Why does God favor Israel and slaughter other nations?

[cerad2]

The difference between the afterlife and now is our knowledge of God’s love and what he has done for us.

Completely and totally irrelevant. Free will either means evil must exist or it doesn’t. Being dead or alive makes no difference.

Thus on Earth people reject either what they don’t know or don’t understand many times. Anytime we do something wrong that is grave sin, with knowledge that God has said it is wrong, and full will to do it anyways we commit a mortal sin that will send us to hell if we don’t seek forgiveness.

Irrelevant.

The same thing applies when we die. We will be given full knowledge of our sins against God and if we aren’t prepared to turn away from those forever we will go to Hell.

Nope nope nope. When you die then end of story. You get judged and off you go. Absolutely nothing you do after you die will make a bit of difference. Catholic theology 101.

The difference at that point though than when we are on Earth is we will have full knowledge of how our sins offend God. There are no excuses at that point because you will know what is right and wrong, you will know the fullness of God’s love, and any rejection at that point will condemn you to Hell because there will be nothing preventing you to exercise your free will. Being in Heaven would be like continuously choosing to receive 1 million dollars over and over again for eternity. It is a choice that we make for eternity to love God. Every choice we make is not only the choice to do something but is at the same time a choice not to do everything else besides what we chose. You chose God for eternity and in doing so chose not to spend eternity away from God.

I’m sure there is point being made but I have no idea what it is…

Think of it like this. Is there not a difference between you coming up to me and telling me that I will do whatever you ask of me for eternity, and I coming to you of my own free will and choosing to do that?

None whatsoever. If everyone in heaven chooses to only do good then there is absolutely no reason why everyone in this life can’t do the same.

 

[fred_conty]

Ok. So here I am the most powerful being in (and out of) the universe able to not only leap mountains in a single bound but to create them as well. Can I possibly come up with a way to make people behave without slaughtering them all? Hey I know. Each time someone tries to sacrifice a child I’ll appear, stop the sacrifice and tell them not to do that any more. That should work.

He did appear and did try this approach thru his beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

 

[cerad2]

He did appear and did try this approach thru his beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

The event in question, the destruction of Jerico and all it’s inhabitants occurred circa 1200 BC. The Jesus event was around 0 ad. Off by around 1200 years.

And why would the all powerful master of the universe “try” anything? I would expect he would know if something was going to work or not.

 

[fisherman_carl]

cerad2;8467911:

Ok. So here I am the most powerful being in (and out of) the universe able to not only leap mountains in a single bound but to create them as well. Can I possibly come up with a way to make people behave without slaughtering them all? Hey I know. Each time someone tries to sacrifice a child I’ll appear, stop the sacrifice and tell them not to do that any more. That should work.

That doesn’t take into account what he did do. God didn’t have to save us at all. He could have just wiped out man after the fall. Does not the creator have the right to do what he wants with what he has created? It is only out of his mercy that he tries to save us at all, while at the same time giving us the opportunity through our free will to choose to follow his way, which leads to life. This necessitates a certain amount of freedom given to us for a time, at least until his judgment comes into effect.

It seems that cerad2 is only interested in bashing the creator of the universe than trying to understand him. Is it not possible cerad2 that an infinite God who is all good may have a purpose for suffering that is part of his plan to redeem us? Is it not possible that he allows suffering so that a greater good may result? He allows us to eat animals for instance. The animal suffers so that we might live. The greater good is that we all get to live or exist. Yet, it would not be possible without suffering.