a reply to:
HD3DSURROUNDSOUND
Your view of God and Jesus as retributive is the very reason that we have so much disorder in this world. We are made in the image of God, but we
have made god in our image. Getting "those" bad guys, while "my peoples" are good. Let the others rot and burn, that aren't "in", while
"we" get whisked away to la la land.
That is not the Good News my friend. I know for I believed that for the first 3 decades of my life. That is awful news for the vast majority of
humanity. Probably 95% or so.
I would like to urge you to consider the actual Gospel, the true Good News that "God was in Christ Reconciling the world(entire cosmos) to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them."
or "God sent his son to be the savior of the World(cosmos)."
You see we are made in the image of god. But if our imagination of god is that of a vile monster who tortures his children for eternity because they
didn't say the magic prayer in their 7 decades of life, how will you see and treat others who aren't "in"?
The root of division in our world is that we aren't all one. All religions since the dawn of religion have seen God in a similar way. Kills and
heals. Strikes down those who are his/her/their enemies.
But Jesus came and said something different. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". "I did not come into the world to condemn the
world but to save it". Peace through the prince of peace (not the ass kicking rambo Jesus).
That is the good news. That God is unconditional love, that he is not retributive, he is not going to give people what they deserve, that all other
views of God that don't accord with Jesus are wrong, including the OT view of the angry vengeful god, the god who told Joshua to commit genocide.
Jesus said "if you have seen me you have seen the father". Paul said "he is the exact image of God". Well then that is the image of God.
Anything else like:
"Should we call down fire from heaven on them for not accepting your message?" - James and John aka Sons of Thunder
"You don't know what spirit you are of"- Jesus, prince of peace
or
"you have heard it said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I tell you love your enemy and do good to them, so that you may be like your
Father in heaven, who causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust, and the sun to rise on the evil and the good"
That is the message of peace, aka the good news
"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all (pan=all=everything) things to myself"
"Behold I am making all things (pan=all=everything) new"
Peace to you my friend