I'm not offended. Many people would not be as polite about what I believe as you're being. And please tell me if I use words you don't know, like you did before. I'm happy to change them. Sorry this is so long--there was a lot to cover. 1. I don't think God the Father is racist. True, He chose the Jews to be His chosen people, but through them He is still blessing the whole world. Jesus is His blessing to us. 2. Adam did commit the first sin, but we can't say we wouldn't do the same. I honestly have no answer for how we sinned through our ancestor Adam, but since God created us, He understands it. Do you think God created us? 3. I think you are saying, and correct me if I'm wrong, you are more willing to accept Jesus as God than you are to accept the Father as God, because you feel more comfortable with Jesus than you do with God, because Jesus as the suffering Son is more attractive to you than the stern Father figure you see God as. 4. I'll give you my answers to your theology questions, if you don't mind : God created the world out of love. He wanted men made in His own image that He could love and would have the free will to love Him back. We destroyed His loving plan by disobedience, and the world has been ruined by sin ever since. 5. Jesus' shameful and cruel death on the cross was not simply a humble sacrifice wasted on a stern Father. True, God does have a law which has been broken by humankind, and that law had to be satisfied. Jesus paid our debt of sin, because He had no debt to pay--He is perfect. Now, when God looks at me, He sees--not my sins,--but Jesus' perfectness. That is why I can truely call Him Father God, and talk to you of Him in this familiar way. I did doubt His existence and goodness, but now I don't. Why? His Spirit is in my heart, and I am not the angry, bitter, wretched person I would have been without Him. Josef, are you joyful?
[these are just some personal views] I always felt uncomfortable with God of the Old testament. A racist, strict, "fair" Father who created universe and humanity in order to hate it. But, of course, the separation from God was a man's mistake and this is why we (should) feel guilty from the day we are born. What is your opinion about this: is it fair to suffer because somewhere in the past someone else (Adam, for example) did a mistake (a mistake who separated him from a Father Whose love towards him was questionable)? I hope you don' t find my opinions offensive. With Jesus it was always different. Many people, who question the divinity of Jesus, tend to maintain their faith to the father - they believe, in short, that Jesus was a charismatic prophet who preached His word. I never felt like this: even if the Nazarene was just a man I would probably love him more than a Father who, in my view, seems to be intolerably human - I already have a father, and I am not crazy enough to ask for a second one. I always had two questions in theology: why did god create the universe and why Jesus (supposing he was the "son of man") came to the cross: why was he sucrificed for a case like that? I believe that society and history are the main creators of what we call "absolute" moral codes. I consider myself to be a "good" man in everyday life but I theoritically am a relativist. Why? Because I can't lie to myself.
So you don't mind idealism unless it causes people to execute or hurt others? Since you already know something about the Bible, I hope you will understand what I mean. I believe God is the creator of the universe, and He also set up a code of right and wrong. This is often denied by relativists, but I think it is proven right by our conscience, or how we feel bad when we have done wrong, as well as how people who deny God often demand that others act up to certain acknowledged standards: "You can't do that! That's not fair!" In Genesis, man rebelled against God's law and suffered the consequences: death, pain, difficulty in producing food, sickness, etc. All humankind's attempts to set up the perfect government have failed: I think we both agree that our governments are FAR from perfect. Only under one person has life ever been perfect: God.
1. "How democratic a form of government is could be concluded from the limits of the freedom of speech and the heaviest punishment the regime suggests for a crime": what I meant was that the depth of democracy depends on the level of freedom of speech and (with diversed proportion) the heaviest punishment (the heaviest characterizes the less democratic)... 2. I am not against idealism as a form of action and I consider myself an idealist, but I disagree with what happens when ideals have a strong impact on the way we think (death penalty is usually taking place in the name of an Ideal: Justice, for example, or Revenge)... 3. I believe I' m familiar with the Bible (although I fail to see how this is connected to our conversation) and maybe there was a time -long ago- when I thought I loved Jesus more than myself. Feel free to express your views, I don' t like judging beliefs.
I don't mind jokers--at least when I know they're joking. I'm glad you're not a facist because it would have been more difficult for me to talk to you, since our worldviews would have differered so widely. I didn't think you were in favor of the death penalty, but you mentioned it, so I thought I'd ask. It's a little harder for me to explain my idea of the ideal government than for you to explain yours, since you've already stated that you stay away from idealism. I don't consider my ideas idealism, but you would probably disagree. Are you familiar with the Bible?
You are glad I am not (a fascist or a joking guy? the meaning changes radically with each option)! but really was it sth spesific on my behalf, I mean... did I say anything which could have lead you to the assumption that I am in favour of death penalty? What do you think is the "more beneficial" form of government?
Sorry. I wasn't sure if YOU were joking or not since I don't know you all that well. I'm glad you're not!
I'm not sure whether you 're joking or not but I don' t consider myself to be a f....ing fascist prince. how did i gave you the impression?
No, but I could have guessed it. Are you?
No. I' m a man who has forgiven his parents. After that you realise that capital punishment is just cruel and inhumane. And i' m afraid that ideals are getting messy all the time. Did i gave you the idea that i' m a fascist?
