How God works (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Sunday, January 13, 2013, 21:48 (4122 days ago) @ dhw

DHW: References to more texts and details only confuse me more! Using Revelation and other texts, you have told me: 1) We are going to be physically resurrected; -Yes.->DHW: 2) God will create a new earth, will kill off the resurrected and unreformed sinners forever, but will allow the faithful to live with him (presumably forever) on this new earth; -By all indications, the creation of a 'New Earth' is in reference to a new society on all levels, particularly political and religious. The 1000 year reign of Christ appears to involve a mass cleanup of the planet and a (re-)education of the population. ->3) God could not have created our planet any other way. If any of this is wrong, do please correct me. -It is the destination, the final goal, that determines the design constraints, not the limitations of the designer. The design constraints for building a 10 story building in an earth quake zone are different than those for constructing the same building in a hurricane zone. Each building has to be able to withstand different stressors. I am saying that God has a purpose for creating all of this, even if we do not know what that purpose is yet. That purpose, the ultimate goal, will have been the deciding factor for the design constraints that govern everything else. In other words, it could not have been done any other way and still achieved the ultimate purpose, whatever that may be. (We can get more into that later if you want)->DHW: If not, I would like to know in your own words: 1) how you think the practical problems of resurrection will be solved, -Which problems, specifically?-Number two is answered above.->3) why you believe that God is incapable of building a pain-free planet, in spite of Revelation 21, 1-4!-Incapable is the wrong word. I simply think that creating a world without the POSSIBILITY of pain would have been unwise. I would also point out that, at least according to biblical sources, God also feels pain. Of course, all of his pains are referred to as emotional in nature, but I do not think that changes anything when you consider that all of our pain is also generated in our own heads. -Pain is the bodies warning system. I am grateful that pain exists, because it keeps me from doing permanent harm to myself from simple inattention. It alerts me when something is wrong. Now, if you were to read in Revelation and other books of the bible, you would see that much detail went into talk about removing the external sources of pain. That leaves internal sources, which can be solved through social means, and natural sources(weather/geological) which can be completely avoided. I still think the possibility of pain will exist because it is a valuable component of our make up. However, that is only speculation. -> 
>DHW: However, if these beliefs really make sense to you, I can accept that they are based on faith and I should not expect a rational answer.-Of course you should!! God is extremely rational, by all accounts, so those that profess any level of faith in him should also strive to be rational and reasonable. I do not see any of my beliefs to be at all far fetched or contrary to any existing evidence that we have. -> (I share your skepticism about existing political and religious systems, but only partially accept your claim that the earth would heal itself in short order if we would quit screwing around with it.)-National Geographic(or Discover, can't remember) did a special that talked about this very thing. According to them, within 200 years most evidence of humanity would be gone. Within 2k years, it would be as if we never existed except for some extreme examples.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.