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Subject: 
Re: Mormon bashing again
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Sun, 5 Mar 2000 00:50:33 GMT
Viewed: 
899 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Todd Lehman writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Frank Filz writes:
1 - Thou shalt have no other God's before me.

Oh!  I just realized, I have another question about the deep meaning of
this the First Commandment.

OK, is it assumed or implied here that God is commanding us to believe that
he exists and to have Him as our god?  Or is he simply saying (this would be
the literal or mathematical interpretation) that, IF one worships a deity,
He must be THAT deity?

In other words, is He saying,

(a) "I exist, and I presume that you believe that I exist; however, I command
   you to worship Me and Me only, even if you believe that other deities may
   exist," or

a) is pretty close. IMHO he's saying not to mix His service with the service of
others. It assumes that the person who cares enough to find out what He expects
is desirous to follow Him and should not divide their attention by seeking Him
and another. He is prepared to give you His full attention if you give yours.

(b) "I exist, and I command you to believe that I and I only exist, and I
   command you to worship Me and Me only," or

(c) "I don't necessarily exist, but I happen to believe that I do, and if you
   also happento believe that deities exist, then I command you to believe
   that I do exist and to worship Me and Me only, for if I cannot be your
   one and only god, then let no god be your god."

?

What I'm getting at is this:  I don't see anything in the Ten Commandments
which commands people not to be athiests.  Is this correct?  Or does the
First Commandment contain the implied statement of:  "You must not not believe
that I exist."  ?

--Todd

If people don't want to believe that's fine with Him, the commandments were
only for those who sought Him because they believed him to be the only true
God. Romans chapters 1, 2 says those who don't believe will be judged by how
they judged others - in other words, if someone did something to you and you
thought it was wrong but went on to do it to others, that is the measure you
will be judged by. We all have God's principles written in our hearts and know
right and wrong whether we admit it or not - no matter how hard we twist
reality to fit what suits us. Romans 2 says we are always trying to accuse or
excuse one another - unbelievers will be judged by their own hypocrisy.

Bill



Message has 2 Replies:
  Does the First Commandment tolerate Atheism? (was: Re: Mormon bashing again)
 
(...) Wow. Well, that's actually quite reasonable, then. So, if I'm understanding this correctly, what you're saying is that the First Commandment does indeed tolerate atheism. It might not be happy with the existence of atheism, but it does (...) (25 years ago, 5-Mar-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
  Re: Mormon bashing again
 
Waitasec.. (...) Are you sure about this? Most christians assert I am doomed to enternal damnation because I am aware of christanity but choose not to believe. They say that no matter how righteous my life is, no matter that I never lie, cheat, or (...) (25 years ago, 5-Mar-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Mormon bashing again
 
(...) Oh! I just realized, I have another question about the deep meaning of this the First Commandment. OK, is it assumed or implied here that God is commanding us to believe that he exists and to have Him as our god? Or is he simply saying (this (...) (25 years ago, 5-Mar-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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