When you say God, do you mean any God, or just the Christian or other specific God?

 

It's funny you should say this. I was just thinking this morning that boy you walk away from this thread for a little bit and it takes an hour just to catch back up,

 

Maybe...

I realize that isn't the answer that you are looking for but I don't really know what else to say. I don't have any problem thinking that there is something out there that started all of this in motion. In fact given the grand scope there is a very good possibility that there is. So yes, maybe there is a God or maybe not. I didn't really answer your question at all did I?

Britt

 

I didn't want to read this post.....but here I am and as I have read thru the MANY pages and reread some I have a couple comments. I know this has nothing to do with the original post and will probably not be liked by either side but they are my beliefs. 1. God does NOT love everyone....."Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated." God said this BEFORE they were born. God loves "His" children (the saved) 2. God is not a respecter of persons....it doesn't matter what color you are or how "nice" you look, He knows our hearts. 3. I'm pretty positive Judas thought he was saved too BEFORE he betrayed Jesus. Just so I don't confuse anyone I am a Christian my beliefs may sound a little different from some of the others. The Church I go to is of the Reformed faith....the Pastor preaches from the Bible alone...Old and New Testaments, and you will not hear a social ("feel good") message. One more thing MANY Churches ARE or have some people that ARE respecters of persons I am not saying this is right I wish they wouldn't but until God opens their eyes to see how wrong this is I can't do anything about them I'm too busy trying to fix all the things I do wrong!!!!! I do pray for them and many here!!! Only by the Grace of God do I have faith and hope. Take care all and I hope this will help!!!

 

Welcome to the thread!

Britt

 

Seems like the closer to death you become the easier it is to just say to God above "Hey Buddy can you keep an eye out for me down here." I spoke to him many a night while serving this country, in Iraq. I know many of my friends also said some words to him too. And even now with no rounds being fired at me... I still say "Thanks for keeping me safe." It seems like everyone prays to God when the chips are falling, but forgets when the chips are up. Don't forget to say thanks everytime you eat, have a house over your head, and a job to call your own...

 

Thanks for the post. Guess the Esau comment brings up an interesting point. I am not convinced that God hated Esau just for the heck of it. We know that Esau made pretty poor choices and had no love for God. God in His infinite knowledge foreknew Esau's choices and thus the verse, JMHO.

T-15, honest answer, kinda gets the brain thinking doesn't it? Given an either/or scenerio, one must consider carefully all possibilities and the impact of the answer.

...or just blow the whole thing off and go golfing.

 

quoted: "Thanks for the post. Guess the Esau comment brings up an interesting point. I am convinced that God hated Esau just for the heck of it. We know that Esau made pretty poor choices and had no love for God. God in His infinite knowledge foreknew Esau's choices and thus the comment, JMHO."
JMHO God is God He can (and does) do whatever He wants and I also believe in predestination.

 

Well said.

 

Big Green:

Thank you for serving our country!!!

 

grantx5 a very good question on is there a god. Some may like to think of the ruling power as mother nature. One thing is for certain about mother nature. You go out into the wilderness and there are rules (laws) you don't adhere to them you won't be going home. Or you abuse mother nature in the big picture, there will a price to pay. I would say we all can agree to the power of mother nature.
DIEZELCHICK nice to see a new thoughts in the thread. Interesting what you submitted.

 

winkle is right!! THANK YOU Big Green and Glad you're home!!

 

Just a little side step here. The use of the Bible as the source of all information that is required to be a good Christian. I wonder how well it was complied from the various sources and how accurately it was translated from the native tongues to various other languages. Since King James commissioned its production, is it possible that he applied any bias to what was included, also since it was done in 1611 (just a bit more then a few years after the recorded events) could there be things missing. Since it was first printed in English 400 years ago we have no first printings left. How did they manage to have complete sets of the gospels from 1600 years earlier to form the word you hang you hat on now?.

 

I'm not in that line of work so I don't know first hand but what I have heard is that after the English publication of the King James version they have found scrolls after its publication to back it up.


As a mater of fact, I just went to the Dead Sea scrolls here in San Diego and one of the Scrolls they said was almost word for word with the exception of some miner verbiage differences or sometning like that.

 

One thing I must note here is any of my quotes and explanations are from the King James Bible.

If we really want the best source we would have to learn Greek and Hebrew.
As far as the translating to the english language you will find differances. For instance: The word HATE that was used above.Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
The word it was translated from in Hebrew means less love. It is the same word used in this v. Pro 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him quickly.


The word LOVE (if memory serves me right ) has three different words in Hebrew (levels of love) Agape, Phileos, and I don't remember the third at the moment.

This may answer some of your question.