Tough Questions for Christians #7: St. Thomas

The seventh in my ongoing series challenging Christians and other theists to answer difficult questions.

I try to help Christians think beyond what I call the "standard answers."

In this video we explore the degree of evidence God offers for his existence.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• christian
• pagan
• agnostic
• atheist
• god
• devil
• thomas
• hell
• heaven
• apologetics
• jesus
• azsuperman

[chrisalsup19]

The elect are regenerated so they can respond to the Lord's calling. When God elects people to salvation, He will do whatever it takes for them to believe. He will fail at achieving his effectual will. Like you mentioned earlier, Christ didn't die for someone only to have them not believe and perish in hell.

[azsuperman01]

@chrisalsup19 In other words, God is only interested in saving a few people... he doesn't actually care about the majority of us -- which is why such evidence isn't provided.

[chrisalsup19]

@azsuperman01 There it is again, "doesn't actually care", you are good about throwing that in there. It's not that He doesn't "care", you damn yourself by sinning and not accepting the sacrifice Jesus has offered.

[azsuperman01]

@chrisalsup19 Now you're changing your story. First you were damned unless God predestined you to salvation (you were one of the elect), now you're moving the blame to the victims. Sorry, but it doesn't work both ways. If you believe God has predestined the "elect" then it's hard to also claim that God cares about anyone else when he intends to torture them for the "crime" of not being preselected by him.

[yuvanrockstar]

It doesn't matter whether u believe or not. U will be saved. But if u believe and follow Gods ways then u will find a closer place in heaven with God.

[SummerSunshine1988]

According to Romans 1, God has personally given you all the proof you need in order to believe in Him right in front of your face. Whether you accept the evidence God Himself has given you is your own choice.

[kimkerchner]

Thomas was saved by faith. The people prior to Jesus walking the earth were saved by faith and the people today are saved by faith. God has always saved by faith. If Thomas did not place his trust in Jesus, he would not have been saved. By not believing in God, does not send you to hell. Your sins against God send you to hell. Jesus saved me from hell when I placed my trust in Him, otherwise my sins against God would send me to hell. It's faith that we are saved.

[humanistheart]

@JWHurwit1) "You actually haven't made a specific case to suggest that God has done evil, care to mention some specifics?"

You don't read do you? You used the word evil, I said unethical would be better suited. You suggested the only thing I said was that one who does 'evil' cannot love, I reminded you that his 'evil' acts were only a portion of the point. I mentioned genocide and infanticide, the allowances of slavery and rape. That's specific. If you want the specific passages, ask for them.

[JWHurwitz]

@humanistheart You're way, way off topic at this point, unsure how long I'm willing to continue to engage. Just a few points though: You haven't established that someone who commits evil is incapable of love. You actually haven't made a specific case to suggest that God has done evil, care to mention some specifics? Finally, in response to "do what I say or else is not love", what the Christian God says is better stated as "Do what I say and you will not perish due to your own folly".

[humanistheart]

@JWHurwitz that the 'terrible evil acts' you've committed are anywhere close to the biblical gods. How many children have you slaughtered? How many genocides have you committed? Have you condoned slavery or rape or random murder? If not, it's not anywhere close to comparable.

[humanistheart]

@JWHu 1) Not exactly, evil is more of a religious term, it's more unethical. And unless you're contending that infanticide and genocide are just fine, among other things, than yes that's true, or true that that is how the biblical stories go anyway.

As for loving, again, do what I say or else is not love.

"can I not love?" Let me ask you, do you feel if anyone ever does anything you don't like you cannot associate with them? If not, than it's not an apt comparison. Also I very much doubt...

[JWHurwitz]

@humanistheart Your argument is: (1) God has committed evil acts (2) A being that commits evil acts cannot love, therefore (3) God cannot love. I think (1) is false, and (2) is not logically true. I've committed terrible evil acts, can I not love?