Political Crossfire Forums

[MJB]

Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: In this thread there seems to be quite a hang up with the idea of perfection. And perfection is seen as desireable and something most people do not claim to be but aspire to as something that God requires of them. An unattainable goal unless some poor innocent man is killed and in some gory transaction his life is in some magical mystical way used to erase your personal crimes and imperfections.

Perfection isn't a hang-up. It's a commandment.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

And the only way it will ever be possible, is through the atonement of Christ.

Drey wrote: And you are suppossed to rejoice in this mans murder. I'm sorry, I cannot participate in this mans execution by affirming it is good. I find that to be extremely immoral.

No one is rejoicing in murder.

And just a little clarification here, no one took his life from him:

John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

And we don't rejoice in his suffering or in his crucifixion - we sorrow over both. But we rejoice, out of gratitude, that he was so selfless that he willingly suffered for our sins, and gave his life, to save us. Something we could never do for ourselves.

Drey wrote: What do you mean man is nothing but a beast? If he is that is what he is. It is not 'nothing'. Self interest is what makes us keep on being alive. If we gave up self interest then we would cease to exist. Before we can be true to others we have to first be true to ourselves.

It's better to be true to God first.

Self interest is only of lasting value if it isn't selfish.

Am I to understand that perfection is a state of sinlessness? Of blamelessness?

Yes, but even more than that. We are to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect, and he is perfect in all ways.

Keep in mind though - reaching toward perfection is a pursuit that will continue and extend far beyond this life.

Can a person who believes he must be as perfect as a sinless God ever feel good about themselves?

Of course he can.

God is not standing over us demanding perfection like a cruel dictator, waiting to squash us if we don't measure up. We are of infinite worth to him. So much that he sent his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die to save us. So much that he is offering us all that he has. This should help us recognize the extent of our worth to him.

God knew we would not, and could not, be perfect here and now in this life on earth. That's why we needed a Savior. This life is a vital place for us to gain experience and is a necessary part of our learning and progress. But we are not going to be perfect here, nor does God expect us to be.

We're human. We have weaknesses. We succumb to temptation. We sin. God knows we will, but, while he does not excuse sin, God has provided the means for us to repent of our sins, be forgiven, overcome our weaknesses, grow stronger and more able resist temptation and sin, and to be cleansed of it. This is a life long process though, not a one time event.

But as we strive to do the will of God, we can know that he is pleased with us, and we can, indeed, feel good about ourselves, knowing we're on the path he wants us to follow.

It's very simple really. God is our Father. We are his children. Do you have children? Well - it doesn't matter. If you don't have them, imagine that you do. And imagine you are a good and loving father.

You don't expect your children to grow up without making mistakes, do you? No, of course not. That's almost too silly to imagine. You know they'll make mistakes. That's part of life, and part of learning. But - as a good father does - you love your children. You nurture them. You teach them. You encourage them. And of course - you want them to obey you, because you are wiser than they, and wish to protect them from harm. But - if they're naughty and disobey, you will, at the very least, have a talk with them, and you may scold them, and you may even punish them. But as a good father - it's because you love them, and want them to learn.

So - do your children learn how to do everything you teach them perfectly at first? Of course not. It's going to be a lot more trial and error than anything as they're learning. But you continue to teach them, to show them how to do things, to help them, to praise them and encourage their efforts, knowing that as they grow, they will gain skill, will improve, making fewer and fewer mistakes, until eventually they are able to master the tasks you've been teaching them.

It is the same with God and us.

[toddytodd]

CrossEyedMary wrote: toddytodd wrote: CrossEyedMary wrote: Drey wrote: I asked the question once as to the purpose of 'Atonement'. The answer I got was an unintelligible babble about a relationship with God that conveyed absolutely no information I could use.

So I worked on the question myself. What I found is this. Please tell me if I am correct.

1. All Christians have to confess to comitting an act that merits their execution.

2. They are then asked to rejoice that Jesus, an innocent man, had to be put forth in his blood i.e. killed, like a lamb gone to slaughter in order for them to get their sorry behinds out of a jam.

I'm asking because I cannot for the life of me look into my past and see where I have ever done anything that would justify having to be executed. I may have screwed up but I have not done anything that a reasonable person would say required my life to settle accounts.

