got destroyed either, it was the entire planet. Who said he maintained it? Wasnt Adam given that job in the first place?

the entire planet didn't get destroyed, it just got a bit wet.

And why did god prevent adam from getting back in if it was going to decay just like the rest of the world?

armour87

worst thread ever

PDN

Akrasia wrote: »

they didn't die because the apple killed them, they died because God decided to remove their immortality.

Its a bit like if the government decide to ban apples and impose a death sentence on anyone found eating one. If they eat an apple, they will die, but its not the apple thats killing them.

Who said anything about the apple killing them?

donutface

Akrasia wrote: »

they didn't die because the apple killed them, they died because God decided to remove their immortality.

Its a bit like if the government decide to ban apples and impose a death sentence on anyone found eating one. If they eat an apple, they will die, but its not the apple thats killing them.


Only because they can't be found, or because of corruption. Are you suggesting God is incapable of finding Satan or that god is corrupt?

So god is sacrificing the souls of billions of people to prove a point to satan?

the entire planet didn't get destroyed, it just got a bit wet.

And why did god prevent adam from getting back in if it was going to decay just like the rest of the world?

Wether the Apple killed them or their immortality got removed is irrelevant to my point about heroine. Both ultimately causes death, neither is usually immediate. I can tell you you will probably end up dead if you take heroine on a regular basis, it doesnt have to be as soon as you stick a syringe in your arm. God never said it was to be immediate either.

God never sacrificed anyones soul, people are sacrificing their own souls. Infact God himself sent his only son to save peoples souls who want to be saved. Your picture of God seems to be an uninformed one.

New Orleans practically got destroyed by hurricane katrina, imagine that on a global scale, it got a lot more than just "a bit wet"

Ill finish this post later, ive got other work to do for now.

rockbeer

donutface wrote: »

I can tell you you will probably end up dead if you take heroine on a regular basis, it doesnt have to be as soon as you stick a syringe in your arm.

What exactly is your point? You will 'probably' end up dead whether you take heroine or not. Most people die in the end, not just junkies.

Actually you're only showing your ignorance here. You could take heroine almost indefinitely provided you had a reliable supply of clean gear of a predictable strength, and looked after yourself in other ways. The typical problems heroine causes for people are usually associated rather than direct e.g. too much of their income goes on their habit, they have to get involved in criminality to support their habit, they use dirty needles or they stop eating properly. Addicts are most likely to od when they get hold of much stronger gear than they're used to. Remove all these factors and the odds are greatly reduced of heroine killing you before you die of something else.

You christians are an odd bunch. For subscribers to a supposedly 'forgiving' faith, many of you seem to take a twisted and extraordinary pleasure in the prospect of judgement and punishment for 'sinners'. Does that thought sustain you in your denial of all the basic human pleasures proscribed by your faith? Does it make you feel better to imagine that people who are out there enjoy sinning while you endure your self-denial will end up suffering for it?

BrianCalgary

Depeche_Mode wrote: »

“The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen 6:6)

Sounds to me like God recognised he made a mistake.

So now you want to take Genesis literally?

God created us all with the means to make free choices on which path we wish to follow. On whom we are going to serve and love.

I choose to love and serve God. Others choose to serve themselves, still others to serve other gods.

When eternity hits you will reside with your chosen god, the place your heart has taken you.

Standman

Thats easy, god can't kill satan because satan doesn't exist. Also, it is hard for god to kill satan because god doesn't exist either. Actually, I'm not even sure if this thread exists...

AtomicHorror

Standman wrote: »

Thats easy, god can't kill satan because satan doesn't exist. Also, it is hard for god to kill satan because god doesn't exist either. Actually, I'm not even sure if this thread exists...

The existence of the world outside of your subjective mind is unprovable. If you're happy enough to make the leap that it does exist, the thread follows. Looking back through the thread, it may be better to assume this is a bad dream.

AtomicHorror

BrianCalgary wrote: »

When eternity hits you will reside with your chosen god, the place your heart has taken you.

Unless one specific religion is actually completely right. In the best case scenario there (Christianity is right), about 60% of all people are in for a really unpleasant afterlife.

marco_polo

AtomicHorror wrote: »

Unless one specific religion is actually completely right. In the best case scenario there (Christianity is right), about 60% of all people are in for a really unpleasant afterlife.

Guess we are all screwed if Tom Cruise is right :pac:

faceman

There is some major misinterpretation of the book of Genesis here.

The whole point of the garden of evil was nothing to with dying or not dying. It was about free will. in simple terms God gave Adam and Even the privilege of the garden as long as they didnt eat the apples from the forbidden tree. Satan however, in the form of a snake, tempted the 2 lads with forbidden fruit.

Satan wasnt created in the garden.

It doesnt really matter whether the garden of eve existed or not, its the symbolic, spirtual and metaphorical significance that it yields that does imo.

E.g. God has given humans the privilege and beauty of the world to do as we please here and to each other. Satan has tempted humans with evil and some rather enjoyable sins which in turn have had negative reprecussions for everyone.

A simple analogy i know but its along those lines i believe to be the point.

As the Metaron once said, "We went through five Adams before we figured that one out"