Open for debate

Niblo wrote: DavidC wrote: The biblical language of god approaching and receeding is sometimes one of emptiness or fullness. Personally, I prefer al-Gazzali's metaphor of a light in a lantern, and the lantern owner's responsibility to keep the glass clean so the light is brilliant and not dimmed. Similar ideas expressed differently.. A reference to his 'Mishkât Al-Anwar'. Interesting read.

It is indeed. I also like the part where he divides the human personality into five parts. Predates Freud by centuries and is more accurate imho but Gazzali just touches on the subject then moves on.

Al Masihi wrote: ...

The contradiction arises because the Church is claiming that Yeshua is both everything we understand by the term ‘Man’ and everything we understand by the term ‘God’. The only way this could not be a contradiction is if the words ‘Man’ and ‘God’ were freely interchangeable; simply different ways of describing the same entity: like ‘stone’ and ‘rock’; or ‘lake’ and ‘loch’; in other words, if man and God were one and the same being.

I'm done waltzing in circles! More importantly, people have been given more than sufficient information to decide where the truth lies.

airmano wrote: ...........

Hello Airmano.

Sorry for the delay.

I asked you to state which of the following is the correct definition of a ‘change of mind’ when applied to God:

a) ‘A decision to reverse an earlier decision’; or

b) ‘Putting a decision into effect’

You replied: ‘Only A) would be required. But my thought is that he (logically) can't.’

We are agreed on (a).

I don’t understand what you mean when you say that God is incapable of changing His mind.

God decides a course of action, and acts accordingly. He has no need to reverse any of His decisions, simply because these are a) based on His absolute knowledge (which precludes any unforeseen reason for reversal), and b) because there is no possible constraint that could prevent His decisions being implemented in precisely the way He intends.

Having no need to change His mind does not mean that God is incapable of so doing; indeed, a current notion (called ‘open theism’) suggests that He can, and does, change His mind; and even that this change can be caused by human behaviour. The notion rests on literal interpretations of certain biblical texts; but this is a matter beyond the scope of this post.

You suggest there is a ‘logical’ barrier to God changing His mind. Please clarify.    

Have a great day, and very best regards.

Paul.

That can be understood by understanding how the trinity works, God is composed of three distinct persons, Jesus was God the Son. The verse speaks of human beings being born into the world with their sinful nature, Jesus was not just human however, an important distinction to make. Jesus is not that maggot because he’s not just a simple human being.