My question is this What was the crime (Crime against the government of God) you comitted that was so terrible that it carried a death sentence?
One sin is all it takes. No unlean thing, NO unclean thing, even if it's only slightly unclean, can enter the kingdom of God.

What is considered clean and unclean?
Isn't (wasn't) pork considered unclean at one time by some?
Yes, it was.
Sin is considered unclean.
So how does God rectify sin, as it applies to the individual? What is a sin for one person may not be a sin for another?
People placing 'clean' or 'unclean' of items, such as food, clothing, etc, while it may work for their society at the time, are far removed from understanding what is truly 'clean' or 'unclean' I think.
A perfect example of people trying to understand a God or belief that isn't understandable.

[Drey]

MJB wrote: Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: In this thread there seems to be quite a hang up with the idea of perfection. And perfection is seen as desireable and something most people do not claim to be but aspire to as something that God requires of them. An unattainable goal unless some poor innocent man is killed and in some gory transaction his life is in some magical mystical way used to erase your personal crimes and imperfections.

Perfection isn't a hang-up. It's a commandment.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

And the only way it will ever be possible, is through the atonement of Christ.

Drey wrote: And you are suppossed to rejoice in this mans murder. I'm sorry, I cannot participate in this mans execution by affirming it is good. I find that to be extremely immoral.

No one is rejoicing in murder.

And just a little clarification here, no one took his life from him:

John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

And we don't rejoice in his suffering or in his crucifixion - we sorrow over both. But we rejoice, out of gratitude, that he was so selfless that he willingly suffered for our sins, and gave his life, to save us. Something we could never do for ourselves.

Drey wrote: What do you mean man is nothing but a beast? If he is that is what he is. It is not 'nothing'. Self interest is what makes us keep on being alive. If we gave up self interest then we would cease to exist. Before we can be true to others we have to first be true to ourselves.

It's better to be true to God first.

Self interest is only of lasting value if it isn't selfish.

Am I to understand that perfection is a state of sinlessness? Of blamelessness?

Yes, but even more than that. We are to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect, and he is perfect in all ways.

Keep in mind though - reaching toward perfection is a pursuit that will continue and extend far beyond this life.

Can a person who believes he must be as perfect as a sinless God ever feel good about themselves?

Of course he can.

God is not standing over us demanding perfection like a cruel dictator, waiting to squash us if we don't measure up. We are of infinite worth to him. So much that he sent his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die to save us. So much that he is offering us all that he has. This should help us recognize the extent of our worth to him.

God knew we would not, and could not, be perfect here and now in this life on earth. That's why we needed a Savior. This life is a vital place for us to gain experience and is a necessary part of our learning and progress. But we are not going to be perfect here, nor does God expect us to be.

We're human. We have weaknesses. We succumb to temptation. We sin. God knows we will, but, while he does not excuse sin, God has provided the means for us to repent of our sins, be forgiven, overcome our weaknesses, grow stronger and more able resist temptation and sin, and to be cleansed of it. This is a life long process though, not a one time event.

But as we strive to do the will of God, we can know that he is pleased with us, and we can, indeed, feel good about ourselves, knowing we're on the path he wants us to follow.

It's very simple really. God is our Father. We are his children. Do you have children? Well - it doesn't matter. If you don't have them, imagine that you do. And imagine you are a good and loving father.

You don't expect your children to grow up without making mistakes, do you? No, of course not. That's almost too silly to imagine. You know they'll make mistakes. That's part of life, and part of learning. But - as a good father does - you love your children. You nurture them. You teach them. You encourage them. And of course - you want them to obey you, because you are wiser than they, and wish to protect them from harm. But - if they're naughty and disobey, you will, at the very least, have a talk with them, and you may scold them, and you may even punish them. But as a good father - it's because you love them, and want them to learn.

So - do your children learn how to do everything you teach them perfectly at first? Of course not. It's going to be a lot more trial and error than anything as they're learning. But you continue to teach them, to show them how to do things, to help them, to praise them and encourage their efforts, knowing that as they grow, they will gain skill, will improve, making fewer and fewer mistakes, until eventually they are able to master the tasks you've been teaching them.

It is the same with God and us.

I think that one thing that has been throwing me off is the way 'God' is spoken about. I do not conceive of God as a person that is like a father. I think perhaps that the 'father metaphor' has been used to realistically to convey something that has gotten lost in the metaphor itself. This means I do not see so close or intimate a relationship that Christians seem to like to imagine exists.

