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Yes, but new people do get voted in. Whenever I vote in the state election, for example, I automatically vote for all new judges. Anyhow, back to theology.

I disagree, Shuny. St. Augustine wrote a major work, "Genesis in the Literal Sense," in which he argued we cannot interpret Genesis literally. One of the main reasons is that he argued God does not work through time, though successive movements. Hence, creation was done in an instant, poof...

I don't agree with that at all, Devils'Advocate. I find Americans are extremely critical of their leaders. I don't know how old you are. However, I am an old geezer. I was around way back when, in the 50's and early 60's, when everyone did trust our leaders and government. Today, phew, it is...

OK, Steve, what I am going to do is include here a brief synopsis from my dissertation. Incidentally, the latter was published as a book through a legit university press. I don't mean to toot my own horn. I'm just trying to show I'm legit . Let me know if this material helps. I put it...

Much depends about what you mean by "God's Word," BigJoe. If you are assuming that this means Scripture is inerrant, then yes, you do have a valid point. However, I do not hold with the inerrancy of Scripture. I don't want to go off on a long tangent here, but I do want to share some relevant...

OK, BigJoe and Devils'Advocate, this is really very common sensical. In classical theology God, before the foundations of the world were ever laid, predestined the elect and the reprobate. The elect stay elect, the reprobate stay reprobate. God was seen as omnipotent, a cosmic dictator...

No, Thomas, that isn't accurate. The argument does hold, because God traditionally was seen as omnipotent; so if he or she doesn't change, then neither do we. In addition, creation was seen as over, finito. I don't follow about the texts and commentaries. Are you trying to argue the highly...

Yes, I am very sure. The early church fathers looked to Hellenic philosophy to provide them with a metaphysical system. The Greeks had trouble with the world of time and change. In certain predominant schools, the world of time, change, and movement was seen as a big illusion and the source of...

Much depends on what you mean by "atheist." Often people label as "atheists" those who do affirm faith in God but do not share the others' particular beliefs about the attributes of God. This is a very complicated issue. For example, some will label themselves as atheists because they do not...

Do you really want that, Wil? To me, that would be total annihilation. You would not exist and would not know you didn't exist, just like that unconscious, dreamless state of sleep we all fall into. I find that very threatening.

The problem today is that many churches foster what might be called a cowboy theology and faith. You don't need to study church history, you don't need to study the fathers, you don't need to study doctrine, higher education is the enemy, just relax and be as anti-intellectual as you can. I know...

I take a different approach. I think the underlying issue is the nature of God. Traditionally, Christianity insisted that God did not and could not change. So, if God doesn't change, then neither do we, neither does anything else, and so there can be no evolution. However, this notion of a...

I think you have to pick and choose. Divinely inspired as it may be, the Bible is also the product of a sexist, semi-barbaric, pre-scientific culture. There are many biblical laws we choose not to hold to today. Certainly we wouldn't want to have slaves or sell our daughters into slavery. I...

I'm not following you, Susma. Are you trying the argue free will and pore destination go together? If so, good luck with that one.

It was considered abhorrent Because the church fathers viewed the universe as an anti-God principle. God was the complete and total antithesis of creation; Hence, Gods was said to be void of body, parts, passions, compassion, wholly immutable, etc. God and the world were like oil and water...

I have a strong educational background in music, though I am not a professional. I formally studied symphonic conducting. I especially like to go to youtube and check out Wagnerian operas, and then air conduct right along.