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From: ajs@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Even If I DID Believe ... - (nf)
Message-ID: <3619@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Jan-84 03:25:28 EST
Article-I.D.: hp-pcd.3619
Posted: Wed Jan  4 03:25:28 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Jan-84 02:22:26 EST
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Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO
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#R:unc:-648300:hpfcla:21300002:000:2376
hpfcla!ajs    Jan  2 19:36:00 1984

Thank you, Tim, for stating  your case so  concisely.  You made a lot of
good points and I'm looking forward to hearing the Christian response.

I'd just like to add some food for thought.  I've had the same  problems
accepting  the  Biblical  version of God:  How can he be  merciful,  yet
allow  suffering?  How can he offer so little evidence, yet condemn non-
believers to Hell?  Why should a jump of faith be  required,  when human
nature is to reduce  internal  conflict,  even if this  results in false
beliefs?

I've heard some possible answers.  I'm not saying I believe them myself,
but I sure HOPE they are true (it would be nice).  Anyway, here goes.

* Suppose  that God  really is  infinite  beyond all  comprehension.  No
  point  trying to capture the  concept; he is anything  you can imagine
  yet more than that.

* Suppose that our perception of reality,  compared to that infinity, is
  as a dream (or nightmare) is to waking life.

* Suppose that the purpose of life in this reality is to learn,  perhaps
  over many  lifetimes,  basic  truths, and to eventually  gain infinite
  conciousness (union with God).

* Suppose that the worst of physical pain and deprivation is as nothing,
  by hindsight.  Experiences  which reduce our "addiction" to the purely
  physical  world  might in fact  turn out to be good for our  spiritual
  growth (as a bad dream might help resolve waking tensions).

* Suppose  that the Bible is in fact the work of  people,  full of myths
  and misconceptions.

* Suppose that it really doesn't matter  because,  while God loves every
  soul  as if it  were a part  of  himself,  those  parts  are as  small
  children  playing  games  in a  big  playground,  taking  their  roles
  seriously and never wondering what happens after recess is over.

As I say, I don't know  myself  that the  philosophy  I've  stuffed in a
nutshell  here is how things  really  are.  But it would make more sense
than any other I've heard.  For me that philosophy  holds more hope than
any  other, for giving  meaning to our  existence.  It says that  things
don't have to make sense on any scale we can  comprehend,  because  that
scale is microscopic, and all things balance in infinite time.

Alan Silverstein, Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division, Colorado
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!ajs, 303-226-3800 x3053, N 40 31'31" W 105 00'43"