Quote:
Originally Posted by nohands
Punching the president in the face will yield a different and more harsh punishment than punching someone at the bar. And in the case of God it would be someone of infinite importance and therefore yield a harsher punishment.
Where did you get this idea (I've heard it before in apologetics)? If the circumstances are the same, I don't think the sentencing options for battery change based on victim 'importance'. Sometimes there are different crimes that can apply (e.g. I think assaulting law enforcement could be a different and additional crime to assaulting a member of the public).
Quote:
Originally Posted by nohands
Would there be a point to life if everyone who lived had the same outcome after death?
In my mind there wouldn't be a reason to be virtuous or a good person as there is no incentive.
This is a somewhat common enough claim from certain Christians, a claim that frankly is hard to take seriously something that sounds like a kind of antisocial personality disorder. Turns out to not hold when people deconvert.
But, in very limited circumstances, I might encourage a Christian to maintain their beliefs even in the light of contradicting evidence.
e.g.
https://youtu.be/DakEcY7Z5GU (David Wood, an actual Christian psychopath).
Quote:
Originally Posted by nohands
To be forgiven one has to be sincerely sorry for what they have done so one is not able to merely go through the motions. But yes, you can be forgiven for all of those things you mention if it is genuine.
On top of the lack of free will you ended up describing...
Unless you're suggesting that God is harmed by any of these transgressions, God is not a victim. If repenting and forgiveness are important, shouldn't they be from the actual victim?
More broadly, it strikes me as odd that an all-powerful being hates sin if it doesn't cause them ANY harm and it is impossible for God to be a victim (there's also an apparent discrepancy if God cannot be in the presence of sin especially if they are also supposed to be omnipresent).
Contrast with, say, the reason Superman cannot be in the presence of Kryptonite: he is harmed by it.