Created imperfect?

On your comment concerning "Created imperfect, how could god expect Adam and Eve to act perfectly"? The bible says nothing concerning perfection, rather it mentions man being without sin. If you look at the bible metaphorically, with a practical eye, I believe you'll be able to solve many of your discrepencies with it. In example... the "Tree Of Knowledge". If you give it much thought, sin stems from an imperfect understanding of the universe, while we are not available to perfect knowledge, which is complete knowledge, we are compromised and (Sinful). Basically, man was created ignorant. The tree of knowledge was a choice. This is perhaps where best the phrase "ignorance is bliss" fits in. Possessing not even imperfect knowledge, man was rendered without sin, because he did not have a means to comprehend his actions and thus was an animal. He did however have free will, and thus out of perhaps curiosity, he chose to eat from the tree of knowledge. All this really states is that you can not blindly ignore the universe when you have an understanding of why things occur. God did not hold man to some idealism, preaching perfection. Adam ate of the tree of 'knowledge', and when he had eaten of it, he was no longer ignorant, and therefore with an understanding of why things happened... he could no longer live in bliss. I refer to this unavailability to bliss as responsibility. When you recognize imperfection, you have a responsibility to work toward perfection... which is where conscience steps in. And you'll notice, god did not betray man after they were outcast from eden (bliss), and he held no less of an opinion for man because of their choice. Don't forget, just because the bible at times can seem idiotic, or imperfect... that does not directly translate to god being idiotic or imperfect. Man wrote the bible.

Sincerely,
Best Wishes,
Jake Halkovic

PS. I'd be interested in a response, I love theological debates.

ex-Reformed Baptist

Dave,

I read your original "anti-testimony" and was not surprised to read that you were oppressed by a Reformed Baptist cult. I grew up in a Reformed Baptist church. I don't know that all of them are abusive, but I know full well the abusive nature of the one I was in and the ones that we associated with from around the country. It wasn't until well into college that I was freed from the oppression. I discovered that those people trusted God for their salvation, but had no clue how to love and live as Christ taught. I had every reason to reject Christ based on the legalism and judgmentalism of His "followers" (actually the church leaders and their followers; they excommunicated my family and I lost many childhood friends), but I found that I could not reject the Christ of the Bible, whom they obviously did not imitate. In that, you and I differ. But I understand how that was a huge turn-off. I won't pretend to be or say that I am a perfect follower of Christ. I recognize that I'm on a journey of faith, which implies the fact that I just don't have it all together yet.

Sincerely,

John Thomas

So many years

Dear Dave,

I have been absorbed in your site all month since I discovered my eight years of radical Christianity was based on a 'belief' and nothing else. I am sad that so many people think you have denounced Christ because of other people. I don't think they read it very well. I think they are having an emotional response to your letter - as they are to Christianity. Like another or your readers, I have had a very favorable experience in God but in my ever increasing search for Biblical history I popped right out of the whole thing.

I can't believe it took you so many years!

I feel fortunate to have found the truth in less than 10, but dumb because it took another friend only two, you know. I remember a friend said to me, "and then I thought - this man lived 900 years!" You have read much more than I, however, although I have spent much time in Christian books that would take one line from the Bible and devise a whole biography from it so as to train me how to be a submissive person. And I am so grateful for you reaching out to us with your website.

My challenge to any believer who has not realized what we have is to read the whole Bible - at least a couple times, and look at the character of God. Remember that God is flawless. We are the sinners. I think it's easy for Christians to accept the injustices of God - who is supposed to be perfect - but can't accept the injustices of humans - who are innately flawed. Case in point - God promising a land to the Israelites that belonged to other people and him ordering them to kill them all and take their plunder, and the plight of our American forefathers who managed to take land from the Native Americans.

Also, read books about the history of the Jews in Jesus' time. The one thing I want to do first as a non-Christian is to accept people as they are and stop trying to make them see how they have to change for God, or our Ministry leaders or anyone else. It will be nice, too to meet people for the sake of liking their company rather than the mission to convert them to something so racist as the Bible.

Sincerely,
Chole'

WHY?

To the Webmaster

I have been looking at your site but have not perused it extensively as yet... I am still in a state of shock and could keel over any moment! I really would like to know what made you turn your back on God?? What do you believe He did that changed you so much?? And were you every really a Christian?? If you know and UNDERSTAND how can you not take Him seriously? Even if I had come across this site before I became a Christian I still would not have credited your arguments... I blame man(people), & myself, for the circumstances in my life and in their own, I do not blame God. I really do wish I could understand your motives, but even that will not change your actions. I will be praying for you as I have never prayed for anyone before in my life (including my family before they knew Christ.)

Sincerely yours,
Bridgitte Brownlee

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