Subject:
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Re: God and the Devil and forgiveness (was Re: POV-RAY orange color)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 21:52:16 GMT
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Viewed:
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1231 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Mike Stanley writes:
> Jesse Long <jesse.r.long@gte.net> wrote:
> > That last question is pretty interesting. Would God forgive the Devil if
> > asked? It appears to me (without being a divinity scholar) that angels
> > (normal and fallen) have not displayed any freedom of choice since the
> > Rebellion. I don't know. It's not possible, so I haven't thought about it.
>
> Yeah, what if Satan just suddenly gave up? Admitted he was a jerk and
> wrong, and honestly (how could you hide it from God?) asked for
> forgiveness?
If you believe the axiom that "God knows everything" (and that I know is a
muchly overused notion) and that he is all-wise, then it's not hard to stretch
and say that God knows (and has apparently declared) that Satan is
incorrigible. It seems the Underworld won't ever be passing out snow parkas.
> Or was his original crime, way back when, so bad that he's too far
> gone?
IMO too far gone. If you're perfectly healthy and you believe that you're like
God in your heart of hearts, you're so far out to lunch you miss dinner.
> Or is he the pefectly arrorgant being some would paint him as, so
> arrogant that, knowing he's up against the ALMIGHTY, knowing
> everything God has ever wanted to do He did, knowing there's a book
> that details just how crappy this will all end up for him, knowing all
> that, he'd still keep going?
Perfectly arrogant is an interesting way to describe him. If you [have] read
Tolkien's _Silmarillion_, JRR paints an interesting picture of the Melkor
character as an equivalent of Satan, a created being so powerful and beautiful
(at one time) that he was just so like unto God that it was amazing.
> My father-in-law the preacher would probably have a heart attack to
> hear me say it, but in a lot of ways I find the concept of Satan as he
> is painted in Christian mythology much harder to accept than most of
> the happier stuff.
Maybe so, but if you approached it from an aspect of really and honestly
wanting to get to the truth, most preachers can't resist the challenge :-) I
don't think you'd have nearly as bad a time with your father-in-law regarding
this as you might think.
It is difficult to comprehend why evil exists, because evil must ultimately
destroy itself, or its basis at least be found illogical. But it obviously
does exist and Satan's malice seems to know no bounds.
-Tom McD.
when replying, Spamcake Charms: they're magically deelicious!
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