Hi-

My last post is gone, so I thought I would just give a Cap'n Crunch Prize version of it: God is ultimately responsible for everything good and evil, free will etc..- and evil ain't that wonderful in my opinion. And to clarify, the loving father (father in Prodigal Son) should have just kept us in our cozy heaven. (with the prodigal son's father)

Rurk,

Mine is gone too.  

Not to worry Rurk, I read before all was lost.  My replie, depending on age of child.  Could I keep my child locked up in my protective home?  They'd be climbing out the windows!!  Oh those wild crazy years. lol.  With each passing year more and more freedoms. I have to trust my ability to parent, and their ability to live.  Prodical father gave his boy the freedom since he was a young man. Some want to leave home never to return, others get homesick, while there are grown adults who refuse to leave the nest.  Dunno.  Why not stay home, and let me take care of all your worries son.  Where's the fun in that?  Dad had to believe his baby now a young man would follow what he instilled in his heart. His upbringing.  I will cry buckets upon tears when my babies go.  Will it make me a bad mom to let them go into the real world and perhaps seek their own dreams?  They might get hurt!!  I cannot be there when they are older, but when they call out to me I will be there...is this what they ment by prayer?  Just some thoughts.  I do likes to hear yours.  Now I am craving carmel popcorn!! Thanks alot.  

And to give up my free will... ROTF, no, not I.  

Wish your post wasn't eaten by the board.  You did make some more good points.  Those questions made me think.  

Safe Journey

Oh yeah and almost forgot. Do you agree or disagree that the prizes now given in the Cracker Jacks Box isn't as good as they used to be?  lol You said Captin Crunch, and I think of Cracker Jacks.

Hi -

Of course the analogy of the prodigal son is imperfect, but that was the origin point of the discussion. You bring out some good points discussing a family life in the material world, and all its attendant problems. There are many many problems that are generated by God placing/allowing us here. This is one of the reasons I don't like the fact that Jesus spoke in parables, the other being that his universals are couched in the trapping of that place and time.

Rather than use any analogies at all, I will just say God is all loving, all powerful and omniscient. Human fathers are generally not. Heaven is blissful, wonderful, perfect (at least a High Standard Quality Heaven). Most earthly homes fall far short of this. Why did this loving god allow us to come to this extremely imperfect place? If God has perfect knowledge, why would I want to use my limited "free will" when I cause myself and others so much pain ( and I suppose fleeting "pleasure" as well). To give up my free will to another human would be silly I agree, but to surrender it to a perfect, loving God makes nothing but sense to me. Even on Earth I would have the most "perfect" life possible here.

Rurk

All good questions.  I think Jesus spoke in parables so we could relate, to understand.  Not that I'm the Jesus expert...lol.  I do love him with all my being.  Why?  This I am not sure.  He was a teacher, some teachers I've had though my life I will understand, others I will scratch my head and go what the.... So perhaps his teaching never hit home for you because there was no connection.  We all learn differently.  Nothing wrong with that.  

If I remember that book...lets see. We were kinda kicked out for something or the other.  Or we left on our own accord. Since we saw our nakedness and were shamed.  So living in the buff was okay before?   Anywho.  Like the grown son in Jesus', story given free will.  He left, dad couldn't stop him.  But he comes back to open arms. Father is not upset with the son for the spending spree.  There is compassion, unconditional love.  The son just had to let go of his pride, and fear that his father would be upset with him.  That is just what I gathered from this story.  

But I am curious to know why you said limited free will.  What do you mean?

Safe Journey

Why is my post gone?