If God provides each of us with an equal opportunity to know and to experience his reality then why do so many people in Dallas compared to those in Moscow believe in God's reality? Why should place of birth be a factor in a just God's decision to sentence someone to eternal hell since none of us get to choose where he or she is born? If God provides each of us with an equal opportunity to know and to experience His reality then why do so many fundamentalist Christian children believe in God's reality compared to those whose parents are atheistic college professors? Why should the beliefs of one's parents be a factor in a just God's decision to condemn one to an eternal hell since none of us gets to choose his or her parents? If God desires so deeply that everyone should believe in His reality that he will condemn those who do not so believe to eternal hell AND if God does not make it equally possible that all may choose to believe in His reality (not equally certain that all will so choose, but only equally possible that they may; this is an important point), is God just?
You're talking about a dude who continues to punish humanity for something 2 people did countless generations ago, how can he be just? I don't want to upset religious folks, but God doesn't seem to be a very nice guy or even rational for that matter. The "God works in mysterious ways" or "you can't attempt to understand his will" seems like a huge cop out to me.
If you would indulge me, I would prefer to keep this on topic rather than immediately divert into other issues such as abortion. Is it accurate to reduce your post to the single question: If God is just, why does He not provide everyone with the same opportunity to know Him as required by the edict of John:14 (I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me)?
Gad has granted an equal opportunity in life, just as the United States Constitution gives all an equal opportunity to pursue thier fortune. Don't forget that equal opportunity does not equate to a right, or equality of an individual's ability. God granted us the free will to pursue, or refuse to pursue those open opportunities.
TSH, by opportunity which do you mean:1. a favorable or advantageous combination of circumstances or 2. a chance for progress or advancement Surely, you mean definition 2. That everyone is given an equal chance. Do you agree, that both God and the US Constitution do not grant everyone a favorable or advantageous combination of circumstances?
Just to make sure it is clear.... To me and countless others, God, has not relation to Jesus or any other person. The God depicted in the bible, in my opinion, is not just.... or rational.
Battleship, do you think God offers everyone an equal combination of circumstances to know Him on earth?
Romans 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. God is just and it is my belief for those that have never heard the name Jesus, much less been told about his story, there is a way for them, but it has to do with acknowledging God as mentioned by Paul in his writing above.
You're right. God isn't fair. If he was fair, we'd all go to Hell. Yesterday. If he was just, he'd have meted out punishment swiftly and evenly and universally for our repeated transgressions and for our blasphemy, for our questioning of his motives and righteousness. Clearly then God is not just. God is more than just. That's my opinion. I wonder what sort of pretend world you'd have us living in where many billions of people (those currently living and those long deceased) all get "equal opportunities" to hear the gospel? I'm pretty certain that God never promised anyone equality of experience. It is a sinful world, and because of that sin, the message of grace comes through unevenly, and in some places only very faintly. God owes us nothing. We fell away from Him, not vice versa. He watched as we rejected His law, and yet He gave us a chance at salvation from that guilt. He continues to give us that chance. He's given more than we've deserved, and yet you question His fairness. Leave it to a letigious society to see eternity through the sorry lense of entitlement. Leave it to an atheist to blame God for not playing fair with the children of Moscow rather than considering the possibility that maybe the 70-year presence of a vicious, totalitarian, atheistic regime in Moscow had something to do with the city's lack of collective faith. Christianity, through the missionary work of many denominations, is attempting to bring the message to those places where it hasn't been previously embraced. Certainly we should work hard as Christians to see that such work continues. Above all, let's pray we don't get justice on our own terms. Let's be thankful instead that God's justice is tempered by His love.
burn. Coelacanth-1 God-haters-0 and btw, i don't find God to be just either. i'm much more in the camp of coel though. If we all got what was coming to us, i wouldn't want to get it, that's for sure. nice original strawman, however. it's good to throw out questions when you clearly already have a prepackaged answer waiting in the wings. posts like that are akin to intellectual masturbation. you're just stroking your own ego. if you really are curious, perhaps a more open-minded topic would be in order. sorry for the rant.
tropheus, I agree. Coelcanth, I don't believe that is the system in which we exist. If that turns out to be the case, I'll gladly accept my fate as an act of civil disobedience.
Let me expound a little. Let’s say child A is raised to believe that Tenet C is a necessary belief to go to heaven. Let’s say child B is raised to believe that Tenet C is a sin and all those who partake in it will go to hell. This is all either child has known his entire life and he has followed this belief strictly. Are you going to tell me that g-d will send one of those children to hell because he just happened to be raised with the wrong belief? Even though that child followed his belief 100%? If that’s the case, then I say you don’t believe in a very just g-d. And who are you to tell one of those children he’s following the wrong belief? You say you’ve seen the light. I say you’ve been blinded by it.