I cannot conceive of what this perfection is and why it is so meaningful to God or to anyone. Could you please describe what perfection consists of. If we are to be perfect like God is perfect then what is this perfection that we are required to possess?

I weas reared in a sect that taught that every thought and word spoken would be judged and that heaven or hell hung on the verdict. Is this involved in what you are talking about in terms of perfection?

The wage of sin is to no longer live. I do not buy the denial that death does not ensue. It is meaningless to have a word that means what 'death' means and then try and say that to die means something different. So if you sin you do not live. That is what the father told his children. It seems rather harsh. If you set up that kind of system for your kids to live under that would not be understood as 'love' by many persons on this planet. It would be seen as a tyranny and psychological torture. Eventually the children would go insane with fear.

[Gilbert1908]

Drey wrote:

I think that one thing that has been throwing me off is the way 'God' is spoken about. I do not conceive of God as a person that is like a father. I think perhaps that the 'father metaphor' has been used to realistically to convey something that has gotten lost in the metaphor itself. This means I do not see so close or intimate a relationship that Christians seem to like to imagine exists.

I cannot conceive of what this perfection is and why it is so meaningful to God or to anyone. Could you please describe what perfection consists of. If we are to be perfect like God is perfect then what is this perfection that we are required to possess?

I weas reared in a sect that taught that every thought and word spoken would be judged and that heaven or hell hung on the verdict. Is this involved in what you are talking about in terms of perfection?

The wage of sin is to no longer live. I do not buy the denial that death does not ensue. It is meaningless to have a word that means what 'death' means and then try and say that to die means something different. So if you sin you do not live. That is what the father told his children. It seems rather harsh. If you set up that kind of system for your kids to live under that would not be understood as 'love' by many persons on this planet. It would be seen as a tyranny and psychological torture. Eventually the children would go insane with fear.

Perhaps this may help a little

"The supreme good does not add to good any absolute thing, but only a relation. Now a relation of God to creatures, is not a reality in God, but in the creature; for it is in God in our idea only: as, what is knowable is so called with relation to knowledge, not that it depends on knowledge, but because knowledge depends on it. Thus it is not necessary that there should be composition in the supreme good, but only that other things are deficient in comparison with it." Summa Theologica

[XiangYu]

Masturbation, masturbation masturbation, Masturbation, masturbation masturbation, Masturbation, masturbation masturbation

[MJB]

Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: Can a person who believes he must be as perfect as a sinless God ever feel good about themselves?

Of course he can.

God is not standing over us demanding perfection like a cruel dictator, waiting to squash us if we don't measure up. We are of infinite worth to him. So much that he sent his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die to save us. So much that he is offering us all that he has. This should help us recognize the extent of our worth to him.

God knew we would not, and could not, be perfect here and now in this life on earth. That's why we needed a Savior. This life is a vital place for us to gain experience and is a necessary part of our learning and progress. But we are not going to be perfect here, nor does God expect us to be.

We're human. We have weaknesses. We succumb to temptation. We sin. God knows we will, but, while he does not excuse sin, God has provided the means for us to repent of our sins, be forgiven, overcome our weaknesses, grow stronger and more able resist temptation and sin, and to be cleansed of it. This is a life long process though, not a one time event.

But as we strive to do the will of God, we can know that he is pleased with us, and we can, indeed, feel good about ourselves, knowing we're on the path he wants us to follow.

It's very simple really. God is our Father. We are his children. Do you have children? Well - it doesn't matter. If you don't have them, imagine that you do. And imagine you are a good and loving father.

You don't expect your children to grow up without making mistakes, do you? No, of course not. That's almost too silly to imagine. You know they'll make mistakes. That's part of life, and part of learning. But - as a good father does - you love your children. You nurture them. You teach them. You encourage them. And of course - you want them to obey you, because you are wiser than they, and wish to protect them from harm. But - if they're naughty and disobey, you will, at the very least, have a talk with them, and you may scold them, and you may even punish them. But as a good father - it's because you love them, and want them to learn.

