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Old 03-29-2012, 08:17 AM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,909,146 times
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My problem with the idea of God being truly 'angry' is that it implies FRUSTRATION on his part. The OT clearly seems to suggest God is frustrated, regretful at human beings for the wrong decisions they make. It implies a powerlessness on his part.

If he KNOWS the eventual outcome, of his victory, then why all the wasted anger?

How can anger be compatible with an omnipotent God? Let alone eternal anger?

The belief I've always stuck with is that God didn't truly feel anger, at least any type of anger we're familiar with. And that the appearance of God's anger or any emotion deviating from his default of Love is to teach us human beings a lesson. A show by God of disapproval of our actions pushes us onto the right path.

I believe in a just God...God may hate evil, but usually if we're in TOTAL control of something, we don't usually get angry from it. If we were to write a program and it went wrong, if we get angry it's at ourselves for making the mistake. We don't go 'stupid program, why did you screw up like that!' Is God's anger actually at Himself? But then that would negate his omnipotence.

I just find the idea of God being as a person - with human emotions, yet all seeing, all knowing, all present - oxymoronic. Humans feel the way we do PRECISELY because we are frustrated by limitations! Does God make a show of all his emotions? I do feel his love is real, but there's an inevitability about it too. If we follow the natural order of things, how can God HELP but love us? If we stray, God chooses to hate us since he set the parameters. He certainly has the RIGHT to loathe us, but this raises questions about whether he is really loving or not.

Maybe it's easier for someone with a more emotive view of the world to accept than myself, but I think a re-assessment of the way we view God's wrath, particularly as it relates to the OT and detractor's criticisms of the character of God in the OT is useful.
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:20 AM
 
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"With or without religion you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." Steve Weinberg.
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:24 AM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaymax View Post
"With or without religion you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." Steve Weinberg.
I can name many examples of evil committed in the name of 'righteous anger' by the irreligious.
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:52 AM
 
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God's anger in the Old Testament is in direct relation to the law He covenanted with Israel. They agreed to do the whole law and He agreed to bless them should they do all the law. Should they fail they agreed to the curses of the law.

God had to show them His displeasure with their not keeping the law so they would know they were not able to keep it. They needed a Saviour. So it was not due to God being frustrated but He had to have a means of showing the Israelites His displeasure with their failure in keeping their part of the deal (i.e., "covenant").
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Old 03-29-2012, 09:00 AM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,909,146 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eusebius View Post
God's anger in the Old Testament is in direct relation to the law He covenanted with Israel. They agreed to do the whole law and He agreed to bless them should they do all the law. Should they fail they agreed to the curses of the law.

God had to show them His displeasure with their not keeping the law so they would know they were not able to keep it. They needed a Saviour. So it was not due to God being frustrated but He had to have a means of showing the Israelites His displeasure with their failure in keeping their part of the deal (i.e., "covenant").
Interesting...so maybe his purpose was to show the futility of human efforts to reach God?
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Old 03-29-2012, 09:23 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20 View Post
Interesting...so maybe his purpose was to show the futility of human efforts to reach God?
The futility was that Israel had to learn that the flesh was impossible to do the law. (see Romans 8).
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:54 PM
 
Location: Arizona High Desert
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My biggest question about bible god. WHY is he so pissed if he's so "perfect" and if we are chips off the old block, and he knows ALL, then why does he pop his cork whenever the humans do what he KNOWS they will do ????? MY god never had a foul moment. I like my god.
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:56 PM
 
Location: southern california
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anger is not always a sign of frustration.
it can be righteous opposition to something very wrong especially injustice and cruelty.
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Old 03-29-2012, 09:00 PM
 
Location: Lower east side of Toronto
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When an old prophet of old stood on a mound and proclaimed "God is angry with all of you"...what he meant was...I am angry with all of you...It's always been that way..people speaking for God....when they actually speak for themselves...God does not need middle men...other than say Jesus..and I never heard him say that the father in heaven is angry...He said God like a great father loves you no matter what.
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Old 03-29-2012, 10:21 PM
 
Location: southern california
61,289 posts, read 87,247,282 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oleg Bach View Post
When an old prophet of old stood on a mound and proclaimed "God is angry with all of you"...what he meant was...I am angry with all of you...It's always been that way..people speaking for God....when they actually speak for themselves...God does not need middle men...other than say Jesus..and I never heard him say that the father in heaven is angry...He said God like a great father loves you no matter what.
no he was for the most part an honest guy, he meant what he said no interpretation necessary.
i disagree they do need someone to say it bek unlike moses, we are deaf dumb and blind to the messages God sends to us daily.
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