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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!hogpc!houti!ariel!hou5f!hou5g!jrt
From: jrt@hou5g.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Personnal Testaments as Proofs
Message-ID: <384@hou5g.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Mar-84 10:37:28 EST
Article-I.D.: hou5g.384
Posted: Mon Mar 26 10:37:28 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Mar-84 01:19:59 EST
References: <832@ihuxi.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
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>> Dave Wallis replies:
> Either God is omnipotent, or He cannot change mankind. If you accept this
> argument, you must also seriously doubt whether God posseses the other
> qualities associated with Him (omniscience, etc), since if He is not
> all-powerful, He is probably not all-knowing, and so on. If this is the
> case, then there is nothing left to distinguish Him from us.

I can not disagree with your argument.  I can state that He IS omnipotent, and
that He can do anything He wishes, including 'straightening out' (whatever
that means) this entire world.  He could bring down His mighty hand and enforce
His will over us all.  We would then be no more than mindless puppets, dancing
to His tune, and echoing His words.  If that were the case, He could have
created a billion little robots, all chanting "We love you God, .....".  If
there is a God, then you will have to admit that He must be smarter than that.
And if so, then you must also concede that he MUST give us complete control
over our own lives, to make our own decisions.  Along with that complete
control over own own, he has given us the opportunity to do things that will
harm others.  He does not want us to, but WE have to make the decisions as
to what to do with our lives.  We have the capabilities to completely turn
this world around, feeding the hungry, putting down all arms, helping our
fellow humans with all the love we can muster.  But, it must be OUR decision,
and not His ENFORCEMENT.

			(** FRODO **) alias hou5g!jrt