> At 12:01 AM 1/11/97 -0800, Randy wrote:
>
> >
> >We are all sinners, my children are but I love them. It is easy for me to
> >understand how a loving God would love his creation. It is much more
> >difficult for me at least to understand how a loving God would put mankind
> >through the Hell that evolutionary mutation must cause. That would be a
> >legacy of death and horrible torture.
> >
>
> Hi Randy. We have had our differences in the past (to put it
> mildly :), but I can really appreciate what you are saying here.
Great I love it when that happens!
>
> I don't often venture into theological matters here, reserving
> such things for discussions with my closest friends, but
> let me take a short stab at it.
I feel honored.
>
> Generally speaking, chance has a very negative connotation
> for most Christians. Let's try to paint it in a more positive
> light. Suppose we lived in a World where all processes
> were deterministic, nothing happenned by chance. It
> seems to that free will would be impossible in such a
> World.
I would agree, I would change chance to say free will.
>
> Now, suppose that the only way to create a being that had
> true (as opposed to apparent) free will was by an evolutionary
> process wherein chance played a role. If God were to create
> by such a means then he would know beforehand the pain
> and suffering that would be inflicted upon all the animals
> along the way. Does God care about such things? Of course.
> One thing I'm sure of is that He cares a great deal more
> (infinitely more) than I do. I believe God suffers with the
> the pain and death of every animal. So, when I reflect on
> these things I think, my how much God must love us that
> he would suffer so much.
Good stuff! I also am humbled by the pain and suffering that Christ went
through for our sins. I am also humbled by the lengths that God went
through to save us from suffering. When God allows us free choice he is
allowing us to cause our own suffering and hardship but I do not believe
it was ever Gods will or plan.
-Randy