Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian
From: mls@mhuxu.att.com (Michael L Siemon)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: secondary causation
Summary: the most unkindest god of all
Message-ID: 
Date: 17 Aug 89 07:49:08 GMT
References:  
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 42
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

In article , stg@ihlpl.att.com
(Scott T Grant) writes:

> In article , mls@mhuxu.att.com
(Michael L Siemon) writes:

> 	[Stuff about pre-destination deleted for space]

> 	Sorry, I just can't buy into this bit about God. I also don't believe
>  he can be the kind and loving God you portray. Given that God is omnipotent
>  and knows everything that has/is/will happen in the universe we can then
>  take it one step further. God knows, from the time of a persons birth, even
>  before, where that soul is bound. Yet he lets them be born, live and die only
>  to go to hell and thus give him greater glory.....don't sound like the kind
>  of God I would be abasing myself to in servitude.

I'm not sure why my note elicited this diatribe.  For one thing, I was
questioning the point of predestinarian doctrines, not supporting them.
Scott seems to be projecting an image *he* has about Christian belief --
not an uncommon one for children "raised Christian" (but ineptly so) to
have, but that only confirms my suspicions about "religious education"
forced on the young.

For the record, I do say that God is loving, but I have never described
God as "kind" -- nor as "gentle" "meek" or "mild" except (under some
protest) in singing Christmas carols.  I do not "abase" myself before
God; and insofar as I am in servitude to God, that is glorification and
not abasement.  To give God glory is to be an (adoptive) child of God
and no longer a forced servant (which describes rather those who *will*
not accept God's offer of love; *they* are reduced to being vehicles of
God's -- often very *un*kind -- will.)

	The dove descending breaks the air
	with flame of incandescent terror ...

	Love, Love is the unfamiliar Name
	that weaves the intolerable shirt of flame ...
-- 
Michael L. Siemon		I find it important in philosophizing to
cucard!dasys1!mls		keep changing my posture, not to stand
att!sfbat!mls			for too long on _one_ leg, so as not to
standard disclaimer		get stiff.	-- Ludwig Wittgenstein