[pilliwinks]

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I don't think that's right. If I find the bible to be nothing to do with god (which is the case) its still the case if its true and describes a god that would condemn me to eternal damnantion for making an honest mistake, then that god isn't benevolent.

chez

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Um, I don't think you can have a bible which is both true and nothing to do with god, but let that pass. If the bible described a god who willingly victimised the foolish or ignorant for no reason other than their foolishness or ignorace, then I would not be a believer. In contrast, the bible actually goes to great lengths to point out that the greatest heroes made embarrassing mistakes: Peter, Moses, David, Abraham, and the list goes on. They were not condemned to eternal damnation. Everyone makes mistakes. I believe that only those who deliberately and wilfully reject god suffer the consequences, and even in those cases I believe that God takes all the circumstances into account.

If I were god, I am not sure how I would justly deal with the recalcitrantly evil, assuming that there is no such thing as extinction, and all are eternal.