In The Image Of God.

[Hassan]

[quote name='Sternhauser' date='08 October 2009 - 10:27 AM' timestamp='1255012068' post='1980819']
I understand where you're coming from. But, if the universe has no creator, then it is the essence of the universe to exist, and you've just made it God. You've got a choice, though: you can worship a lonely, expansive, unfeeling, unthinking universe that has no concern for or cognizance of you, or an omnipotent creator of that universe who created it out of love for the sake of mankind.[/QUOTE]

I don't worship the universe.

[QUOTE]Here's a mental exercise for you. Start with yourself, and ask yourself, "What caused me?" Then go up the line, asking that question about your parents, your grandparents, then of everything that ever existed. Ultimately, [size="5"]you will end up at "love."[/size][/QUOTE]

How?

[QUOTE]The universe is a physical thing. Physical things tend toward catabolism (breaking down.) Love and virtue are some of the only things that do not necessarily break down over time. Love is not quantifiable by physical means, you can't see it in itself, you can't capture it in a brandy flask, but you see the results of love. It has physical expressions. It is real. There is something beyond the physical. Its existence cannot be explained, but its presence is made known by its actions. Its actions are good, and indicate that the Actor should be embraced. The billiard balls are not responsible for their own respective actions. There is a pretty good pool player behind their movements. We are responsible for our own actions. We've got a touch of the pool player in us, too. Something that is beyond the created universe. [/QUOTE]

Are genetic defects also signs of the benevolence of the creator?

[Jesus_lol]

just because McDonalds are made in the image of hamburgers, does not mean that real hamburgers and the cows they came from wish us harm and heartattacks.

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='Secuutus' date='08 October 2009 - 01:37 PM' timestamp='1255023460' post='1980969']
I completely understand that. To me though Love can only go so far. I love my family, and my best friends. If chose not to love them anymore, then I wont. That's it. Love, to me, can be turned off and on at any time. I'm going to have to continue praying about this.[/quote]

Think of God's love like you think of your humanity: you can't turn it off, because it's your nature, and you would never want to turn it off.

[quote]No I havnt gotten my a rifle yet. I need one. why whats up?
[/quote]

Of course you need one. Nothing in particular is up at the moment. I am just a firm believer that everyone who is not in prison/an asylum should be able to effectively defend himself against two and four-legged predators, and possibly zombies. And I want to encourage this righteous mindset in everyone.

~Sternhauser

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Sternhauser' date='10 October 2009 - 12:22 PM' timestamp='1255137721' post='1982094']

Of course you need one. Nothing in particular is up at the moment. I am just a firm believer that everyone who is not in prison/an asylum should be able to effectively defend himself against two and four-legged predators, and possibly zombies. And I want to encourage this righteous mindset in everyone.

~Sternhauser
[/quote]

So then what happened to "turn the other cheek" and "forgive your enemies"? Our Lord didn't fight back - He forgave even those who were crucifying Him.

[Sternhauser]

[quote]Sternhauser, on 08 October 2009 - 10:27 AM, said:

I understand where you're coming from. But, if the universe has no creator, then it is the essence of the universe to exist, and you've just made it God. You've got a choice, though: you can worship a lonely, expansive, unfeeling, unthinking universe that has no concern for or cognizance of you, or an omnipotent creator of that universe who created it out of love for the sake of mankind.[/quote]
Hassan responded: [quote] I don't worship the universe.[/quote]

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding your belief system, but you don't worship the true God, either, do you? So why bother saying you don't worship the universe?



Sternhauser wrote: [quote]
Here's a mental exercise for you. Start with yourself, and ask yourself, "What caused me?" Then go up the line, asking that question about your parents, your grandparents, then of everything that ever existed.Ultimately, you will end up at "love."[/quote]
Hassan responded:[quote]How?[/quote]

No answer I give will ever satisfy you. Secuutus understood.



Sternhauser wrote: [quote]The universe is a physical thing. Physical things tend toward catabolism (breaking down.) Love and virtue are some of the only things that do not necessarily break down over time. Love is not quantifiable by physical means, you can't see it in itself, you can't capture it in a brandy flask, but you see the results of love. It has physical expressions.It is real. There is something beyond the physical. Its existence cannot be explained, but its presence is made known by its actions. Its actions are good, and indicate that the Actor should be embraced. The billiard balls are not responsible for their own respective actions.There is a pretty good pool player behind their movements. We are responsible for our own actions. We've got a touch of the pool player in us, too. Something that is beyond the created universe.[/quote]
Hassan responded: [quote]Are genetic defects also signs of the benevolence of the creator? [/quote]

Indirectly, insofar as you still have a body which has the capacity to have defects, yes, genetic defects are signs of the benevolence of the Creator. Directly, however, genetic defects are signs of the effects of Adam's sin.

Nobody would know what "imperfect" meant unless they had some notion of what "perfect" is.

~Sternhauser

Edited October 10, 2009 by Sternhauser

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Sternhauser' date='09 October 2009 - 08:22 PM' timestamp='1255137721' post='1982094']



Of course you need one. Nothing in particular is up at the moment. I am just a firm believer that everyone who is not in prison/an asylum should be able to effectively defend himself against two and four-legged predators, and possibly zombies. And I want to encourage this righteous mindset in everyone.

~Sternhauser
[/quote]
Don't forget raptors.

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='09 October 2009 - 10:19 PM' timestamp='1255141165' post='1982162']
Don't forget raptors.
[/quote]

Accursed raptors. Who could ever forget them? I will never forget the words spoken by a man who knew what raptors are all about: "[i]Shooooot herrrr![/i]"

~Sternhauser

Edited October 10, 2009 by Sternhauser

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Sternhauser' date='09 October 2009 - 09:29 PM' timestamp='1255141789' post='1982167']
Accursed raptors. Who could ever forget them? I will never forget the words spoken by a man who knew what raptors are all about: "[i]Shooooot herrrr![/i]"

~Sternhauser
[/quote]
[url="http://xkcd.com/135/"]Substitute[/url]

[Kitty]

[img]http://lee.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/raptor-jesus.thumbnail.jpg[/img]

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Kitty' date='10 October 2009 - 03:25 AM' timestamp='1255163114' post='1982286']
[img]http://lee.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/raptor-jesus.thumbnail.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
What blasphemy.
Everyone knows that Jesus hunted raptors.

[Mark of the Cross]

Hi! I muffed it!

Edited October 10, 2009 by Mark of the Cross

[Kitty]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='10 October 2009 - 02:09 PM' timestamp='1255198196' post='1982448']
What blasphemy.
Everyone knows that Jesus hunted raptors.
[/quote]

Jesus doesn't discriminate.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Kitty' date='10 October 2009 - 03:47 PM' timestamp='1255207653' post='1982542']
Jesus doesn't discriminate.
[/quote]
Even God hates raptors.

[Jesus_lol]

i have proof otherwise!
[img]http://media.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/336216/484985.jpg[/img]

and there is some debate as to whether or not Jesus actually WAS a raptor

[mod]Blasphemous depictions of Jesus Christ are planet forbidden. - the moderator team.[/mod][spoiler]
[img]http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/lolcat-funny-picture-moderator1.jpg[/img]
[/spoiler]

[Nihil Obstat]

Please. The first one I will discuss in the moment, but it's clear that the rest are forgeries from sometime in the 1800s, or maybe related to early gnostic writing. Not at all reputable.
The first one however, does not disprove my point. Jesus obviously rode raptors because He knew Himself to be far superior to them. It was an act of dominance against Satan's minions.