If god doesn't follow his own rules, why should we?

[Princess Luna On The Moon]

*Let's assume the Christian god is real*

This is mostly about the Old Testament where many rules (the 10 Commandments for instance) are listed. If god so rarely follows his own rules and often switches character traits, why should we follow anything he says? Wouldn't his lack of consistency make him rather pathetic as a supreme leader?

Also, why should we follow something even if we find it immoral? Why is harming other humans in the name of god justified? Or, why is god allowed to get away with killing, harming, or ignoring us, yet whenever something good happens, he gets all the credit?

[JonDarbyXIII]

[Replying to post 40 by ttruscott]

Yes, it says he would wipe out the human race but it's the preceding verses which show the reason behind this. I am assuming that you would not say God had anything personally against the human race, but rather against the evil that was said to be in their hearts. It would seem that God was looking to eliminate the evil but that the only way to do so would be by wiping out the human race. After all, it specifically notes that the evil was in their hearts from birth, showing the two (evil and humankind) to be inextricably linked.

I can see your argument in that evil was never blotted out because Noah's family was spared ('a little leaven leavens the the whole lump,' and all) but if anything, this would only show why God failed to eliminate all evil. It does not negate the end result--that after destroying 99.99999999% of the world, everything continued the exact same.

[ttruscott]

...

I can see your argument in that evil was never blotted out because Noah's family was spared ('a little leaven leavens the the whole lump,' and all) but if anything, this would only show why God failed to eliminate all evil. It does not negate the end result--that after destroying 99.99999999% of the world, everything continued the exact same.

Oh, it started up all over again still the same yes, but that does not mean a failure if He used that situation to make HIS point with HIS most stubborn sinful elect (our generation) that the reprobate will never repent and unless cleansed, will contaminate heaven. You got to admit, the story is a show stopper!

At any given time everyone in the world at that time will die and the world will go on - what does it matter if they all go at the same time and then the world goes on? People die all the time, why is it better to have them die in dribs and drabs rather than all at once? What's special about dribbling death out over time?

peace, Ted

[Peds nurse]

We know that God said that the people were wicked. The men of God were marrying those who did not follow Him. They were choosing beauty and lust over God. I am not sure what else they were doing, but in God's eyes it wasn't good. He is the judge, and for Him, it was erasing all who did not follow Him.

Today, It is much the same, in that there are still those who are wicked, those who don't follow, and those who serve other Gods. The fate of those who ignore Him, is much the same as those who He destroyed earlier in the flood.

However, if things are much the same today (and the Bible notes that this was the case even immediately afterward, wouldn't that mean that the flood--to blot out this evil--was all for naught? This would seem to indicate that God was either inept, or in the very least impulsive, destroying the world in anger while knowing that it would change nothing.

What if those who were marrying ungodly women, were to erase the name of God? We are not quite sure what those people were doing, because it doesn't say. I trust God though, and through the story of the flood, I find value in serving Him who saved those who were righteous.

[Rowena]

I think another way to add to the question is to take into account human action: situations where moral actions for God, and for humans would differ, on the basis of general morality rather than strict law. After all, God is said to be the source of our moral knowledge.

The cliche example would be intervention. Humans are expected to intervene during a theft (eg: call the police), to comfort friends when they're sad... God is not, and often does no such thing. The only resolution to this seems to be to say that the morally correct action varies for God and for humans, but it's hard to see why. After all, what kind of being you are doesn't alter whether or not you can comfort someone.
Otherwise, either the God-given human instinct in such situations is wrong, or that God acts incorrectly. Neither seems especially plausible.

That's just one illustration, regardless. God's incongruities extend further than cut-and-dried statements of rules. if, for example, a theist willingly admits they would do differently to God in some situation, something's up.

[lia15]

[Replying to post 1 by Princess Luna On The Moon]

Well God is the creator in the same way we must obey our parents we must obey him. And God does not have to abide by rules he has created for us. He is our creator not our equal. The way he "does not follow his own rules" is like a parent not letting there 5 year old child having a coffee but having a coffee themselves, there's a reason the parent wont let there 5 year old have that coffee and its cuz it is what is best foe the child.

[alexx]

[Replying to post 3 by ttruscott]

Our Free will:
- All spirits created in the image of GOD were created with the ability to make true free will decisions.
- All spirits had an equal ability to choose GOD or reject HIM.

lets consider satan and the angels that fell with him. how do you explain the wording 3RD of the angels went with him? that exact # seems rather odd and not easily explained by mere free choice?

[endtimer]

[Replying to post 1 by Princess Luna On The Moon]

If you knew anything about God , then you would know that He has never changed a bit. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is a good thing that we who know Him are witnesses. It is mankind that failed and it has been preplanned and documented so. If you can prove anywhere that God has changed His rules, then you should do so by showing us where you read that in the bible. If you dont believe then you never will. no one is telling you to follow rules...He said MANY will be called but only a few will listen...as in Noah's day. when you generalize like that and say "we" you are speaking for yourself

[Strider324]

[Replying to post 1 by Princess Luna On The Moon]

If you knew anything about God , then you would know that He has never changed a bit. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is a good thing that we who know Him are witnesses. It is mankind that failed and it has been preplanned and documented so. If you can prove anywhere that God has changed His rules, then you should do so by showing us where you read that in the bible. If you dont believe then you never will. no one is telling you to follow rules...He said MANY will be called but only a few will listen...as in Noah's day. when you generalize like that and say "we" you are speaking for yourself

Jesus is god, is he not? Therefore, we have God saying from one side of his mouth " ...an eye for an eye", and from the other side saying "actually, you should offer the other cheek". This is your God changing.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Princess Luna On The Moon]

If you knew anything about God , then you would know that He has never changed a bit. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is a good thing that we who know Him are witnesses. It is mankind that failed and it has been preplanned and documented so. If you can prove anywhere that God has changed His rules, then you should do so by showing us where you read that in the bible. If you dont believe then you never will. no one is telling you to follow rules...He said MANY will be called but only a few will listen...as in Noah's day. when you generalize like that and say "we" you are speaking for yourself

Moderator Comment

Hi endtimer. Welcome to the forums. Your post here is a violation on several accounts. "If you knew anything about God" is an assumption that is a personal attack at worst, and uncivil at best. That and your post is considered preaching, stating the Bible position without any supporting argument.

Remember, this is a debating site, not a preaching site.

This post would be considered to not comply with the guidelines on preaching. Please read through the guidelines and abide by them.


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[ttruscott]

Our bible says that it is not his will that any should perish but that all should have eternal life, but this is our choice to make not his.

Right....our choice. And HE is waiting for my brother to choose HIM since he hasn't yet?

Then, unless you are blaspheming HIS loving patience as less than perfect you are saying that hell is empty because HE WILL NEVER STOP WAITING FOR THEM TO CHANGE THEIR MIND AND ACCEPT HIM!!! NEVER!!!

If someone is condemned then there is a reason that HE cannot save them...none of this "HE's quit waiting because HIS patience is limited"...stuff.

<headshake, facepalm>