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Originally Posted by awareness
Well now. I'll entertain your simulation theory, and its ramifications. Okay, this is all a simulation. That means Jesus was a simulation. And not only that but, all the ancient patriarchs were simulations. In fact, Genesis is a simulation. The gospels are simulations. The apostles were simulations. The apostle Paul was a simulation. The early church and church fathers were simulations. The development of the canon, both Old and New, was/are a simulation. It's all simulation. That's what reality is. In the end aren't we just giving a different name to reality, and calling it now 'simulation.' But a Rose by any other name is still a Rose.
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The point of the simulation is when the airplane crashes and everyone on board dies, the only thing that crashes and dies are the little electrons used to simulate that plane and people. How is that any different from the Bible telling us that when we die it is simply the little atoms of carbon making up our flesh that corrupt, and our soul and spirit are not impacted.
Just like the simulation with Sully it represents something quite real, and Sully must make life and death decisions in a few seconds, and we are able to judge if what he did was correct. How is that any different from the Bible telling us that every word we spoke will be repeated in our judgement? They were able to do that with Sully's airplane and God can do the same thing with our life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
It doesn't matter what we call it, we still have to live this life in this whatever you want to call it, and be subject to the problems of evil, that a omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent God could surely prevent ; if He wanted to, but obviously doesn't want to, for reasons beyond us.
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The way we prevent tragedies is to train the pilots using a simulation. The simulation is omnipotent, able to simulate any and all possibilities. It is omniscient and it is benevolent. If you can see that then why is it so hard to see how God is doing the same thing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
Simulation already set aside, in the garden story God's punishment for disobedience was to curse everything. His punishment was the POE. That was Gods' doing. Adam and Eve didn't do that. We don't do that.
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Really? Once you have thieves and liars and cheats, then it makes everything that much harder. You have to now build walls around your garden, didn't have to do that before, you have to post guards, didn't have to do that before, you have to check the accounting, catch the criminals, prosecute the criminals, pick up the pieces, etc.
All of that is a consequence of someone trying to be smarter than everyone else, trying to find a shortcut around following the Lord's command. Consider the kid whose strategy for success in school is to cheat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
So now, according to that story, we know why God creates evil : it's a punishment.
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Then it must also be a reward. When students ask me "what time is it?" I tell them "it is time to shine". We made the decision to want to know good and evil, just like God, and that is the result.
Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
And the death and resurrection of Jesus satisfied God somewhat, but, not enough for Him to lift that punishing curse of the POE.
Why not?
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A hope seen is not hope. You walk on water by faith. The dead are raised by faith. And this life provides you with the best opportunity for your love to perfected and to know the love of Christ.