is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair?

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Wootah
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is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair?

Post #1

Post by Wootah »

Hi all,

It occurred to me that when everything is going badly in life that 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair and nihilism.

Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.

Does anyone want to give some reasons for or against this?
Proverbs 18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #71

Post by amortalman »

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #7]A

The god of the NT may have talked nicer but consider this: The god of the OT gave us Hades, the abode of the dead. But Jesus gave us eternal suffering in The Lake of Fire. Not a very nice thing to do.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #72

Post by 1213 »

amortalman wrote: Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:45 pm [Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #7]A

The god of the NT may have talked nicer but consider this: The god of the OT gave us Hades, the abode of the dead. But Jesus gave us eternal suffering in The Lake of Fire. Not a very nice thing to do.
But what does "eternal suffering" mean, if those who are in hell (Gehenna) are destroyed as the Bible tells?

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. "
Matt. 10:28

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #73

Post by benchwarmer »

1213 wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 3:41 pm
amortalman wrote: Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:45 pm [Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #7]A

The god of the NT may have talked nicer but consider this: The god of the OT gave us Hades, the abode of the dead. But Jesus gave us eternal suffering in The Lake of Fire. Not a very nice thing to do.
But what does "eternal suffering" mean, if those who are in hell (Gehenna) are destroyed as the Bible tells?

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. "
Matt. 10:28
I see your Bible quote that says one thing, and raise you 2 others that say something else (I know, shocking to have contradiction)

Bolding mine

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
And to make it more ironic, here's are friend 'Matthew' a little while later:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
Isn't it fun how we can support opposite ideas with the Bible? I call it "Choose your own theology, there's plenty to go around".

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #74

Post by 1213 »

benchwarmer wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 5:33 pm
1213 wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 3:41 pm
amortalman wrote: Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:45 pm [Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #7]A

The god of the NT may have talked nicer but consider this: The god of the OT gave us Hades, the abode of the dead. But Jesus gave us eternal suffering in The Lake of Fire. Not a very nice thing to do.
But what does "eternal suffering" mean, if those who are in hell (Gehenna) are destroyed as the Bible tells?

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. "
Matt. 10:28
I see your Bible quote that says one thing, and raise you 2 others that say something else (I know, shocking to have contradiction)

Bolding mine

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
And to make it more ironic, here's are friend 'Matthew' a little while later:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
Isn't it fun how we can support opposite ideas with the Bible? I call it "Choose your own theology, there's plenty to go around".
Yes, they say something else, but nothing that is in contradiction with Matt. 10:28. "Eternal fire" or "everlasting contempt" can mean that one is utterly destroyed.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #75

Post by Difflugia »

1213 wrote: Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:03 pmYes, they say something else, but nothing that is in contradiction with Matt. 10:28. "Eternal fire" or "everlasting contempt" can mean that one is utterly destroyed.
Can "eternal life" also mean alive for just a little while?
My pronouns are he, him, and his.

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