So - do your children learn how to do everything you teach them perfectly at first? Of course not. It's going to be a lot more trial and error than anything as they're learning. But you continue to teach them, to show them how to do things, to help them, to praise them and encourage their efforts, knowing that as they grow, they will gain skill, will improve, making fewer and fewer mistakes, until eventually they are able to master the tasks you've been teaching them.

It is the same with God and us.

I think that one thing that has been throwing me off is the way 'God' is spoken about. I do not conceive of God as a person that is like a father. I think perhaps that the 'father metaphor' has been used to realistically to convey something that has gotten lost in the metaphor itself. This means I do not see so close or intimate a relationship that Christians seem to like to imagine exists.

I might have the same opinion, if I viewed the title of Father as metaphorical. What reason would I then have, to expect God to have any more interest in the souls of men, than he would if they were just objects he mass produced in a shop, where he would simply cast the imperfect ones into the fire, and place those without flaw on a shelf in order to admire his own handiwork?

However, since the scriptures say that we are the children of God, saying that we are not only his children, but his offspring, and that he is the Father of our spirits, I accept the reality of that, just as I accept the reality that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God, and I can understand, at least in a small measure, why God would allow his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die, in order to save all the rest of his children too.

Drey wrote: I cannot conceive of what this perfection is and why it is so meaningful to God or to anyone. Could you please describe what perfection consists of. If we are to be perfect like God is perfect then what is this perfection that we are required to possess?

Again I must make a comparison to earthly fathers and their children, in that good parents desire their children to grow up be good and upright people and productive members of society, rather than convicted criminals behind bars in prison.

As our Father, God loves us and desires that we return to live in his presence, and wishes to share all that he has with us.

Would a wise earthly parent share everything he has with his children, if they were not mature enough to take care of it? Or would he share everything he has with his children if they were disobedient and rebellious, and couldn't be trusted to be responsible?

It would be like an earthly father giving his five year old child the keys to the family car, and expecting him to have the skill and experience be able to operate it safely. Or like giving those keys to the teenager that is disrespectful, dishonest, or rebellious, thinking he could be trusted to drive properly and with respect for the law. No wise parent would ever carelessly hand his children those keys.

It is the same with God, only on a much grander scale. With God - who desires to give us all things - it would be like giving us the keys to the universe. Why would he do so, unless he knew he could trust us with them completely?

Drey wrote: I weas reared in a sect that taught that every thought and word spoken would be judged and that heaven or hell hung on the verdict. Is this involved in what you are talking about in terms of perfection?

Yes and no. We will be judged, yes, but we won't be condemned to hell for being imperfect. If so we would all spend eternity in hell, as no man can reach perfection in this life.

Yes - we will be judged by our thoughts and our deeds, but we don't have to remain trapped in our sins and judged for them, as we are given the opportunity to repent and forsake them. We will be judged, though, not on the extent of our achievement, but on our desire and effort to be obedient to God, who fully knows the intents of our hearts.

As for heaven or hell hanging on the verdict - according to scripture, there is only one sin for which there is no forgiveness, in this world, or in the world to come. That is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which would be akin to deliberately and knowingly becoming an enemy to God, much as did Lucifer.

Drey wrote: The wage of sin is to no longer live. I do not buy the denial that death does not ensue. It is meaningless to have a word that means what 'death' means and then try and say that to die means something different. So if you sin you do not live. That is what the father told his children. It seems rather harsh. If you set up that kind of system for your kids to live under that would not be understood as 'love' by many persons on this planet. It would be seen as a tyranny and psychological torture. Eventually the children would go insane with fear.

If that is the case, why would it not also be meaningless to have a word that means what father means, and then try to say that it actually means something different? Why would you be so sure that death must mean death, but Father is only a metaphor?

At any rate - spiritual death is being separated from God's presence. That is the last thing he wants for any of us for eternity, so he teaches us what to do so that we can return to live with him, and warns us of pitfalls, so that we will not succumb to spiritual death, but will be able to have life with him for eternity.

P.S. I did reply.

[Drey]

MJB wrote: Drey wrote: MJB wrote: Drey wrote: Can a person who believes he must be as perfect as a sinless God ever feel good about themselves?

Of course he can.

God is not standing over us demanding perfection like a cruel dictator, waiting to squash us if we don't measure up. We are of infinite worth to him. So much that he sent his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die to save us. So much that he is offering us all that he has. This should help us recognize the extent of our worth to him.

