[PhanthomOps]

kellbing:
Quote: "The one thing you seem to be forgetting is that parents don't have the ability to design their children to be perfect and do nothing wrong. Your supposed "god" does. He just chooses not to."

Parents do not design their children like one would design a dress or car. However, they are able to through love to help mold the child's thinking and reasoning abilities, etc., in order that the child is prepared and able to face life. My wife's and my belief and faith in God has given us a basis with which to perform this task with good results.

God gives us the ability, as it our responsibility for bringing the child into the world.

mrmufin:
Quote: "We agree about your non-onimptoence. However, having the alleged capacity of omnipotence --which is a popular property of God-- would allow God to prevent a great deal of suffering, be it a scraped elbow or epilepsy. To have that capacity and not use it (at least not in any verifiable way), is something I find ethically troublesome. If you could have prevented your child from any suffering or abuse that s/he endured, be it measles, a schoolyard bully, or diarrhea on prom nite, would you have prevented it?"

Absolutely not. Adversity, trials, tribulations and the like, although unpleasant to experience go toward building character making us a better person able to handle such in the future. If a parent, for reasons other than medical, wraps their child/children in cotton, and constantly engineers activities so as to prevent the child from a scraped knee, or elbow, how is the child/children going to survive after the parents die???

Quote: "Unless the parent is omnipotent.:)"

I'm glad that I am not. It would prove to be too much power that I as a human being do not feel competent to handle.

Gorgo:
Quote: "He claims he has a life outside Volconvo! Ain't that a trip!!"

God, you do have a sense of humor after all. Care to be a fly on the wall?? :) :)

FIFI:

I appreciate your openness and the fact that you are able to freely associate with those of varying religions and backgrounds, and not feel threatened.

IMHO, you may sometime in the future feel that you wish to allign yourself with a religious belief. Might I suggest that should you find yourself in this position that you take it slow and easy. Visit a few different churches of various faiths, ask questions, get to know some of the people and then after much thought make your decision - yes or no.