Re: Do You Want To Know For Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? The reason some people don't know for sure if they are going to Heaven when they die is because they just don't know. The good news is that you can know for sure that you are going to Heaven wh

["Tom" <dantoXSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Dirk Bruere at Neopax" <dirk@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3cq00fF6pc9noU2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Tom wrote:
> >
> > If this god actually exists, it seems to me that one is taking
unnecessary
> > chances by baiting him.
> >
> > Of course, if he doesn't exist, there's no problem.  But then there's no
> > point in denouncing an imaginary creature as a psychotic genocidal
maniac.
>
> There's that 'exists' again, as if it's all black and white.

Yes, yes, I know that a concept of a mountain, for example, exists in a
different way than the mountain it represents.  In that way, a thing can
exist in one sense and not exist in another.  However I think we are used to
considering our psychotic genocidal maniacs to be a threat only when they're
not hypothetical. That's when pissing them off is not a good idea. And if
they *are* hypothetical, then they're not much point in speculating about
their underlying nature.  Question: "How many angels fit on the head of a
pin?"  Answer:  "It doesn't matter."

Look, I snuck a peek at the last chapter of the bible and, though I hate to
spoil it for you, everything works out OK in the end.  But keep on reading.
You're still just in the Old Testament.  There are all sorts of little
twists and subplots coming up.  I think you'll enjoy it.  Above all, just
remind yourself from time to time that it's only a book.  YHVH is a
character in a book.  It doesn't matter that he's a psychotic genocidal
maniac.  Every good book these days has a psychotic genocidal maniac in it.
The James Bond series gave us at least a dozen.  And Tom Harris gave us the
lovable fiend Hannibal Lecter.  Now, admittedly, Dr. Lecter was not
genocidal, but he's an awfully sympathetic chartacter for a psychotic
maniac.

In fact, Dr. Lecter is a beautiful example in this discussion of different
forms of existence.  I have Harris' books on my shelves here at home.  I'm
quite comfortable knowing that inside them is depicted a character who is a
brilliant and deadly psychopathic serial killer.  I'm actually glad I have
sucha character in my library.  I want him there and I want him to be as
scary as he likes.  I have nothing but praise for his characterization.

However, I think that I would be very nervous if Dr. Lecter was actually
sitting on my couch.  I don't think I would want him there. But I sure as
hell know better than to be rude to him.

> Sure YHVH exists, just as other Gods exist and as Ouija
> entities exist. And they are just as good or bad as you make
> them and as strong as their followers.

So it's not YHVH's psychotic genoicidal mania that's the real problem, since
he's just a character in a book.

The real problem is that you're afraid that his followers (who are *not*
just characters in books) will be the same kind of psychotic genocidal
maniacs that their god is.

But Christians, by and large, do not think of themselves as the embodiment
of YHVH.  God has not discussed with them the proper behavior for God.  God
has instead chosen to discuss what is proper behavior for human beings.
They are not expected to act like God.  They are expected to do what God has
told them to do.

Once in a while, just as in any population, there are going to be people who
get more than a little carried away and become troublesome.  I don't think
that will happen more often for Christians than it does for atheists.  Do
you?