1.) Don't you think it's a tad presumptuous to say that "we" are Christians, which makes it seem as though you are claiming to speak for ALL Christians?

2.) Sorry if I bugged you, Jubes.

3.) I don't believe in your type of God, and now you want me to accept Demons, too?

4.) There's an inherent contradiction in saying that someone "controlled" has "free will." That's what I meant. The same contradiction occurs when you try to explain angelic (or demonic) interference in events on Earth, both are violations of "free will." as is "prophecy", which is saying that something MUST happen, whether or not anybody wills it.

Here's a forinstance.. suppose I'm the "Antichrist." By the Book, I'm supposed to be Human. Therefore, I have free will. and yet, by the same Book, I MUST do these specific things to bring about Armageddon. Therefore I cannot have free will. This creates a huge paradox.

(btw, if I WERE the Antichrist, - and as far as I know, I'm NOT - I would think that not doing ANY of the things I'm supposed to do would be the BEST way to thwart God's plans..)

The rest of you can mull that over. I'm going to bed for real this time.

-gotta go to bed soon too-

I meant 'we' as in 'we, christians,' not we, all ppl here on Earth.

We are 'controlled' by a side (good vs. evil- God vs. Satan). We have the freewill to choose which side to be on, Although going from the control of Satan is harder than leaving God for Satan.

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Anyone remember how they felt the day after Rich Mullins died?

Do NOT click on the following link if you are easily offended in any way, or have a low tolerance for humor that many would describe as crude. The following link, while I consider it uproariously funny, could be viewed as pure demon-inspired evil. This is from The Onion, if that helps describe the possible nature of the piece. The headline is rather descriptive too.

Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life In Closet

Remember, it's not for kids.

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"And though I once prefered a human being's company, they pale before the monolith that towers over me."
--
They Might Be Giants

To not beleive in the mere exsistence of him means that he has won(satan) cause he can work in hidding withno one to no what is real happening.

Oh and the idea that some people are born being controlled by evil and some to good is laughable.
It sounds almost like what the church was preaching in the middle ages. I forgot what church taught this but it was after the 72 decrees by Luther. This seperate christian church preached that even before u are born, those who will go to heaven have already been predetermined by the falling sparks of good that fall to the earth and inhabit some of the choosen.

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I did'nt do it.

*L*

*assuming we accept the existence of God, the Devil, etc.*

Since "God" is maker and shaper and ruler of all the Universe(s), omnipotent, omniscient and undefeatable, any thing that exists must exist according to His will. Since, quite easily, "god" could obliterate anything He desired to rid the universe of. (Part of the perks of being all-powerful)

Therefore, all things Evil MUST exist in accordance with "God"'s will, including His Adversary, especially since "God" created "the Devil" in its entirety. (yes, I know, the Bible says iniquity was "found" in Lucifer... do you think it grew there by itself, or that Licifer Created it? the potential MUST have always been there, so we know who placed it there.)

An omnipresent "Subtle Spirit" would still be capable of preventing all forms of evil, so we must reject that argument.

"Free will" does not apply to non-choice-based suffering such as that caused by birth defects, disease, and natural disasters, so we must reject that argument as well.

In fact, the only reasonable answer to the Problem of Evil is if we accept a Duality of "God," that is, a God which is both Good and Evil in one (a conclusion actually supported by some scraps of scripture which I unfortunately do not have handy). This is also the only adequate explanation for a God who occasionally does unpleasant things like incite His followers to commit genocide, intentionally confuse people, and deliberately and repeatedly "harden pharoah's heart" after the guy had already agreed to let the Israelites go.

But then, such a God wouldn't NEED a separate Devil, would He?

Of course, Satan's OT function as man's fault-finder is clearly different from the picture in which he is painted today, but that's generally widely ignored.

But, then, if "God" does exist, I wish he would show up and prove it.

'He created the universe? What more proof do you want you winging little twat? I'd like to see you top the creation of everyone and everything., especially in less than a week.'

Or not.

Oh, I also wanted to say that this concept that some people are "controlled by evil" sounds to be a great deal familiar to another "body-controlled by evil" belief...

The old belief (which some old fools still cling to even today) that the left side of the body was "controlled by the Devil," and that therefore people who favored their left hand were somehow in league with Satan. This belief led to verbal and physical abuse of many a left-handed person... as probably some southpaws here can attest.

Okay, there we go.

If some almighty, all-loving 'supreme being' created us all, then I think this means that he created every aspect of us, even our genes.

If this 'supreme being' loves us and we're created in his own 'image', then being gay is perfectly normal.

I'm not going to defend any certain view, but I will say one thing...

I don't believe in God. As far as I am concerned, He does not exist, and never has. If he loved us and all he created, our world would not have the pain and suffering it does.

Nothing can change my opinion, except for God himself appearing before me and changing who and what I am.

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I did'nt do it.