tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post3784149289175425658..comments2024-03-28T00:17:55.823+00:00Comments on Bruce Charlton's Notions: What God most wants - from William ArkleBruce Charltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-85926534706752304782016-06-18T09:47:03.210+01:002016-06-18T09:47:03.210+01:00Yes. Friendship and companionship based on delight...Yes. Friendship and companionship based on delightful play, exploration and creativity; as well as a mutual admiration of shared values for truth, beauty and virtue (even perhaps with slight differences of opinion about these things between friends seems desirable otherwise how tedious would it be to have total agreement on everything, forever?).<br /><br />When I contrast this picture with most of my lifelong contact with Chrisians: demanding obedience, threatening with hell and eternal damnation if I dont tow the line, telling me that I must be "God fearing," well who would want to be friends with a God like that? Christianity has an enormous amount of bridge building and corrective work to do if its going to make up for all of that kind of rubbish and present an attractive and desirable offer of spiritual growth and loving relationships that aspire towards friendship. I sometimes feel that you are a bit harsh on atheists that are just likr we once were, many of whom are currently handicapped by the damage done to them by other "Christians" who have filled their heads with biased narratives about a tyranical God who is out to ensure we tow the line...or else! I'm afraid this particular narrative for the Christian story is so deeply embedded, and largely due to the industrious effort of legions of self-labeling Christians, the notion of friendship being a central aspiration for deity would be considered totally blasphemous to many "Christians" who perversely enjoy the 'circus of fear' of the more tyranical or Old Testament, tribalistic interpretations of Christianity. Ironically, many an alienated atheist, including my former self, would have responded much more kindly towards the Christian message had I encountered the concepts and interpretations of the likes of Arkle a long time ago. It seems to me that there is a formidable enemy within that does a great deal to prevent a Christian revival and makes the work of leftist reaction against traditional Christian values. After all, its not hard to be repelled by a tyrant and whist God clearly is not one, a certain contingent of his followers have alienated (perhaps permanently) a large proportion of his children with vulgar distortions and frankly a very harmful abuse of the way heavenly father is conceptualised and understood as a deity. I just need to tune into a Christian radio station from certain parts of the states to find the "fire and brimstone" legalistic approach is alive and well, which naturally is distressing when other non-Christians assume that is exactly what I think and believe when I self-label as Christian. They therefore respond fearfully and mistrustingly towards me and I doubt (in fact I even know from personal experience) that their attitudes would be anywhere near as hostile if they knew that my world view were more like Arle; profoundly different to what people have been indoctrinated over their entire lifetimes to believe what a Christian actually is. The heavy lifting of making Christianity seem absurd has already been done for leftism before they even need to do anything to keep going in the wrong direction.David Balfourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12099160562774064281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-85363884384147927592016-06-18T06:47:30.811+01:002016-06-18T06:47:30.811+01:00@Sean - I think it is a matter of the ultimate aim...@Sean - I think it is a matter of the ultimate aim, the goal of it all. In the meantime praise and worship seem to be what many people want to give, and I imagine that God looks upon this benignly. But I don't suppose that is what God *most* wants; for God to be praised and worshipped is not the purpose of creation. God did not create everything so that it could praise and worship him. Bruce Charltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-1790453237817139422016-06-17T19:49:56.038+01:002016-06-17T19:49:56.038+01:00On those occasions when the Spirit has been powerf...On those occasions when the Spirit has been powerfully with me and I experience the joy and deep, abiding love of Our Father I find it very nearly impossible to not express praise and worship for Him. If this is the case at the rather distant remove from His presence in which I live how must it be when one lives right next to Him? <br /><br />Sean Corynoreply@blogger.com