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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watdcsu.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!dmcanzi
From: dmcanzi@watdcsu.UUCP (David Canzi [dcs])
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Response to Ken Nichols' article on Tim Maroney (part 5)
Message-ID: <524@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Oct-84 01:54:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.524
Posted: Fri Oct 19 01:54:02 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Oct-84 13:32:00 EDT
References: <239@qantel.UUCP>, <194@pyuxd.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 17
Keywords: conclusions

You say that Ken Nichols assumes a god that he wishes existed,
and then performs whatever mental gymnastics it takes to continue believing
in this god.  I seriously doubt that this is a god that Ken actually *wants*,
and I have a different theory about the motivation for the efforts Ken must
make to keep believing.

At some point, Ken has been told that the all-powerful god (who can blow us
all away with a shrug) will damn anybody to eternal torment who does not
accept Jesus Christ as his saviour.  Possibly his parents told him at a very
early age.  Young children don't usually question what their parents say.
Once somebody accepts such a belief, it is next to impossible to convince
him otherwise, since *belief* is *required* to avoid doing eternity in Hell.

Ken Nichols is absolutely certain of his beliefs, because he is *scared* to
doubt.

	David Canzi, watdcsu!dmcanzi