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From: jnelson@trwrba.UUCP (John T. Nelson)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Reply to Rob
Message-ID: <1090@trwrba.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Nov-84 18:45:53 EST
Article-I.D.: trwrba.1090
Posted: Tue Nov  6 18:45:53 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 04:15:39 EST
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	[Ken Nichols]
	Did God invent our democracy?  No.

I thought all things good came from God and certainly the good attributes
of our democratic and constiutional system were modeled on the Christian
views of compassion and justice.  Looks to me like God had a very distinct
hand in inventing our democracy.

	Then it's just as sinfull as everything
	else on this Satanicaly run earth.

I thought God was calling the shots... no don't bother answering.
You have a hand-wave for everything.
	
		> Shall we believe everyone who claims ultimate authority?

	But they were men, not God!

That's not what THEY claimed.  Show us the difference between the men that
authored the Bible and any other man.  Where is the conclusive evidence
that will convince us that the Bible IS indeed the word of God.  If you
can't produce such evidence then your statement that the Bible is the only
source of the truth is false.

The problem is that you always rely on the Bible as your one source of
authority and it is this very source that we are questioning.  And no,
the reason is NOT pride.... it's the need to know the truth.

	God's control of a man is much, much different than man's
	control over a man.

Oh?  I haven't noticed much difference between the tactics of men and the
God that you describe.  Blackmail and murder are pretty standard on
this Satanic earth... God's hell is probably worse.

	The sin which Adam and Eve committed was the sin of pride.
	They wanted to be like God.  The fruit was able to make them
	wise.

Solomon also desired wisdom and God praised him for his wise choice.
In reward for his wise choice God made him wiser than any man then alive or
that was to come.  Seeking wisdom isn't the crime here and neither
was Adam and Eve's sin that of pride.  No evidence of "pride" can be
found as I read Genesis.

	To many people focus in on the 'goody, goody' side of God.  I'm just
	trying to provide a balance.

You've provided an imbalance and not a balance.  That's why so many people
label you as a fanatical-fire-and-brimstone-on-your-knees-and-kiss-that-bible
sicko.  The fact that you focus primarily on the hell-fire aspects of God
shows that you do not have an adequate conception of God or his ways and thus
are not a suitable steward of his word.  A Holy (read "whole") God is not as
you portray him.
  
	What you have said is true.  No doubt about it.  But does that
	mean that you can ignore an entire group of God's attributes?
	Those of holiness, justice, hatred of sin, etc?

Many of which you continue to ignore including love, compassion and
healing of those unable to heal themselves.  As I've said, your
treatment is unbalanced and quite unlike the true and whole nature
of God.

	I for one will not disobey Christ for the fear
	that I might offend someone with the truth about God.

The question to ask yourself is... is this REALLY the truth of God and
am I (Ken Nichols) a good steward of this word.  If not, then don't
feel compelled to use it.  Otherwise you will offend both God and man.


					- John