Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: harling@pictel.uucp (Dan Harling) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: the love that is forced Message-ID: Date: 23 Jun 91 01:01:07 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: PictureTel Corporation Lines: 40 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article henning@acsu.buffalo.edu (Karl jam Henning) writes: >Kathleen P. Kowalski writes: > >>In response to your question about why God didn't create us without the >>ability to sin, it is my own opinion that he chose not to do that >>because he wanted us to have a choice. He didn't want us to love him >>because there was no other choice, but because we wanted to. I >>personally don't think that love that is forced is worth much. > >>Kay > >Love cannot be forced (by the lovee). > >When I love someone, and that person does not return my love, >I have to accept that situation. It is not necessary for me >to respond vindictively to the person who (for whatever >reason) cannot, or chooses not to, reciprocate my affection. > >Is god prepared to be that selfless and big-hearted? He most certainly is. Although it seems to be an overused reference in this newsgroup, _The Great Divorce_ by C. S. Lewis helped me to understand that, since Hell is the utter alienation of God, those who walk away from God do so because they would *rather* live in Hell. It is a misconception that everybody would prefer Heaven to Hell, as Lewis illustrates in the book above. >kph _The Great Divorce_ should be part of a recommended-reading list for this newsgroup; it seems everyone keeps referring to it. Is anyone interested in discussing the book? ______________________________________________________________________ Daniel A. Harling PictureTel, Inc. Rockport, MA Peabody, MA Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of PictureTel, Inc.; they are MINE, ALL MINE! (So there.) ---- === ====