A Forgiving God

[Scunner]

There is no sin too great for God to forgive: Titus 2:14

I was thinking a lot about religion and this God idea this week, mainly provoked by a funeral that was Humanist and religion free.

And I ended up with the following thought at the end of it.

If God is a forgiving God, how come when it gets to the bit where he/someone decides who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell, and they decide Hell, why isn't he all like "I just can't do it, I can't send him/her to Hell, for I am the forgiving God.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

and

"They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,"

Both can't be right can they...

Bit heavy I realise   

[Eric]

 Final proof God is a woman......Can't make her mind up.  Off to bed now   

[scorcher]

Spare bedroom possibly?

[JohnF]

There is no sin too great for God to forgive: Titus 2:14

I was thinking a lot about religion and etc etc

it always concerns me when you do that - however, in this case all I'll say is send me over either a pint of what you're drinking or a coupla joints of what you're smokin'   

JF

[Highlander]

I often wrestle with the question "why should I forgive God for allowing terrible things to happen (one thing in particularly obviously).

The stock answer to "why does a forgiving God allow terrible things to happen" appears to be "it's man's inhumanity to man".

Does not compute, I'm afraid.

[KKOB]

Another reason why I don't believe in God, Heaven, Hell, the Afterlife etc.

I remember sitting with my Grandma when I was about 12 and the news of the Aberfan Disaster was breaking. She was a very religious woman and used to attend chapel 3 times on a Sunday. When she heard the news she said "If there is a God and he loves little children he would never have allowed this to happen". She never stepped inside a chapel or church again in 36 years.

[JohnF]

Ok, so what is (a) god?

Sensible answers only please, on the back of a communion wafer...

JF

[Scunner]

As the great philosopher Stephen Fry asked, what about bone cancer in children - how is that man's inhumanity to man?

If I decide my children need punishing for something, I can take their phones off them for 24 hours or pour a chip pan of boiling oil over them. I always choose the phone. So without doing a huge poll, I am more forgiving than God and I've only polled one person. It isn't looking good for him being the most forgiving.

The question remains - how can the all forgiving, compassionate God allow people to go to an eternity of suffering? Doesn't sound like the actions of an ultra forgiving being to me.

[Scunner]

Ok, so what is (a) god?

Sensible answers only please, on the back of a communion wafer...

JF

Someone invented to keep the poor weak and living in fear?

[Highlander]

Another reason why I don't believe in God, Heaven, Hell, the Afterlife etc.

I remember sitting with my Grandma when I was about 12 and the news of the Aberfan Disaster was breaking. She was a very religious woman and used to attend chapel 3 times on a Sunday. When she heard the news she said "If there is a God and he loves little children he would never have allowed this to happen". She never stepped inside a chapel or church again in 36 years.

A classic example as would Dunblane be.