God knew we would not, and could not, be perfect here and now in this life on earth. That's why we needed a Savior. This life is a vital place for us to gain experience and is a necessary part of our learning and progress. But we are not going to be perfect here, nor does God expect us to be.

We're human. We have weaknesses. We succumb to temptation. We sin. God knows we will, but, while he does not excuse sin, God has provided the means for us to repent of our sins, be forgiven, overcome our weaknesses, grow stronger and more able resist temptation and sin, and to be cleansed of it. This is a life long process though, not a one time event.

But as we strive to do the will of God, we can know that he is pleased with us, and we can, indeed, feel good about ourselves, knowing we're on the path he wants us to follow.

It's very simple really. God is our Father. We are his children. Do you have children? Well - it doesn't matter. If you don't have them, imagine that you do. And imagine you are a good and loving father.

You don't expect your children to grow up without making mistakes, do you? No, of course not. That's almost too silly to imagine. You know they'll make mistakes. That's part of life, and part of learning. But - as a good father does - you love your children. You nurture them. You teach them. You encourage them. And of course - you want them to obey you, because you are wiser than they, and wish to protect them from harm. But - if they're naughty and disobey, you will, at the very least, have a talk with them, and you may scold them, and you may even punish them. But as a good father - it's because you love them, and want them to learn.

So - do your children learn how to do everything you teach them perfectly at first? Of course not. It's going to be a lot more trial and error than anything as they're learning. But you continue to teach them, to show them how to do things, to help them, to praise them and encourage their efforts, knowing that as they grow, they will gain skill, will improve, making fewer and fewer mistakes, until eventually they are able to master the tasks you've been teaching them.

It is the same with God and us.

I think that one thing that has been throwing me off is the way 'God' is spoken about. I do not conceive of God as a person that is like a father. I think perhaps that the 'father metaphor' has been used to realistically to convey something that has gotten lost in the metaphor itself. This means I do not see so close or intimate a relationship that Christians seem to like to imagine exists.

I might have the same opinion, if I viewed the title of Father as metaphorical. What reason would I then have, to expect God to have any more interest in the souls of men, than he would if they were just objects he mass produced in a shop, where he would simply cast the imperfect ones into the fire, and place those without flaw on a shelf in order to admire his own handiwork?

However, since the scriptures say that we are the children of God, saying that we are not only his children, but his offspring, and that he is the Father of our spirits, I accept the reality of that, just as I accept the reality that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God, and I can understand, at least in a small measure, why God would allow his Only Begotten Son to suffer and die, in order to save all the rest of his children too.

Drey wrote: I cannot conceive of what this perfection is and why it is so meaningful to God or to anyone. Could you please describe what perfection consists of. If we are to be perfect like God is perfect then what is this perfection that we are required to possess?

Again I must make a comparison to earthly fathers and their children, in that good parents desire their children to grow up be good and upright people and productive members of society, rather than convicted criminals behind bars in prison.

As our Father, God loves us and desires that we return to live in his presence, and wishes to share all that he has with us.

Would a wise earthly parent share everything he has with his children, if they were not mature enough to take care of it? Or would he share everything he has with his children if they were disobedient and rebellious, and couldn't be trusted to be responsible?

It would be like an earthly father giving his five year old child the keys to the family car, and expecting him to have the skill and experience be able to operate it safely. Or like giving those keys to the teenager that is disrespectful, dishonest, or rebellious, thinking he could be trusted to drive properly and with respect for the law. No wise parent would ever carelessly hand his children those keys.

It is the same with God, only on a much grander scale. With God - who desires to give us all things - it would be like giving us the keys to the universe. Why would he do so, unless he knew he could trust us with them completely?

Drey wrote: I weas reared in a sect that taught that every thought and word spoken would be judged and that heaven or hell hung on the verdict. Is this involved in what you are talking about in terms of perfection?

Yes and no. We will be judged, yes, but we won't be condemned to hell for being imperfect. If so we would all spend eternity in hell, as no man can reach perfection in this life.

Yes - we will be judged by our thoughts and our deeds, but we don't have to remain trapped in our sins and judged for them, as we are given the opportunity to repent and forsake them. We will be judged, though, not on the extent of our achievement, but on our desire and effort to be obedient to God, who fully knows the intents of our hearts.

