If god can only solve problems through Violence what makes him any better than us?

hi guys, im new to the forums.

I just want to discuss something that has been on my mind recently, if their is a God and he can only solve problems through violence (sending us to hell) what makes him any better than us?
This has been bugging me recently as i cannot grasp violence being the only solution to the all powerful creator, infact i highly doubt the Existence of a hell that is full of pain and fire, surely if we are infact his children he would have far better and more meaningful ways to teach us right from wrong.

I hope nobody gets offended by my post, im just saying what ive been thinking about recently.

The god portrayed in the bible and the God of the Israelis was a very war ridden god.

But you can not blame this god to be the way it is because after all is the product of human understanding and human interaction of what they thought a god should be.

But sadly this god has served its purpose in ancient times as well as modern times.

In ancient times to justified the mentality of seek, destroy and conquer and in modern times to win souls through the fear of eternal damnation.

But if you look and analyze the biblical God actually it is as human as you and me, put together by nothing more than human mentality.

Hi Chris2302

Well, firstly are people really being sent to hell for their sins? Believing this would suggest that "you" believe that there actually is a hell and that God is responsible for sending you there if you "sin".

I would like you to analyse the question that you asking.

My own belief system tells me that God is the creator of all that is. He does not wish to harm his creation. Like a loving father, he only wants the best for his children (humanity). However, we, are given free will and it is through our free will that we can choose to be good or evil (and everything in between), should we choose an evil path, we seal our own fate which is in our own hands.

I could go on and on here, but I just want to say that there are many ways of answering this question, but my personal belief is that we are responsible for our own spiritual fate. Like a loving father, God is always there if you should need him, but if you choose to act in an evil way, you are making that choice, not God. I believe to be like God is to be loving, caring and forgiving, not violent, judgemental and punishing.

Anyways, just my 2 cents worth and trying not to sound too much like a preacher of any particular religious denomination...

Dobbie

thats the point i was trying to make^

Surely a god would not have human emotions and interactions in the way we do, he should be far superior in everything.

your post brings me back to one particular part of the bible, in which it says moses took somebody to the top of a mountain and they could see all four corners of the earth, now in those days they thought the earth was flat so i can see where you are coming from.

reply to post by marg6043


Sorry my post was supposed to be in reply to this.

And dobbie, i guess it all depends on how you percieve god.
I would just like to say this is one of the best forum based websites ive been on in a while, it allows me to discuss things im interested in with people that are interested in similar things.

Disclaimer: I'm a theist but not a christian.

To answer chris2302 and the topics questions directly,1) you ask and I quote "if there is a God and he can only solve problems through violence (sending us to hell) what makes him any better than us?"...if this is really the case then GOD isn't morally better than us in any way shape or form due to failure to play fair and it may equal us in our depravity or even excell in it! and 2) you also ask and I quote "surely if we are in fact his children he would have far better and more meaningful ways to teach us right from wrong."...and I answer you the only way I can on this and that is with my Personal Opinion which is "YES! you are correct, from my arrogant human perspective the Abrahamic GOD should have better and more meaningful ways to teach us if we are in fact GODs children since its failing big time to get the message across to me and possibly others and wouldn't that be a waste,a shame and a clear sign of failed parenting skills?".

Originally posted by chris2302
And dobbie, i guess it all depends on how you percieve god.
I would just like to say this is one of the best forum based websites ive been on in a while, it allows me to discuss things im interested in with people that are interested in similar things.

Absolutely!! ... on both counts!!

It saddens me to think this violent, unloving, flesh eating, blood thirsty ‘G-d’ exists. What parent, what trainer, what teacher would want to implant doom and gloom through the media (i.e. internet), fear and tear through political wars with broken hearts, or hopelessness and death unto hell through religious salvation by proffering 'money', for example?

Nay, my personal belief is that there is a loving, benevolent, kind and caring ‘G-d’. It just sometimes our (self-centered) prayers seem to go unanswered immediately. But rarely do those go unheard and may manifest later on in a current lifetime or some other form. For those who have experienced the worse case of injustice, consider the pain and suffering as ‘karma’ -- a balancing act for the 'bad' stuff done in past live(s), which some of us cannot remember to this day.

Anyway, please consider the ‘bad’ things in life similar along the lines of a teacher’s stick as a disciplinarian tool: Nuns whack the hands of the students falling behind, Japanese employers practices ‘shoulder-tapping’ (katatataki) for middle-aged workers, parents ‘stick’ to their guns, belts or other objects for the rear-end of misbehaving children.

But for the most part, their ‘evil’ ‘G-d’ as depicted in the passages of outmoded writings were meant for people of those times long, long gone and is not our ‘G-d’. ‘G-d’, therefore, is no better than his/her/its own creation because we are his/her/its perfection in spirit – immortal souls learning to love each other in our fleshy bodies no matter what happens along the way.

Disclaimer: I am not well-versed in religion and my belief system varies. Thank you.



[edit on 2008-4-27 by pikypiky]