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M*W: I realize you were answering another post. I'm concerned about you are attempting to speak for the entire human race in what is your perception of "God" our Creator.
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M*W: You said: "We were created to share a relationship with God."
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M*W: I tend to agree with this statement but not in the way you do. I believe we were created ONLY for the sole purpose of glorifying our Creator. In that, the only reason we are here on Planet Earth is to be a vessel for the One Spirit of God. Essentially, we are God's eyes, hands, feet, heart, mind and soul on Earth. We are One with God.
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You said: "He is certainly self-sufficient.
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M*W: It is true, our Creator is surely self-sufficient, but that is why we were created--to be here in physical form (in our Earthsuit) to carry the One Spirit of God across the face of the Earth. For whatever reasons we do not understand, God may have been self-sufficient, alright, but God becomes omnipotent dwelling in humanity.
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M*W: You said: "But how much more meaningful is a relationship with a loving and faithful wife who wants to be with you than a cloned sex slave?
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M*W: This analogy doesn't make a bit of sense when talking about our relationship with our Creator. Having a loving and faithful wife who wants to be with you than a cloned sex slave." Having a "wife who wants to be with you" as compared to God who IS with you, is redundant. Having a "cloned sex slave" want to be with you is another thing entirely. There is no comparison to our relationship with our Creator. We were created for a purpose, and that purpose was to carry the One Spirit of God on Earth. There is no other reason we're here. Free-will is rather moot. Anyone can "reject" this reason, but the fact remains that "the kingdom of God is WITHIN." Humanity is filled with the One Spirit of God, yet some believe they have the choice to accept or reject this spiritual responsibility. Without carrying the One Spirit of God throughout our lives, we would simply die, for there would be no purpose for our life. On the other hand, it is our spirit which is one-with-God may choose to shed the Earthsuit before we make the choice to do so. In that, I mean the departure of a young life.
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You said: "This might be a strange analogy, but it makes God happy to have people who love Him.
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M*W: God doesn't NEED people to "love him." Only humans have emotions like this as well as some of the more evolved mammals. God IS LOVE, and the One Spirit of God dwelling within us is what makes our lives worth living. The point I'm trying to make is that since God dwells within humanity, we should get along with our fellow human beings. This is how God works. When you look in the eyes of a Muslim, a Jew, a Jehovah's Witness, or an Atheist, you should recognize they contain the One Spirit of God just like you do. Our Creator dwells within us all. Whether we know or understand it makes no difference.
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You said: "Those who love God praise Him because of the incredible sacrifice he made on the cross.
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M*W: Let's back up here a minute. No one can say they love God if they don't love each other. One man dying on a cross or by lethal injection does not save anyone, since we are all WORTHY to be here. If we weren't WORTHY of the One Spirit of God, we simply would NOT BE HERE! This whole "I'm not worthy enough for Jesus" crap has blinded humanity for 2000 years! We ARE worthy. That's why we're here!
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You said: "Like it says in a popular Christian song:
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross"
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M*W: Why is it more important for you to believe that someone else died for you, when God created all of us equally to contain the One Spirit of God throughout our existence?
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You said: "You really don't. And unless you spent an eternity in hell, you wouldn't."
We praise God for his mercy because He took our sins upon Himself to save humanity."
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M*W: No one saved humanity from our sins. Hell is nothing more than what we make of it--this is where free-will comes into the picture.
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You said: "Like I've said before, you don't really realize the penalty that we would have to have paid if God punished us. One split second in hell is more pain and suffering than you will ever experience in your life, infinity-fold. Feel that for eternity? That is what we were up against until Jesus won the ultimate victory against sin on the cross.
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M*W: The only penalty we would be subjected to is if for whatever reason we didn't carry the One Spirit of God througout our lives. That is my concept of hell. Hell is not a place you go to for being bad, it's a place within your soul where you choose to reject the One Spirit of God. Why should we live in fear of "eternal punishment?" That's not what our Creator created us for! Our "ultimate victory" won't be won until all of humanity sees each other as who we really are--God on Earth. And, just a side note: there is no proof that Jesus ever existed much less proof that he was born of a virgin, was crucified, died and was buried, and on the third day, rose again. There are many pre-Biblical stories of creation where they believed in a dying demigod pseudosavior just like Jesus. I don't want to burst your Biblical bubble, but no one died for your sins or my sins. I don't know about you, but I won't accept the blame for that one. So, when you're posting, please realize that not everyone believes like you do, and hey, we're still here. No one has been struck dead for not believing in Jesus. If anything, they realize that live in the Spriit is more abundant.