I understand that we would be wary of talking about God in any limiting way. But if you will permit me a bit of "spin latitude" on this, you can always turn the question around and say that it was those bad bad Catholics who ruined theology with their martial language, fit only to order troops and civil servants around. But that's the problem with words: once they've been used a certain way it sticks, and all of its baggage comes with it, like when your mother-in-law comes to visit. ;-)
(E.g., will we ever admit to being "gay and dapper gentlemen" again?) Stephen Beecroft wrote: > -Marc- > > The problem arises out of the word "natural," and is a limitation > > of our language. By natural are we referring to the corruptible > > telestial world, or are we referring simply to the fact that > > there are higher laws which are "natural" but which operate in > > *their* realms, and which we by their and our very nature cannot > > comprehend? I'm using the term in its latter connotation. > > I don't disagree with this. My hesitation comes in labelling God as > something other than omnipotent, even in saying that God isn't > omnipotent "in the sense the [Roman Catholics] believed". The fact that > other religions don't understand the meaning of words like "omnipotent" > does not negate the fact that God is truly all-powerful, far, far beyond > any remote possibility that we have to imagine it. No, God can't do > undoable things, like save people in their sins, or make a thing > simultaneously exist and not exist. But these things are ultimately > tautologically false; that is, they defy their own definition. I would > be surprised if any man or woman can name something that God cannot do, > whether because of the limitations of "natural law" or anything else, > that doesn't fall into this class of false-by-definition. > > Stephen > > ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland “Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh.” – Lord Chesterfield Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================
