Posted by David Stephens on June 20, 1998 at 12:22:48:
In Reply to: No, we still don't agree. posted by blue on June 20, 1998 at 01:46:00:
I'll answer your questions here (even though you never answered mine). At the end of this post, I'll try to get back to the actual subject we were following.
: Additionally, why do you expect to receive a unique revelation from God?
I don't. Why do you expect Moses and Paul got a unique revelation from god when you don't? (and no, praying and getting a feeling of "the holy spirit" is not a unique revelation, it's just the same abuse of emotion that every religion uses--nothing unique about it--when god comes and dictates a bible to you, then you've had a unique revelation (and it's probably time for the looney bin too) ).
:Why would it be inappropriate for a sovereign creator to use a written record to convey His message?
Because it's stupid to believe that god speaks directly and personally to your neighbor, but not to you. Convincing you that god speaks to select "prophets", but not to you is how most religions start and take control of credulous people. It's clear to me that the system that men use to create "comet cults" is not the system a god of creation would choose to use.
: Look at the percentage of the earth's population that has easy access to the Scriptures today.
Look at how long the whole world has had access to your scriptures compared with how long most of the population of the world lived in ignorance of them. Your god ignored most people for most of the time. And actually even today people mostly accept the religion of their family, peers and culture. Your god really chose a poor system--a system dependent on locale, culture, faith in men and outright credulity--the same system men have used to create every wacky religion and cult this world has ever known.
: Also, do you believe that all men deserve the same eternal fate?
I've already made clear that I think it's ridiculous to think that 60 years of life determines ETERNAL fate. That's worse than judging the life-long fate of a child based on how it acts on the day it's born. No crime committed on earth during a lifetime is worth eternal torture. And that brings me back to the point of this thread...
My main point was that the christian bible-god of sadism and hell couldn't exist, and if he did, he wouldn't be worth our worship. Your response to my Hitler (or rat?) example was that god punishes based on willful disobedience, not mistakes. But I think you sidestepped my point. It doesn't matter if it's willful disobedience or not, eternal torture is pointless and sadistic. It's not justice, nor payment. Even if willful disobedience occurs, eternal torture is a inhuman, disgusting, and pointless response to it. Why do you worship such a demon? Why does it occur to you that the god of our diverse universe has anything to do with such ancient, barbaric and vile ideals?
[ Follow Ups ] [ Exmormon.org- Honest Inquiry Message Board ] [ FAQ ]