Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tekmdp!dadla!dadla-b!hutch
From: hutch@dadla-b.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: "Re: Re: "Ark Confusion" - (nf)"
Message-ID: <466@dadla-b.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 13:59:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: dadla-b.466
Posted: Tue Jun 14 13:59:16 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 01:20:27 EDT
Lines: 40

In partial response to Darrell Plank:

I will quibble with you on a few points, but I won't try to reply to your
entire article point by point.

You quote the Christian view of an "infinitely merciful" God.  I am not
sure that is really true, although it is close.  The difference is like
the one between innocence and purity, not the same thing but almost.

The concept of mercy does not imply or require that one must tolerate
evil.  What it does imply is that as long as there is good in someone,
it is of value.  It would be unmerciful to destroy that good.  The times
where God is reported as having destroyed men and their works all include
the statement that they had become so evil and corrupt that it would be
unjust to allow them to continue.

As for Christians burning witches.  Witch-burning was a popular sport in
Europe long before Christianity managed to permeate society there.  The
practice of witchcraft was strongly associated with the Druidic religion,
and the invading Germanic tribes did not particularly like Druids either.
However, there is even evidence that witches were sometimes burned by the
Druidic societies.  So don't jump to conclusions based entirely on the
evidence of modern folklore.

Christians did not originate the practice.

Back to your notions of the "contradictions" in the view of God.
Please reconcile for me immediately and in simple terms that any child
can understand, the contradictions between particle and wave physics.
You will discover that the difficulty here is due both to lack of complete
knowledge, and to the fact that the medium of expression (language) is
too imprecise and ambiguous to properly represent all ideas completely
and without apparent contradiction.

In conclusion, I urge you to keep asking questions, but also that you
not shut out any answers you might hear just because they offend your
sensibilities.

Steve Hutchison
Tektronix Logic Analyzers