From: Walter Hicks (wallyshoes@mindspring.com)
Date: Fri Sep 12 2003 - 17:03:09 EDT
The point, Keith, is that yours is just an opinion -- not based upon any scientific
fact. Belittling my example (which I only proposed as possible -- not probable) as
"reducing God to a human engineer" only shows debatemanship -- and specious at
that. You reject all alternatives as non-viable points of discussion without so much
as a tip of the hat. With that attitude, your approach to dialogue will always be
"my way or no way".
I think.
Walt
Keith Miller wrote:
> > Now some take the Bible as literal and think that we came into existence a few
> > thousand years ago and that what we see of history in the universe did not
> > actually transpire. That is: God presented us with a universe with the history
> > 'built in". Most here like to ridicule such a notion. I wonder how many of
> > these
> > have ever conducted simulation of some technical aspect within their filed. If
> > so, I am certain that they work within simulated environments with a history
> > built into it. I run simulations ot check the dynamics of certain systems. It
> > could never even be done if I had to work from the ground floor in machine
> > language to do everything. It would be nonsense for me to use anything other
> > than a structure from a previous simulation -- even if "just" the compiler..
> >
> > Should I believe that God is less wise than his creations? That he has to
> > start
> > form scratch with His simulated background for us?
>
> No, we should believe that God is much MORE wise and powerful than us. Your
> analogy above reduces God to a human engineer. God, unlike a human
> engineer, is not constrained just to manipulate an existing creation. God
> is Creator and thus had free choice over the properties and capacities of
> the stuff of creation. God made the original stuff.
>
> It is also clear from scripture, from the history of God's people, and from
> our own experience, that God is a God of process. The process matters to
> God. God does not appear to be interested in just cutting to the chase and
> getting to the final objective. The process of getting there is the
> objective. That in my mind is what sanctification is. It is also clear
> that suffering and pain is part of that process - a process which God
> himself experienced in the incarnation and cross.
>
> A long creative history is just what I would expect from the God of history.
> Furthermore, a long creative history emphasizes God's care for the creation.
> All the myriad of organisms that have come and gone on this planet were
> there for God's pleasure alone. They gave praise to God long before
> humanity was there to see and worship.
>
> Keith
-- =================================== Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>In any consistent theory, there must exist true but not provable statements. (Godel's Theorem)
You can only find the truth with logic If you have already found the truth without it. (G.K. Chesterton) ===================================
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