Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tbvanbelle@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Terry Van Belle) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Strangers in a Strange World Message-ID: Date: 3 Dec 89 17:35:21 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 51 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jrossi@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (The Electric Sol) writes: >In article <5087@jane.uh.edu> MATH1H3@jane.uh.edu (David H. Wagner) writes: >>sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and >>does--comes not from the Father but from the world. >Where did the world come from? Isn't it fair to say that whatever comes >from the world comes from that which made it? Don't forget that, while God made the world, it isn't going according to the way it should have. We've messed it up pretty badly (and I mean the whole world: the planet, ourselves, our relationships with others...) You seem to be implying that God wants us to sin. >Who made this lustful, boastful beast? Who created this animal and gave >it intelligence. Who gave it a desire and will to live and survive in >this world? Who created the hormones that operate in these beasts that >cause them to be attracted to members of the opposite sex. Who created >the sinner that chose to sin in the Garden of Eden? Who created the >serpent who tempted these creatures? Who created the world and all its >temptations. Who shaped a woman's breasts? Who created beauty? Sexual attraction != Lust. A desire to survive != Boastfulness. Not all desires of the world are sins. In any case, we aren't simply beasts who are destined to operate in fixed instinctual patterns. We can, and should, supress those impulses that harm others. Better still would be to reach a state where damaging instincts don't arise; a laudable goal, but not terribly realistic. Still, it gives something to aim for. >The Christian lives in the world under tension between his fear of God and >the desires of the world. By forsaking the desires of the world, the >Christian hopes to avoid eternal punishment. IMHO, I think you're a bit off base with this one. The ideal Christian life is one in which we find continual joy in serving God. In this way we celebrate life while recognizing the sins for what they are: things which put distance between us and God. I hold fast to the idea that virtue is the path to true happiness. Ironically, the Taoists seem to be the ones who have caught on to this the best. As for your second statement, Christians have already avoided eternal punishment. That's why they're Christians. >-jrossi@jato.jpl.nasa.gov "Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils >-ames!elroy!jato!jrossi is still choosing evil." -Cptn. Trips Terry Van Belle tbvanbelle@watcgl.Waterloo.edu ...!watmath!watcgl!tbvanbelle