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| May 3 |
Rolf Hille (2004) notes that the issue with theodicy is not only how God can allow suffering in the world, but on a different turn, why do evil persons prosper in God’s creation? Hille (2004: 21).
Hille explains that these considerations on evil and the existence of God led to a criticism of Christianity and religion in Europe in the Eighteenth century and to some degree earlier. Hille (2004: 21). He reasons that a satisfactory self-coherent answer to the question of the justice of God cannot be found in theology or philosophy. Hille (2004: 26).
HILLE, ROLF (2004) ‘A Biblical-Theological Response to the Problem of Theodicy in the Context of the Modern Criticism of Religion’, in Evangelical Review of Theology, Volume 28, Number 1, pp. 21-37. Carlisle, UK, Evangelical Review of Theology.
Sunday
On Sunday the kind host at an event by her own admission ‘sparred’ with me on the topic of free will; she being an Alvin C. Plantinga free will devotee.
I asked her if God was infinite and had more freedom than any of his finite creatures.
She stated, yes.
I stated that by his infinite good nature, God did not require the option to commit evil to either be significantly free or to love.
God was infinite goodness by nature and was immutable.
God cannot violate his own nature although he can will evil for good purposes. If he willed evil for bad purposes this would make him a contradictory, illogical being.
It should also be stated that the finite angels that did not fall by nature are deduced to be perfectly finitely good with significant freedom and yet have never chosen to do evil, although some angels did choose to do evil and sin. But the point still stands, even though all angels may have had an option to choose evil and sin.
Jesus Christ as a man was finitely good, in his humanity, not his divinity where he would have infinite goodness, and also never chose to do evil and sin, and I believe would not, although he did face true human temptation.
Therefore, significantly free creatures do not have to have the option to commit evil and sin by nature and choice, nor do they have to choose to commit evil and sin. Neither are these required to love.
The atoning work of Christ and the resurrection (the Gospels, Ephesians 1-2, Romans 1-3) explains that those in Christ are delivered from sin and the problem of evil into the Kingdom of God, ultimately culminated in a new realm described in Revelation 21-22.
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| May 3 |
As a new grandmother, I am very protective of my daughter Meredith's baby girl. One cool afternoon I dropped by to see my grandchild. Meredith and a friend had taken little Allison for a walk in her stroller and were just coming up the street. As soon as they reached me, I bent down to admire Allison and, in my fussiest voice, remarked, "Your little head is cold. You should have a hat on."
ReplyDeleteMy daughter looked knowingly at her friend and said, "You owe me ten bucks."
…..Doc’s Daily Chuckle (pkaine@roadrunner.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (ChristianVoices@att.net)
I am amazed at how far some in the Church will take ageism.
ReplyDeleteI have been looking at the profile of someone who is fairly attractive and an ex-Facebook friend, female. As far I can tell a very devoted Christian.
I don't look at the profile often but she comes up on my 'search' list.
I see some of her rare new photos and I check out some of her male friends, some of which post comments on her photos, and not the kind I would make and then I look at their profiles. Some comments are suggestive and I know her and family are conservative. Some of these friends have questionable content on their pages.
But seemingly because these guys are younger than me I suppose they are not considered a threat to the Christian social rules and Dad/Father and they are acceptable as a Facebook friend and I would not be. I suppose the thinking would be, she will never date them anyway, perhaps they are work and school friends, and if I am around I would chase her.
Obviously with my PhD and years of being ignored, I am far too stupid to do otherwise....
But clearly something is wrong with the thinking here.
The Godly, guy such as myself needs to be disregarded because he does not fit the social rules as being too old and does not fit the culture and yet the ungodly secular type younger men are okay for Facebook.
Really, ponder on this spiritually, is this not totally whacked as they say?
I am not meaning to be a jerk or unloving at all here, but I think this is just plain wrong.
If this is the kind of thing that evangelical, fundamentalistic pressure is producing, from parents on adult children then I am not surprised the US Church is in so much trouble.
To me it really strikes me as very, unloving, knowing to some degree why we are no longer friends and seeing the friends she now has...
I am tossed aside by parental concerns for the daughter's safety; me a scholar, and man who has not dabbled in many things of the secular world, who in any kind of relationship with her would keep her in Christ, and yet she is allowed to now fellowship with men of the world.
Now, go figure...
Pinocchio, Snow White and Superman are out for a stroll in town one day. As they walk, they come across a sign: "Beauty contest for the most beautiful woman in the world."
ReplyDelete"I am entering," said Snow White.
After half an hour she comes out and they ask her, “Well, how did you do?" " First Place ," said Snow White.
They continue walking and they see a sign: "Contest for the strongest man in the world." "I'm entering," says Superman. After half an hour he returns and they ask him, "How did you make out?"
" First Place ," answers Superman. "Did you ever doubt?"
They continue walking when they see a sign: "Contest! Who is the greatest liar in the world?"
Pinocchio says "this is mine." Half an hour later, he returns with tears in his eyes.
"What happened?" they asked.
"Who the Hell is Mike Duffy?" asked Pinocchio.
good day,
ReplyDeleteI am Attorney Benson Patrick, I need your urgent assistance in transferring
the sum of ($6.500.000 Million (US Dollars) I will send you full details if
i have your hands of co-operation as to present you to the finance firm as
the Beneficiar.
thanks,
Benson Patrick
Student Receives 0s for faith
ReplyDeleteOne day on the way home from church a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the preacher's sermon this morning confused me."
ReplyDeleteThe mother said, "Oh! Why is that?
The girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?"
"Yes, that's true," the mother replied.
"He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?"
Again the mother replied, "Yes."
"Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"
…..Doc’s Daily Chuckle (pkaine@roadrunner.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (ChristianVoices@att.net)
It is official my MD trained colleague @ work states the low sperm count argument for my age is lame...
ReplyDeleteQ... What happens to your body as you age
ReplyDeleteA. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental
Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
ReplyDeleteA. Premature death
Q. How can you delay milk turning sour
ReplyDeleteA. Keep it in the cow
(Simple, but brilliant)
Q. What is the fibula?
ReplyDeleteA. A small lie
Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
ReplyDeleteA. Nearby
Q. What is the most common form of birth control
ReplyDeleteA. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium
(That would work) (I have to hope the persons giving these answers was wearing one!)
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'
ReplyDeleteA. The caesarean section is a district in Rome
Q. What is a seizure?
ReplyDeleteA. A Roman Emperor.
(Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit)
Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
ReplyDeleteA. Benign is what you will be after you be eight
(brilliant)
Q. What is a turbine?
ReplyDeleteA. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head.
Once a Arab boy reaches puberty, he removes his
diaper and wraps it around his head.
(now we’re getting somewhere)
Q. Name the four seasons
ReplyDeleteA. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar
Q. How is dew formed
ReplyDeleteA. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on
ReplyDeleteA. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are
well endowed
Q. What are steroids
ReplyDeleteA. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs
(Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)