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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: The truth about God
Message-ID: <696@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 15:26:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.696
Posted: Thu Aug 22 15:26:28 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 01:26:03 EDT
References: <305@pyuxn.UUCP> <904@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 23

In article <904@vax2.fluke.UUCP> chrisand@fluke.UUCP (J. Chris Anderson) writes:
...
> 2. I can choose to believe in a lie, that the God of the universe is really
>    a benevolent and loving god, who is blessing me and leading me in this
>    life to a life beyond in heaven with him. I would then interpret all the
>    tragedies ocurring in my life and around me as natural occurences or else
>    that my (false) god was calling me to growth and a deepening in my reliance
>    on Him. After I died I would then be in the same condition as in #1.
>
> ... Weighing the two viewpoints... I would then choose
> #2, because this viewpoint would lead me to a life of joy, hope, and love
> instead of fear and anxiety. I can not see a way of continuing on and being
> happy knowing that there was a Damager-God bringing destruction to my life.

There's a word for this attitude: Pollyanna.

The real question is whether knowing the truth about the damager-god can
allow you to deal with life better than if you were ignorant.  By understanding
eventual failure, you can keep your expectations realistic and avoid wasteful
disappointments caused by blind optimism.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh