Timmy, did you ever get around to reading that book I recommended? Theresa's comments are a classic example of the Blueprint theory of Christianity., i.e. that God knows every exact detail of everything that is ever going to happen, and therefore all his actions are based on entire foreknoweldge of every event, decision and action from here until the rest of eternity.
That can be comforting at times (i.e. whatever is happening to me is God's will, his way of teaching me something...etc.), but it can also be extremely disturbing (when your child dies are you to assume that it is God's will? What kind of God kills your child to teach you something, etc.).
I am more of an Open Theorist, and so don't subscribe to the Blueprint theory.
Timmy, did you ever get around to reading that book I recommended? Theresa's comments are a classic example of the Blueprint theory of Christianity., i.e. that God knows every exact detail of everything that is ever going to happen, and therefore all his actions are based on entire foreknoweldge of every event, decision and action from here until the rest of eternity.
That can be comforting at times (i.e. whatever is happening to me is God's will, his way of teaching me something...etc.), but it can also be extremely disturbing (when your child dies are you to assume that it is God's will? What kind of God kills your child to teach you something, etc.).
I am more of an Open Theorist, and so don't subscribe to the Blueprint theory.
I'll take it with me on vacation in a couple weeks. (Yes, yet another one. We sometimes like to take a few short trips in a year, rather than one long one.)
Yeah, I can see the pros and cons of the blueprint theory. And I don't buy it. Despite the pros, and even if they outweigh the cons (which they don't, IMO), it just doesn't seem to fit reality. I.e., it's not true.
My view (maybe somewhat in line with yours?) is that we have a job to do. Consider it to be "God's will", if you like, or just think of it as a duty. And that is this: live your life the best you can.
That, in a nut shell, is God's will for me. And by "as best I can", I mean raising my family, loving, helping, giving to those in need, etc. One of my sons put it this way: our purpose in life is to have fun. When he said that, I was kind of put off at first. Have fun? Seems kind of, I dunno, selfish, even narcissistic. Not very noble. But thinking about it, there is a lot of room there for nobleness. It's fun to help others, to give unselfishly, to raise kids (or, it can be fun, for the most part! ).
And enjoying life (having fun) seems to be scriptural, too. Life abundantly! Maybe I'm not such a heathen after all?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I'll take it with me on vacation in a couple weeks. (Yes, yet another one. We sometimes like to take a few short trips in a year, rather than one long one.)
Yeah, I can see the pros and cons of the blueprint theory. And I don't buy it. Despite the pros, and even if they outweigh the cons (which they don't, IMO), it just doesn't seem to fit reality. I.e., it's not true.
My view (maybe somewhat in line with yours?) is that we have a job to do. Consider it to be "God's will", if you like, or just think of it as a duty. And that is this: live your life the best you can.
That, in a nut shell, is God's will for me. And by "as best I can", I mean raising my family, loving, helping, giving to those in need, etc. One of my sons put it this way: our purpose in life is to have fun. When he said that, I was kind of put off at first. Have fun? Seems kind of, I dunno, selfish, even narcissistic. Not very noble. But thinking about it, there is a lot of room there for nobleness. It's fun to help others, to give unselfishly, to raise kids (or, it can be fun, for the most part! ).
And enjoying life (having fun) seems to be scriptural, too. Life abundantly! Maybe I'm not such a heathen after all?
I don't know that I would I would use that terminology, but still I don't know that we are really that far apart in scope. I would say that life is all about relationships. Our Relationship with God, our spouse, our families. Our relationship with our community and our environment. It's all about the greatest 2 commandments (love God and love Others).
I think some people get confused people they sometimes think that in order to love God, you need to hate others. I don't know. It's a complicated world. I know that my focus has changed. I think for the better. But we each have to walk our own walk. (I suppose that sentiment is too relativistic for some.)
The intial book that I read was called "Is God to Blame?" by Gregory A. Boyd
I've also read "Letters from a Skeptic" by him, which touched upon the blueprint theory as well as many other issues (it's a very good apologetic actually...it is actual letter written between him and his father).
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