As for heaven or hell hanging on the verdict - according to scripture, there is only one sin for which there is no forgiveness, in this world, or in the world to come. That is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which would be akin to deliberately and knowingly becoming an enemy to God, much as did Lucifer.

Drey wrote: The wage of sin is to no longer live. I do not buy the denial that death does not ensue. It is meaningless to have a word that means what 'death' means and then try and say that to die means something different. So if you sin you do not live. That is what the father told his children. It seems rather harsh. If you set up that kind of system for your kids to live under that would not be understood as 'love' by many persons on this planet. It would be seen as a tyranny and psychological torture. Eventually the children would go insane with fear.

If that is the case, why would it not also be meaningless to have a word that means what father means, and then try to say that it actually means something different? Why would you be so sure that death must mean death, but Father is only a metaphor?

At any rate - spiritual death is being separated from God's presence. That is the last thing he wants for any of us for eternity, so he teaches us what to do so that we can return to live with him, and warns us of pitfalls, so that we will not succumb to spiritual death, but will be able to have life with him for eternity.

P.S. I did reply.

Well I still do not understand the need for perfection. Is not the moment perfect, an unfolding of God's will? I believe it is. This teaches us acceptance in relationship to eternity. It teaches us patience and a non judgemental acceptance of others. It makes us less of a burden to others who are struggling to find their way through this life. We should help them find their own path rather than finding a mass produced solution to their life's questions. In other words, the solution you have found that is meaningful to you may not be meaningful to me and I may not believe it. As evangelists we should then reveal a God who is able to address the individual, rather than the corporate concerns of those who are potential believers. It is individuals who 'believe' not churches.

If we could be separated from God that would be death and hell. But how can we ever be separated from someone, something that permeates everything that exists?

I answered your pm as well, and thanks.

[Gilbert1908]

Drey wrote:

Well I still do not understand the need for perfection. Is not the moment perfect, an unfolding of God's will? I believe it is. This teaches us acceptance in relationship to eternity. It teaches us patience and a non judgemental acceptance of others. It makes us less of a burden to others who are struggling to find their way through this life. We should help them find their own path rather than finding a mass produced solution to their life's questions. In other words, the solution you have found that is meaningful to you may not be meaningful to me and I may not believe it. As evangelists we should then reveal a God who is able to address the individual, rather than the corporate concerns of those who are potential believers. It is individuals who 'believe' not churches.

If we could be separated from God that would be death and hell. But how can we ever be separated from someone, something that permeates everything that exists?

I answered your pm as well, and thanks.

If I may, I think here you ask and express the most important question you need to ASK YOURSELF, not any one else. Indeed if you seek a God you create to fit YOUR needs a God that ACCEPTS you as you ARE today then you will remain as you are today.

If however you are challenged to live a completely different life, a life that requires YOU to leave behind everything you hate about yourself AND somethings you really like in order to achieve something beyond your own capability and completely transform a NEW and better existence that is the most personal an unique experience NOT a mass produced one.

But it is NOT an electric moment of lightening and a booming voice from the heavens. It is a personal and difficult decision followed by a life time of effort unequalled by anything you will ever do again.

Perfection is not necessary in fact it is impossible....until it is given.


If you believe Faith is mass produced, you are misinformed.
If you think being unwilling or incapable of judgement is good, you have been hoodwinked.
IF you seek a God who fits YOU you will always continue to search for a better god since your god will need to change with you.

But you are correct, no one can tell you how to live your life and IMHO they should not try. But keep asking yourself that very same question over and over again.

"how can we ever be separated from someone, something that permeates everything that exists?"

I say again that in order to understand Christianity you MUST, whether you believe it or not, accept that God created a universe and world seperate from Himself and yet is still a personal God to EACH individual. Once you can accept and understand this seeming paradox you have the answer to your question.

[Politically_Correct]

Lets see.

For the wages of SIN is death.

Everyone on this forum has broken EVERY 10 commandment, even murder.

If you think it, you did it. "I wish he wasn't here." Whoops I just wished his life away.

"Man, I'd so bang her." Oh, adultry.

We always put things before God.

I mean come on, none of us are worthy of getting into Heaven, but God loves us so he sent his only Son, God in the Flesh to Earth to die for the Sin of the world, to pay the fine so that we all may have eternal life.