posted 18 December, 2005 16:04
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Lenore:

You mention the Biblical God. That ?God? was not very benevolent.

The Biblical God did not know all things. Taking the wording of the Bible for its own truth, it is clear that in the Garden of Eden God was walking and did not know where Adam and Eve were. He called out to them to find them. He then did not know that they had eaten of the forbidden fruit- he did not know this of his own. Through out the Bible there are such references, which to me, demonstrate that the Biblical God was much less than all knowing. If you practice a belief system that requires an all knowing God then you must look elsewhere than in the Bible. I am not sure where the idea comes from that God is supposed to know all. The Catholic Catechism, as I recall, may argue for such so no sin will go un-noticed but the concept is inept in my opinion. You may find it entertaining to scan the Bible for instances where their ?God? did not know what was going on.
jjw

Also in 'Job' God asked satan where he had been when satan came to present himself to God. However I do not agree with jjw004. God does know everything. But He chooses to allow His creation to have a free will or choice so He never imposes the fact that He knows everything for His own reasons. When God found Adam and Eve He found that they were hiding, so He knew before He asked them that they had eaten the 'forbidden' fruit. I can demonstrate from the Bible that God has this foreknowledge. When Jesus came across a crowd wanting to stone a woman who commited adultery, He asked anyone from the crowd to throw the first stone if they had not committed such sin.
Jesus also said He 'knew his sheep' He also predicted His death in detail, He even knew the time of his 'hour' So ofcourse God knows everything, but the fact that He made us and we rebelled is not 'His' fault. He sent His only Son to find a way back to Him for us. Also no-one needs to go to hell. If like the thief on the cross people can realise that Chist died for everyone, so all our sins are covered by His sacrifice, we can claim His protection from eternal damnation. Jesus said 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' that is people who lack spirituality and who have never heard of God's sacrifice, they are blessed because they are 'covered' by Jesus blood and as He stated 'For theirs in the Kingdom of God.'