The Real Problem of Christian Theology

[instantc]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God. If you actually believe this, what is the best thing you can do to a person?

I would have to draw a conclusion that the best thing that can happen to a baby is to die painlessly. Surely this life is full of great experiences, but nothing that heaven couldn't top?

[playhavock]

I am not sure I get the question, but I heard something about the best thing you can do to a person. I think the best thing you can do to a person is help them have an orgasm.

Gosh!
Don't want to spoil a splendid idea, but I've met very few people that couldn't have an orgasm all by theirselves.

Yeah but its not as fun by yourself. That being said, I could use some help finding "god" if you know what I'm saying...

[Intojoy]

I am not sure I get the question, but I heard something about the best thing you can do to a person. I think the best thing you can do to a person is help them have an orgasm. This will occasionally make the receiver cry, especially females, but the tears are those of joy not sadness. I think knowing this bliss brings us closer to God, and would in fact be why God created sex the way He did.

Moses, I think that I like your god a whole lot better than the Christian one. Didn't the Beatles say, "And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make"? There would certainly be a lot of disappointed Christians in the afterlife, if the god really only cared about how much joy (orgasmic or otherwise) we brought to others in this life.

The difference between our faith and every other belief system is the difference between "advice" and "news". Yeshua didn't just come to give advice. He came to bear our debt, to pay for the penalty of our sins, the wages of sin is death, so that we could be free to forgive one another as he forgave us. And so that we could receive the kind of love we as beings so desperately need - unconditional, accepting love. None of us had this kind of love that we need, only Messiah could love us and he did so, so that we could become the kind of people he created us to be.
It's not what we can do for God but what He has done for us. He entered "our world," He took on
"our humanity," He bore "our sins," He died "our death, "He was resurrected for "our life," He's coming again for "our glorification."
Paul in his letter to the Romans is urging us on the basis of all that he taught on, on the basis of all that has been done, he urges us to become living sacrifices:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1, 2 KJV)

If we have not understood all that the mercies of God has done, if we have not understood doctrinally and theologically deep enough, all that Messiah has accomplished for us, then we have become useless to him. God is calling us to live our lives as living sacrifices unto him. Our problem is, we are so prideful that we are not willing to give up anything for others. When a sacrifice was laid upon the alter there was a great deal of suffering involved, the animal experienced pain and suffering. What are we willing to give up? What are we willing to place upon the alter? So that we can become a blessing to others, and become servants of the Most High God?

Yeshua, my friend, is the Jewish Messiah the one who Moses spoke of. He's the Servant of Isaiah, the Son of David, the King of the Jews. Yeshua loves Israel.

If one traces the Gd of the book of Genesis, he will notice that man has a very formidable enemy - Satan. He should also note that the enemy is like man in that satan is a created being thus incapable of omniscience. Further observations point out that only upon hearing the Word of Gd, does the enemy move into action. For example it was Satan's attempt at wiping out the purity of the human race by the intermarriage a of his demons with the daughters of men (Gen 6).
Here's my point my beloved of Yeshua Jewish brethren, satan according to the Scriptures has strategically attempted to destroy the Jews in the name of Christ by using counterfeit Christianity. Yeshua himself taught that this would be the case when in parabolic form taught about the Kingdom of Heaven going into its mystery form, where it remains today until the second coming.
Like Genesis 6, the world suffers at the work of man's enemy. Especially Israel because Yeshua promised not to return to the earth until Israel asks him to
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39 ASV)

I am not a scholar, just a student of the Bible. I'm a gentile believer in the messianic claims made by Yeshua in the Gospels. I've been writing on first century Pharisaic Judaism to shed more light on Yeshua's ministry. The post was moved into the "random rambling" section by a moderator (99% of gentile Christendom has never been exposed to looking at the Gospels from a first century believer in Yeshua perspective). Hopefully you will take the time if you are a Jew, or if you're a gentile believer. I believe it's under Nicodemus's Theology.

[Danmark]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

[Intojoy]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

You're obviously way smarter than I am. My problem is that you're criticizing a book you've never read and never understood. How do I know? It's always the same with atheists.

I think that electric cars are crap. I don't know anything about them except how they look.

That's how I perceive the critics of God. To disprove the God of the bible you must read and understand, you haven't and don't, like my assessment of electric cars - willfully ignorant

[Danmark]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

You're obviously way smarter than I am. My problem is that you're criticizing a book you've never read and never understood. How do I know? It's always the same with atheists.

I think that electric cars are crap. I don't know anything about them except how they look.

That's how I perceive the critics of God. To disprove the God of the bible you must read and understand, you haven't and don't, like my assessment of electric cars - willfully ignorant

If being smarter means I don't make unjustified assumptions, you are correct. I've not only read the entire Bible, I have taught it. It has been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

I also don't assume all Christians are the same. In fact I know there are many who are very different from any of the common Christian stereotypes. Just as atheists and agnostics come in different varieties. It is one of the marks of intelligence to discern nuance. It is a mark of something else to see none.

[Intojoy]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

You're obviously way smarter than I am. My problem is that you're criticizing a book you've never read and never understood. How do I know? It's always the same with atheists.

I think that electric cars are crap. I don't know anything about them except how they look.

