Ah, so we can kill people for not doing what we want, as long as we warn them first?
Then if they don’t do what we say, their death was self-inflicted.
Let me try an analogy: suppose you got out in a snowstorm, God is someone who loves you and got after you to light a fire so you can be warm, what happens if you still insist on going away?
It is though.
“Choosing to turn away from him” means not doing what he tells you to do. And as a result of this, he punishes you with eternal damnation.
It’s not like him saying “Don’t jump off that cliff or you’ll die!”.
It’s “Do exactly as I say, or I will personally ensure that you suffer for eternity.”
If you love someone and they go out in a snowstorm, then decide they were wrong and its too cold. Would you let them back into your house, or would you keep the door locked and let them freeze to death.
This is like the parable of the bridessmaids. God presents itself as vindictive and petty. We are told, endlessly that god has perfect love, but that is not what the bible shows us in the deeds of god or jesus, or the parables constructed to represent them.
Ah, so we can kill people for not doing what we want, as long as we warn them first?
Then if they don’t do what we say, their death was self-inflicted.
Seems reasonable.
No? That’s not what it means.
Let me try an analogy: suppose you got out in a snowstorm, God is someone who loves you and got after you to light a fire so you can be warm, what happens if you still insist on going away?
It is though.
“Choosing to turn away from him” means not doing what he tells you to do. And as a result of this, he punishes you with eternal damnation.
It’s not like him saying “Don’t jump off that cliff or you’ll die!”.
It’s “Do exactly as I say, or I will personally ensure that you suffer for eternity.”
If you love someone and they go out in a snowstorm, then decide they were wrong and its too cold. Would you let them back into your house, or would you keep the door locked and let them freeze to death.
This is like the parable of the bridessmaids. God presents itself as vindictive and petty. We are told, endlessly that god has perfect love, but that is not what the bible shows us in the deeds of god or jesus, or the parables constructed to represent them.