About viruses, who is to say that an advanced civilation in the past didn't create viral strains for biological warfare purposes? What about a previous nuclear war that has had resultant genetic defects carried on through millenia?
Maybe the antideluvian world was comparitively non-violent. The earth's mantel remained platonically unfractured, and water levels below the crust and in the atmosphere were much higher, creating a homeostatic climate that left much more of the world inhabitable.
There was a time when reading the Bible in native language was such an opportunity, that whoever had access to its words would have digested the message as much as possible. The sole intent of the church in 1100 ad. was to maintain the administrative power of the church to dispense biblical truths as it saw fit. In essence, it was a religious arm of governing control. That which Jesus preached against. We live in a time where the Bible is old hat, so old and thumped that we hold it in disdain, as a symbol of evangelical stereotypes and caricatures.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11-12
Recognizing spiritual beings doesn't diminish the amount of responsibility that an individual has in shaping his or her life. To portion God's manifestation is speculative, in that in a Christian sense, we thank God for our heritage, knowing what sin has brought upon this 'age'(our earthly experience). In my perspective, it is entirely presumptuous that viral infections or genetic shortfalls are something petitioned in a creator's original intent. We're living on a metallic planet that formed in the void of space, as our star settled into stasis and gravity did its thing. To affirm that this past occurrence was wrought without divine intention is a viewpoint shaped within scientific constraints; dictating an explanation for the sake of scientific objectivity as opposed to philosophical speculation. Compatibalism is explained through the conjecture of possible 'other realities'. The Bible teaches that we were thought of before the creation of the world. This implies a loving creation, so loving that it gave allowance to its preknowledge of dissention amongst created beings. (In heaven a luciferian movement dissenfranchised a third of the angels to revolt)
I thank God, not to alleviate any degree of responsibility for my own state, but to reaffirm appreciate in a divine Creator who, through the process of worship, promises that his blessings will be poured out. As an individual humbles himself, in the christian context, it signifies contrition. This contrition demands the type of behaviour which you claim is a result of human's recognition of ability and the result of discipline in refining abilities. The Christian recognizes his/her special talents, acknowledges the differentiating talents in others that far surpass their own, and in the midst of all the degrees of ability, is purposed to embrace what they have, work on their strengths and weaknesses, and remember that their body and mind is the temple of God, and that the soul (not necessarily dualistic), is impressed by the presence of its creator. It is a personal experience and is extremely humbling. Being humbled doesn't dictate a sense of lost control. The opposite is instead instilled as one becomes the embodiment of the law and the saving grace of a God who sacrificed himself as an example to dispel the argument made by 'spiritual hosts' who claim that God disallows choice. It comes down to what you worship. If you worship solely yourself, ie your capabilities and determinations, then you will live life, with that outlook firmly rooted in your perspective. Why God 'allows' 'creates' 'continues' suffering is part of the whole process of this age, as a time when the conjectures of a disenfranchised intellectual are shown to contradict the laws of the universe. (We all recognize that there are in fact laws which govern the physical realm)
AA is disinheriting of one's cumulative state. This is only to the extent that an individual recognizes their power of choice. By labelling it a disease, one does not make it any more 'defeatist' than does the recognizing of the role of genetics in the propensity towards disease.
When the doctor tells someone that they are susceptible to heart disease because of family genetics, he is parroting a pharmaceutical mantra that emotionally bankrupts individuals of their ability to take control of their lives. At the same time it doesn't 'cause' an individual to choose satin drugs as the answer to their hamburger-loving death. Lots of times this demarcation of the faults in mainstream medical practice is similar to the criticism pointed towards 'dependency' on God.
One of the commandments, "Honour your father and mother, that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."
can be read as, do this or this alternate bad thing will happen to you.
or,
it can be read as, do this and you will embrace the divine laws of God, which when followed, promote a long life of joy.
Understanding that God created everying perfect, and that our earth is the sin-degenerated, literal battleground in the contest of freedom is important to understand, as this reveals the altruism that is God. From a universal standpoint, when Christ having lived a sinless life, gave himself up on the cross for the redemption of man(who is separated from God through sin), the argument that Lucifer platformed on became obsolete as a loving example became testament to the selfserving nature of 'knowing good and evil'. (What is more humilitating than being nailed up on a tree without arguing your innocence?) As living in the post-messianic era, we have been given this gospel message of love which demands faith, belief, and thankfulness. We thank Jesus for fulfilling what was promised over a thousand years before his crucifixion, to a patriarch who removed himself from his contemporary's idolatry, and expressed faith in the divine love and sole power of the one God. Through a nation's history we are given the promises of a God whose intervention is evident in the minds of those who come to him, in a state of humble contrition, acknowledging his power and believing themselves saved as is promised through the words of the Saviour.
Read the Gospel books, Paul's letters to the first churches, and the culminating prophecy of Revelation. The last book is full of esoteric symbolism which is used to identify the markings of the end of this world. The esoterism is dissolved through a full study of the Torah and its use of imagery and symbolism, as well as the revealing study of new testament writings. The Bible is completely self expository, but so few take the time to understand what it is actually saying. The modern interpretation of 'religion' is completely convoluted through centuries of multi-cultural influence and self-deluded hypocrisy. Everything that people find wrong with 'religious truth' is identified in the Bible. Christ's message was so anti-religious he died for it. The church sprang out of martyrdom. People were willing to die for their belief in Christ, just as Abraham was willing to kill his own son because he believed in God. Belief is soooo powerful. That's why believing that adherence to God, either through thankfulness or reverance, or contrite sorrow, is inoculating of an individual's liability for their lives is so powerful. It is itself a form of inoculation because everything is because it just is. Disease on this planet is, because of chance mutation. It just is. Get how this is wholly dysfunctional to someone who believes in a beginning and end of 'GIFTED' human cognitive response that has been given the opportunity to follow a universal law or their own 'knowledge'?
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." -Rev 21:4
This can be received in an inoculated light, such as found in
The Invention of Lying, (which isn't entirely 'awful' as it understands the power of belief in a conjected story) or it can be appreciated in the context of personal, divine exposition which, through its nature requires the full divinity of a person to be exercised.
What I mean to say is, we are required to behave a certain way because goodness in its complete purity has been demonstrated, which requires us to follow 'laws' because we believe. The action of believing doesn't separate the individual from the behaviour imperatives, as through Christ these imperatives are made always present in the minds of those who choose to let him guide their lives. We follow the ten commandments past a sense of social fabric, by recognizing their congruency with the ultimate dictum which is, "love thy neighbor as thyself." This is directly applicable to the luciferian imbalance which sought to exalt the self. When we exalt the self we are blinded by the temporal gratification of self worth derived from ego restrictions; ego restrictions are made possible through the separation of ultimate love and the inseparable intent that drives all of us to 'do what we do'.
My ego restrictions have in part created this imbalanced post.
Psalm 43 seems to imply what Typhoid is saying, the questions being directed at God, and possibly reducing the role that one has in outcomes. It is however, a cry of belief of the helping God. Psalm 44 is all about questioning why God isn't helping. It is a declaration of faith, that despite not understanding God's removal of his blessings, is still faithful through its appeal that God renew his protection. Through faith we are made faultless.
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1484/...f_Control.html