One on One: The God of Allsmiles vs. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
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Sadly, due to both allsmiles absences and my own, this one on one ended before it really got started. There are a number of questions I would have liked to ask allsmiles, such as how a non-conscious god entity creates itself, and how such an entity could produce an orderly, interdependent creation. Hopefully here or elsewhere allsmiles can address these questions.
I have learned a couple of things things about allsmiles beliefs, which I would like to comment on. First, allmiles rejects the true God because His followers are hypocrites. In the observation of hypocrisy, allsmiles is correct. No one measures up to the standard of perfection of our true and holy God. This is why God, in his lovingkindness and mercy provided us a Savior so that through His righteousness, not our own, we are able to come into His presence. Allsmiles believes that his own righteousness should be sufficient for salvation, if such a thing existed. This is because the god of allsmiles sets no standard. The standard is set by allsmiles himself.
Secondly, allsmiles believes that accounts of the True God to be myth, in part, because these accounts tell of God acting in ways in which allsmiles does not approve. This is exemplified in the early accounts of God commanding the Hebrew people to wipe out pagan tribes, etc. God sought to set out for himself a holy people through which the world would come to know Him. These people, the Israelites, were promised a special land that, at the time of the promise, was inhabited and surrounded by godless, violent, pagan people. Is the Israelites were to be the holy nation that God intended, they could not be infiltrated or infected by these pagan tribes. Accordingly, God did the only thing that could be done, ordering their destruction. The ultimate goal of this destruction was to be a blessing not only to Israel, but also to all of mankind, which would come to know God through His people. Allsmiles presumes to judge God on this matter.
Fundamentally, I believe that allsmiles is uncomfortable with the True God, and with the true means of salvation, because they take away any pretense of human glory. Christianity is a God-centered system of belief. It's human heroes are all deeply flawed, just like all of us are. To be Christian is at its essence to say "I'm not good enough, thank you Lord for saving me anyway." There is no pride in that, only gratitude. And in this life, even those of us who beleive manifest that gratitude very poorly.
Ultimately, I don't know what allsmiles really believes. I do know that, sadly, at present, he rejects the True God, and is lost. May you find Him soon smiles.
Thanks to allsmiles for participating in this discussion and to those who took time to read it.
I have learned a couple of things things about allsmiles beliefs, which I would like to comment on. First, allmiles rejects the true God because His followers are hypocrites. In the observation of hypocrisy, allsmiles is correct. No one measures up to the standard of perfection of our true and holy God. This is why God, in his lovingkindness and mercy provided us a Savior so that through His righteousness, not our own, we are able to come into His presence. Allsmiles believes that his own righteousness should be sufficient for salvation, if such a thing existed. This is because the god of allsmiles sets no standard. The standard is set by allsmiles himself.
Secondly, allsmiles believes that accounts of the True God to be myth, in part, because these accounts tell of God acting in ways in which allsmiles does not approve. This is exemplified in the early accounts of God commanding the Hebrew people to wipe out pagan tribes, etc. God sought to set out for himself a holy people through which the world would come to know Him. These people, the Israelites, were promised a special land that, at the time of the promise, was inhabited and surrounded by godless, violent, pagan people. Is the Israelites were to be the holy nation that God intended, they could not be infiltrated or infected by these pagan tribes. Accordingly, God did the only thing that could be done, ordering their destruction. The ultimate goal of this destruction was to be a blessing not only to Israel, but also to all of mankind, which would come to know God through His people. Allsmiles presumes to judge God on this matter.
Fundamentally, I believe that allsmiles is uncomfortable with the True God, and with the true means of salvation, because they take away any pretense of human glory. Christianity is a God-centered system of belief. It's human heroes are all deeply flawed, just like all of us are. To be Christian is at its essence to say "I'm not good enough, thank you Lord for saving me anyway." There is no pride in that, only gratitude. And in this life, even those of us who beleive manifest that gratitude very poorly.
Ultimately, I don't know what allsmiles really believes. I do know that, sadly, at present, he rejects the True God, and is lost. May you find Him soon smiles.
Thanks to allsmiles for participating in this discussion and to those who took time to read it.
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