you: For the Islamic radicals planning this attack with their conviction that God was on their side, this result fulfilled their wildest dreams and prayers for the operation.
If we are to infer God's hand in the events that unfold in the world, and that God gives signs to those who ask his help, I'd give the nod to God being on the side of radical Islam based on such a fantastic outcome. A raggedy band of radicals somehow managing to invade the biggest city in the mighty USA and DESTROY the twin towers? Where do I sign up for Islam?
me: If one does not understand the "logos" the divine plan of God that was with Him from the beginning (John 1:1) then one cannot make sense or make claims as to God's allegiance in and under any circumstances.
You don't believe in God so you are really just stating what you think is a conundrum to Christians. "See, the Muslims were successful and therefore one could argue that God was with them."
In understanding the plan of God, we need to look to His handbook to understand how He intervenes in the affairs of men.
It is theolgoically defensible based on reading the history of the Nation of Israel that God does use nations, pagan nations as instruments of Judgement on His people, when they have turned there back on Him or are seeking to willfully frustrate His Logos (Plan).
America is morally corrupt, one could argue that God allowed the hit on NY as a warning and a call to repentance to America. I am not suggesting that God told me this or that this is what happened. I'm merely suggesting that it's a theological possibility.
you: On the same theme, a thought experiment: if any of us had a tsunami-stopping machine at our disposal which, when the switch is pulled would stop the onrush of the killer tsunami in Asia, who here would have pulled the switch to save all those people, vs. just letting them all die when we had the power to easily stop it all?
I can tell you I'd pull the switch. In fact, I'd assert that anyone who had the power to do so and did not we would not call "good."
me: well, there are many people that would argue with you. What impact would this have on the ecology? What about the population control people who think we are actually a threat to the eco system?
The reality is that you say that, because you view life as the 0 to 80 plus years that we live. If you view life from the dawn of time, to the end of time and through eternity, your conclusions wouldn't be based on fallible limited human paradigms.
you: And yet...You Know Who could have stopped it, yet still gets to wear the mantle of Good Guy. Of course this moral contradiction makes no sense and Christians wish to absolve God with excuses like "He must have some Big Good Plan for us that we don't know about."
me: but we do know about it. God's intentions were made perfectly clear when He robed Himself in flesh and walked amongst His creation.
God's attributes include moral perfection, holiness, omniscience, etc. He could be a tyrant and what could we do? He could be evil and what could we do? But I would suggest that He's not, that His holiness and judgements have been tempered by love and mercy as evidenced in the life He led when He came to earth.
Jesus showed the face of God. He showed the power of God. He showed the love of God. He showed the compassion of God.
Jesus stood before the High Priest servants who arrested Him.
Jesus said:
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Jesus knew that He had the power, AND THE RIGHT, to destroy creation. He gave an analogy that the Jews, suffering under Roman oppression understood. He could call for 12 legions of supernatural beings, angels, objects of God's power and wrath, and command them to crush those arresting Him.
Yet He remained true to the LOGOS, the Plan that was with God and was God from the beginning. That's why the scriptures, predicted thousands of years before His birth HAND TO BE FULFILLED. Because there is a grand plan.
you: "Hitler burned people like Anne Frank for being Jewish. For that, we call him evil.
God burns Anne Frank for being Jewish, forever. For that, theists call him "good"
me: this is a mess. Hell was reserved as a place for fallen angels who had disobeyed God and sought an open rebellion against Him. It was not made for man. However, when man also rebelled, God's Holiness had to be satisfied. Sin cannot be in heaven. In heaven there is no rebellion to God. So how could a rebellious man be with God for eternity (heaven)?!!?
Hell is reserved for those who get WHAT THEY WANT. That is a life separated from God.
But again, God's judgements are tempered BY LOVE AND MERCY. No one, NO ONE, has to go to hell. "God is not willing that ANY should PERISH..."
You don't believe in God prof, you don't believe you owe Him anything, you don't believe you need your sins dealt with, and you certainly don't want anything to do with the God of the Bible.
If...If, that God is God, what can you say on the day that you stand before Him? "Oh now I get it...now I'd like to retract my earlier stmts and I would like to live with you now...is it ok now, if you just wipe away my sins!!??!"
I mean, aren't you going to get what you want? Eternity w/out God?!