[perihelion]

I'm reluctant to get involved in this as I am just about certain everyone here already has an opinion they aren't willing to relinquish, but here goes...

The discrepancy between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New always bothered me.  To an extent, it still does, but I think the best way to think about it is that humanity has done a lot of growing up during all that time.  In a parent-child relationship, the parent does not deal with the child the same way the entire time.  To start out with, there are a lot of rules because a child cannot be trusted to make sound decisions about important things.  They just don't know any better yet.  They are still learning.  But, as the child grows up, the relationship changes.  The child gradually gets more and more freedom, and with that freedom, responsibility to make the right choices on its own not because they will get a spanking if they don't, but because it is the "right thing to do."

So, I don't think God changed so much as our relationship with him changed.  [shrug]  Take that where you will.

[Getter Robo G]

Actually, that's where my theory about Jesus comes in.

  He came as "one of us" and was sacrificed, then went to Hell (Evil) and Purgatory (neutrals) and brought all those people in Purgatory to Heaven (get out of jail free card, cause Purgatory was now obsolete, no one goes there anymore, it's heaven or hell only).

Wow, if you were in that category you were supposed to spend "Eternity" in purgatory but that only lasted a few thousand years. (God's clock must be off a LITTLE). OPPS! My bad we don't NEED a Purgatory anymore. Is this evidence of God's first Mistake?

 Which brings up a more disturbing thought... WE are not infallible and since we are made in "God's Image" if that goes beyond mere appearance but substance as well GOD might also make a flub now and then, but on a COSMIC scale we might not be able to grasp yet.


God figured, "****, this old testament stuff isn't working. I need a new marketing plan or it's ALL going to Hell. Ok preach peace, love, and repentance only and you get in the door (meaning Heaven). THAT should be so easy even an idiot can follow that. And on top of that you can't blame me anymore..."


Nowadays the only belief that gets me through the day is that BILLIONS have died to make the Source Code Project possible (whether they knew it or not is irrelevant) it was FOR THE CAUSE!!!.  God's Plan in action...

[Wobble73]

The way I see it, Jesus and God had two distinctive personalities in the New Testament. Even in the New Testament God was not opposed to a little smiting, remember that when Jesus was on the cross, the skies darkened, a huge storm was brewing and Jesus saved the Romans by saying, "Forgive them Father, They know not what they do!"