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Mephi2K
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 713
| Posted 6/28/2001 6:13 AM (GMT -6) |   | Has anyone here seen "Prince of Egypt"? It was a great movie, I thought. What I really liked about it was the VISUALIZATION involved. One could actually see what the coming of the plagues, parting of the sea and all that MAY have looked like. I specifically was intrigued the dramatization of the killing of the firstborn Egyptian children. I mean, after God sucked all the lifeforces during the night, you could actually hear the wailing of the Egyptians when they realized their children were dead. (Yay, God...) At any rate, if the Exodus events were anything NEAR like that, then God seems to be a pretty powerful being who can do a WHOLE lot in human history...even despite the wills of human or angelic beings.
Now, let's fast forward. THE HOLOCAUST. Children are being thrown into ovens. Boys are being castrated and experimented on by Josef Mengler. Girls are being continuously raped and abused. (Zosia was one of many) The stench from the mass graves are sickening. Where the &#^$ was God? (Let me try to do justice the spirit of some of Elie Wiesel's anguish displayed in "Night") What I mean is this. Can you imagine what would have happened if some Cabbalist suddenly prophesied to the SS that God would kill all the firstborn in Germany the next day, if the Nazis didn't stop...AND IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?? Can you imagine what would have happened if it were prophesied that boils would cover all the Germans and not touch the Jews the next day if the Nazis didn't stop...AND IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?? The friggin Holocaust would have probably been over within 4 days!
And let's not act like no one was calling on God at this time. Numerous accounts show that there were many very devout God-fearing Jews who called on, worshipped, and cried out to God but apparently received no answer. Now for all you postmodern Pentecostal/Charismatics out there who believe that God answers devout, sincere prayers of faith this is especially interesting.
So here's my question. Assuming the OMNIBENEVOLENT open view of God, WHAT HAPPENED? Why didn't the God, who can do unilateral action whenever He chooses in history, make specific moves of His own to liberate the Jews from this torture? What was the fundamental difference between the 400 year oppresion of the Sons of Israel by Egypt and the oppression from Hitler's regime that wouldn't allow God to do ANOTHER Exodus type deliverance? I want some really good thinking here. Forget the appeal to mystery here. Why? Because we know these things, given the omnibenevolent open view God:
1) God really, really wants to help
2) God doesn't now for sure HOW bad it's going to get in the future.
2) There has to be some REASON why God doesn't help, whether that reason be means to specific ends or just plain ol' demonic or human interference.
Utilizing these primary assumptions, it shouldn't be that hard coming up with some potential reasons within the open view cosmology for what may have happened. Whenever you give your reasons, please try to justify them as logically as possible. If you would be so kind, please don't say the following:
"Well, we just can't know for sure. There are many reasons why it could have happened. What we CAN know for sure is that God is unquestionably good and He suffered right along with every man, woman, and child in that horrid event. And he did what he could to stop it."
I think this can easily be seen as a copout. Let's get specific. Did a friggin' butterfly wing flutter the wrong way and God couldn't do the "firstborn dead" thing?? I, and others like me, deem this question to be very appropriate, especially in the light of people wanting to affirm their specific view of God. Give it to me raw and straight...just like my tequila shot. (Just kidding  )
Waiting to Hear Some Excellent Thinking,
Meph 
Love God. Love People. Love Truth. Dedicate your all to that which you love.
Edited by - Mephi2K on 06/28/2001 11:16:16 AM | | Back to Top | | |
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