That's how I perceive the critics of God. To disprove the God of the bible you must read and understand, you haven't and don't, like my assessment of electric cars - willfully ignorant

If being smarter means I don't make unjustified assumptions, you are correct. I've not only read the entire Bible, I have taught it. It has been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

I also don't assume all Christians are the same. In fact I know there are many who are very different from any of the common Christian stereotypes. Just as atheists and agnostics come in different varieties. It is one of the marks of intelligence to discern nuance. It is a mark of something else to see none.

Can you define systematic theology?

[Intojoy]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

You're obviously way smarter than I am. My problem is that you're criticizing a book you've never read and never understood. How do I know? It's always the same with atheists.

I think that electric cars are crap. I don't know anything about them except how they look.

That's how I perceive the critics of God. To disprove the God of the bible you must read and understand, you haven't and don't, like my assessment of electric cars - willfully ignorant

If being smarter means I don't make unjustified assumptions, you are correct. I've not only read the entire Bible, I have taught it. It has been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

I also don't assume all Christians are the same. In fact I know there are many who are very different from any of the common Christian stereotypes. Just as atheists and agnostics come in different varieties. It is one of the marks of intelligence to discern nuance. It is a mark of something else to see none.

Can you define systematic theology?

Maybe you're right about the purpose of life. I'm Christian, I've heard that before, but life in the garden seemed independent with daily visits?
Maybe if we said knowing God is what's missing rather than the normal line?
Good observation

[The Tongue]

The biggest problem I see in Christian theology is rarely addressed in debates and articles.

The most plausible response to the Problem of Evil is to point out that the purpose of life is not happiness and joy but to come to know God.

The problem of evil/pain aside, I cannot accept that the purpose of life is to know 'god', or have a relationship with him. Even if one accepts the idea of a personal god, the idea of simply knowing 'him' seems rather thin an empty.

Of course, I have to admit I haven't come up with much as a substitute, except . . .
Find your own purpose in life. Whatever that may be, it has to be superior to simply knowing someone else.

The Bible does not give much direction, except to worship god. Why? Why should a creator god, all and in all, master of the universe give two hoots about what his creatures think?

I don't see this as any more fulfilling than that we are simply minor, but our own, agents in a mechanistic universe of chaos. In fact, I prefer that latter. At least this is our own, instead of some servile obeisance to some supposed and silent god.

That which was in the beginning and has evolved to become who you are, is the only God with whom you can have a personal relationship.

He, the living ancestral mind=spirit, who dwells behind the veil of the flesh in the innermost sanctuary of his temporary tent/tabernacle which is your body when it was born, before "YOU" the potential child to your ancestral spirit, and the controlling godhead to that body, who is developing from all the information that is gathered through the senses of that body, had even begun to develop, is the only spiritual Father and God, with whom you can experience a personal relationship.

He, who is connected to the very beginning by and unbroken genetic thread of life, who has never died and can never die, is "THE Father and God" to whom you can have a personal relationship with.

But first you must know "WHO YOU ARE" before you will be known by God "THE" Father, "WHO I AM."

[Goat]

Yeshua, my friend, is the Jewish Messiah the one who Moses spoke of. He's the Servant of Isaiah, the Son of David, the King of the Jews. Yeshua loves Israel.

I bet your pardon, but Jesus does not meet the requirements for the Jewish Messiah. For one, there wasn't an extended period of peace that was ushered in by him, nor is a new KINGDOM of Israel.. and all the Jews in the world have not gone back to Israel.

Those deeds are left undone, and it is by the DEEDS completed that the Jewish messiah will be recognized.

[Intojoy]

Yeshua, my friend, is the Jewish Messiah the one who Moses spoke of. He's the Servant of Isaiah, the Son of David, the King of the Jews. Yeshua loves Israel.

I bet your pardon, but Jesus does not meet the requirements for the Jewish Messiah. For one, there wasn't an extended period of peace that was ushered in by him, nor is a new KINGDOM of Israel.. and all the Jews in the world have not gone back to Israel.

Those deeds are left undone, and it is by the DEEDS completed that the Jewish messiah will be recognized.

I see your point. It would be difficult to take a stance by documenting a defense for Yeshua's claims in a post. I would like to point out the fact that only in our times has the church seen large numbers of Jews coming to faith in Yeshua in large numbers as they did in the first century.
This is significant because for 1900 years the church has lacked the Jewish perspective. Until now. Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum is a world renown scholar who has written bible commentaries that give the best argument for the case made by Yeshua. As a student of both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, Israel has become the focal point of my faith in Jesus. It was the teaching of Yeshua and the Jewish apostles that the restoration of Israel and the institution of kingdom was put off due to the national rejection by Israel of Yeshua's messiaship in Mathew 12. For the first century Jews who accepted Yeshua, that rejection resulted in the physical judgment of AD 70, and it was limited to the generation of Jesus's day and not passed on to future generations. According to the New Testament, the second coming will result in the national salvation of Israel. I feel your pain brother, may I only suggest that if you were to entertain the Gospels for personal reference and familiarity, that you would include Fruchtenbaum's works?
Btw British PM listed as one of the top ten most important books he'd ever read: "Jesus was a Jew" By Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Aloha,
Michael