God's not on trial.

It's an analogy.

God is on trial.

Yeah, who's going to enforce anything on Him?

MIGHT IS RIGHT!

I'm just saying putting Him on trial isn't feasible.

There is no one to enforce anything on. He's just a fictional villain (thankfully) that we can find guilty based on the terrible deeds he has committed in the books that have been written about him.

Please read Lamentations 3:33 and take it to heart.

Only reading fact based books at the moment. Will get back to fiction at some point though.

^ lol

I'm sure it's on of the aims of the Bible.

But, you can't "outstrip it" if it indeed exists. Like I said, I lean more towards the annihilation camp than the eternal punishment camp, but because some Biblical scholars have reached a conclusion that's more palatable to your sensibilities doesn't mean it's correct.

Sure, it would be a shame if those interpretations were wrong. It would also be a shame if you and other Universalists are wrong and have angered God by spreading false doctrine.

I could go through and quote mine passages that make it sound like faith is necessary for salvation as well. That won't get us anywhere.

If the Universalists are correct, what incentive is there to be a believer in the first place? If you can subvert everything God desires and has commanded and still be saved, why follow at all?

I'll let you research these bible topics on your own.

If you're going to accuse people of false teaching, etc. then you need to put the work in to get the necessary expertise to be able to discuss what you're posting about.

And you can reflect on why hell is a better incentive than love. Just don't ask me about it, ok?

I have, and now I'm sharing what I've concluded.

I didn't accuse anyone specific of false teaching. Obviously, people are teaching many different interpretations of the Bible, so someone is false. I wonder what God's response to those people is.

I'm not asking you to reflect on which is better. I asked you what's the incentive in the Universalist position to be a believer and follower of God.

My attempts to teach what I know about the bible on here are about over so now I only tell people to seek to know things for themselves and ask God for the wisdom to understand things.

The key to understanding anything (but particularly the bible) is receptiveness and people do a lot on here to destroy that.

fyp.

OK, well I've done that and God is telling me that you are incorrect.

Your results are controlling?

Other people get different results from you all the time.

Maybe there's something wrong with the methods you're using.

If your god were true, sincere believers wouldn't get different results in their spiritual searches. Eternal hell, universalism and annihilation are incompatible.

Maybe there's something wrong with the methods you're using.

You don't find your thinking overly simplistic?

Since when did people in this world all reason to identical conclusions?

Haha you can't have it both ways. You can't quote your favourite bits as 'gospel' then dismiss critical analysis of other verses as interpreting the bible too literally. In for a penny, in for a pound honey.

You can wiki PaRDeS. People have been interpreting the bible on multiple levels for thousands of years.

You really didn't think God's thoughts were limited by human thinking, did you?

Lol is this how you defend the contents of the Bible? Here endeth the argument. Thank you and good night. I'm here all week (try the buffet).

Hey you're the one that can't integrate complexity and the problem is mine or God's?

Stop posting on message boards and enroll in a theology school and get enlightened.

You obviously don't know allegorical interpretations have been around with literal ones for a very, very, very long time or you don't want to know.

Firstly, there's no reason to get all cranky and tell me to stop posting.

Secondly, I find the notion of studying religious traditions about as enlightening as studying Dr Seuss. It might be interesting from some historical perspectives but will hardly bring anyone closer to a faith, unless they were particularly vulnerable of mind.

I know you're sitting there all smug in the knowledge that God loves you and you've been saved and you're going to heaven when you die and all that rot, but unfortunately, I'm sorry to say, you're wrong.

I accept that different believers have different interpretations of the Bible. But I find it difficult to accept that one believer can have contradictory beliefs at the same time. Unless they have a mental disorder such as split personality disorder.