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FROM ATHOS - You asked me a question once before and, if I answered, you would answer the question I posed to you. In the event, I went first although I wasn't required to but I decided to trust you. You never gave an answer after I gave mine. You said my answer was NOT an answer, so you refused to honor your part of the bargain. You proved yourself then to be untrustworthy. Let's see what you do this time.
FROM JL - Just as I predicted. You are averse to answering, so you cook up a silly fake story to use as an excuse. It's the same as when I asked you to explain that if aionios means something less than an eternal hell in Mt. 25, then does that mean that heaven is also less then eternal since aionios is used of both hell and heaven? Never got an answer on that one.
I'll be glad to correct your misconception. I've frequently declared to you I accept the Bible. It's the "Good Book". The difference between you and me is that I don't use it as a weapon to warn and/or threaten those who believe other than you do.
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FROM ATHOS - What you have shown is that you claimed Jesus uses the same killing methods of the OT God. Please cite where I claimed there are TWO wills from TWO Gods.
FROM JL - You just did. I said, "You cannot separate Jesus from the God of the OT." You replied, "Of course, I can. And I do." Thus you attempt to establish two separate Gods with two separate wills.
As others have said, your reading comprehension is lacking. Your "THUS", and following, does not remotely "establish two separate Gods with two separate wills".
The OT God who kills at random and wipes out the entire human race is a creation myth. Every primitive group, such as a wandering nomadic tribe in the ancient Middle East, has these stories. They are established over time to cohere the people until they are told around the campfires at night by the elders.
Centuries pass, and the priests and leaders write the stories down where they become the creation myths and sacred scripture of the tribe. They are powerful stories that keep the people focused as a unity. Nobody really believes anymore that a God literally drowned the entire human race except for Noah. Well, some do, but they are usually children - and adults on the far margins of the religion.
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FROM JL - I have not said Jesus will kill.
That's certainly a relief. But not true. You did equate Jesus with the OT God. If A = B, and B = C, then A = C. Simple logic.
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FROM JL - I have said, and in fact Jesus has said, that He will visit terrible judgment in the future which will be worse even than killing. So in that regard He is a God of both love and judgment, just as God is in the OT. In fact, the love of God must be seen in light of the judgment of God.
Whew! Jesus is WORSE than killing! Wow! This may be the most amazing paragraph you've ever written here. Talk about straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! You literalists always find yourselves tied up in a knot of absurdity.
The God of Love must be seen in the light of his wiping out the entire human race. Forgive my paraphrase, but that is what you are saying. Absurdity.
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It's revealing that you have such an aversion to Bible passages, and indeed to even the words of Jesus Himself. It's always a little amusing to meet someone who wants to argue about the Bible, and yet does not want to accept the words of the Bible. It's like trying to discuss the Constitution without making any reference to the text of the Constitution.
I'm glad you're amused. To repeat, I accept the Bible - it's a Good Book. How many times do I have to tell you this? My argument is never with the Bible, it's always been with you and your erroneous interpretation of it. Your memory is now failing you if you can't remember that, and your reading comprehension shows up again with your Constitution reference. Please, let's not go there - I can already see that you're an originalist.
Forgive me if any of this is offensive, I try my darndest to tone down the sarcasm within me which is yearning to breathe free.
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Perhaps you could give us your explanation of your alleged contradiction, and perhaps even using Bible quotes as your support.
Been there. Done that. If you don't know by now, nothing can help you.
My dear JL, "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your need for Bible quotes."
