That’s one of the swiftest responses I’ve ever had!
Darwinism is a banned topic on CAF. So you do not have to worry about its explanation as long as you are in contact with the people who know better.
Without being redeemed?According to Catholic theology, God, Himself, said we are worth heaven.
I don’t think providing a definition is banned!
I would agree with you on many of those points, but then it seems we’d both be wrong.To cut out this earthly life would imply that it is completely valueless and unnecessary!
I think it would be very difficult to defend that view. Others believe an afterlife is unnecessary!
It is also difficult to conceive of a perfect earthly life given the limitations of a physical system. There is no such thing as a free life! Everything has its price because every advantage has a corresponding disadvantage - unless you can think of an exception.
Heaven doesn’t have the drawbacks of a physical existence but why should we be entitled to it without having done anything to prove what we’re worth?
Catholicism has an unique approach when it comes to the value of free will and its use. The approach may be called special pleading, circular reasoning, maybe a straw woman, and certainly stupidity. So you might as well go check if you won the lotto as to listen to it.
Check out the Catholic history of the real first human man for the answer.Without being redeemed?
Don’t you think it would have been better if we lived in whatever state heaven is, without the false opportunity that is sinful self-aggrandisement? What does either God or humanity gain from the present state of affairs, over that one?Catholicism has an unique approach when it comes to the value of free will and its use. The approach may be called special pleading, circular reasoning, maybe a straw woman, and certainly stupidity. So you might as well go check if you won the lotto as to listen to it.
The Catholic approach is to understand the difference between God the Creator and the human person as the createe. God gave humans both the ability and the opportunity to live eternally in loving peace with Himself. The glitch was that humans had to choose to submit to their Creator in order to remain in His friendship. There could only be one Creator according to Catholicism; but they could be lots of createes who could choose their own actions.
Your “we” is ambiguous! Normally it doesn’t refer to “the real **first **human man”…Check out the Catholic history of the real first human man for the answer.
It is found in the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis.
If you wish to talk about a “false opportunity” that is your right. However, I have no clue how to answer your question (in regard to false opportunity) beyond what I said in post 1196 and beyond what you will find in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, paragraphs 355 - 421. Sorry about that.
Ok, fair enough. I meant that the opportunity to go against God is illusory: it seems like a good thing but actually never is. So it’s not a genuine opportunity.
I agree - not having said that this life would be worthless without heaven!*To cut out this earthly life would imply that it is completely valueless and unnecessary!
I think it would be very difficult to defend that view. Others believe an afterlife is unnecessary!
The cost and payment are created by us because we have been given the power and the responsibility to choose how to live.
Without having made any efforts or sacrifices or achieved anything?
Nothing! It is a free gift…
Our vices incur their own punishment.
It is not simply a matter of **understanding **but of loving. As Keats pointed out, this is “a vale of soul-making”…
OK, I just don’t know what people mean by the term, as it isn’t used by biologists, only by creationists.
What is the sacrifice we are supposed to perform in order to deserve the gift of heaven? Are we supposed to endure the consequences of Adam and Eve’s actions? In which case, it was necessary and good that they sinned and gave us opportunity to suffer. Were we given pleasure and hedonism purely to suffer by not sating our desires? Because that seems fair…I agree - not having said that this life would be worthless without heaven!
The cost and payment are created by us because we have been given the power and the responsibility to choose how to live.
Without having made any efforts or sacrifices or achieved anything?
Nothing! It is a free gift…
Our vices incur their own punishment.
It is not simply a matter of **understanding **but of loving. As Keats pointed out, this is “a vale of soul-making”…
The opportunity to go against God isn’t illusory and it is a good thing thing up to a point. For some individuals absolute independence is a consummation diabolically to be wished.
No one would opt for hell unless it had its compensations…Well I have seen defences of the problem of evil which say that evil is the act of going against God. How can any measure of disagreeing with God be good? If it is not truly good, then whatever ‘compensations’ it has are illusory. Hence we have been given pride and desires which do nothing other than lead us to hell. What do we lose by not having these desires?The opportunity to go against God isn’t illusory and it is a good thing thing up to a point. For some individuals absolute independence is a consummation diabolically to be wished.
Why is there a prominent and revered strand of asceticism in Christianity if we are meant to enjoy life?
Not only God but also His Creation.
It can’t!
Not entirely. The lust for power is satisfied.
We are not given pride but the opportunity to choose to be proud. Desires are only evil if they cause harm and we give way to them knowing our actions will harm others.
Life?!