what is the standard?

[snotmare]

Greetings. I am a computer programmer, so I have an analogy to present my argument that resides from my background. It's not too hard to understand if you do not know programming. The principles can be applied to almost any area of life.

The analogy...

When you write a program to do something specific, there are certain guidlines and boundries that are defined by the language in which the program is written. For instance, Visual Basic uses a function call "MsgBox", which basically displays a pop up box with some sort of message. You could not, however, use the word "PopupBox" and have the same results. This is called syntax. If you do not follow the syntax of a language, you do not have a valid program. Each language has different syntax, which is the standard for that language, so you could use any programming language and apply the following principle: In order to have a valid program, you must follow the standards of that language. Anything other than the standards is simply, wrong.

Likewise, God has a standard for us. We cannot change what God says, we cannot put words in His mouth, nor take them away. God made rules for us to follow. If we do not follow God's standards, then we do not have a valid program, per se. However, the consequences for not following God's standards are far more severe than not following the standards of Visual Basic.

I'm not here to tell you what I believe God's standards are, He's done just fine by speaking through the prophets, appostles, and of course, Jesus. What I am here to say, is that there is only 1 right way to get to heaven. There is only 1 standard to follow. If you are not following those standards, then I challenge you to look deep in your heart and decide if it is time to follow God's word.

Thanks for your time,
snotmare

[Gorgo]

Actually, if you can see 1 standard in all the tangle of different religions and different interpretations of each of those religions, then you deserve your place in heaven.

[LogicaLunatic]

Follow God's word? Nah, I preferr C#.

Thanks,

LL

[LogicaLunatic]

LOL or altered VBScript...
===================
Set x_dumbsheep = God.CreateObject("Human.Christian")
x_dumbsheep.Concieve

If (x_dumbsheep.SexualOrientation = Homo) Then
Call SendToHell(x_dumbsheep)
ElseIf (Today = Sunday) AND (x_dumbsheep.Location <> Church) Then
Call SendToHell(x_dumbsheep)
ElseIf...
==============
LOL
Sorry, had to...

LL

[Samildanach]

So whats the equivalent of a program error then?
Opps sent a christian to hell......end process...entire universe collapses and winks out.

[moondusk]

Nice analogy.

But, haven&#39;t you thought that there are many way to handle the same problem? For example to display a message box you could have used a javascript rather than VB. In a specific context you are right, you need to follow the syntax.
So who has chosen the context? The god or you?

The same problem can be solved by many different algorithms? So is there an &#39;absolute&#39; path?

[Sonart]

Likewise, God has a standard for us. We cannot change what God says, we cannot put words in His mouth, nor take them away.

Ummmmmm.... which God would that be, Snotmare?

[snotmare]

Thanks for all the replies&#33; I appreciate the non-sarcastic ones :).

You are correct when there are multiple ways to solve a problem. The point is, that we must solve those problems withing the bounds of Visual Basic syntax.

We must solve life&#39;s problems within the bounds of God&#39;s word. For instance, God does not specify if we must have a formal building to worship at, or if we must worship in our homes. There are many ways to solve the location problem. However, it would be wrong to worship at a strip club, or worship while we were too drunk to know what we were doing.

God has given us liberty to make decisions in certain areas, as long as we keep to His standard.

Therefore, any who say that it doesn&#39;t matter what you believe, where you put your faith, etc, I say to you that I hope God isn&#39;t as non-chalant about where you will spend eternity.

Thanks,
snotmare

[snotmare]

Which God?

There is only one God.

Thanks,
snotmare

[Gracchus]

What determines the output of a program is the processor-dependent binary machine language and the input. "Higher" level languages can contain deceptive labels. There may even be bugs, worms or viruses in the compiler.

In religion especially, I have observed, the label is often mistaken for the reality.

[Sonart]

There is only one God.

Well, I see the question behind my question went right past you. Let me try again. You presented us with a lovely metaphor about how God&#39;s word is like the syntax of a computer program and must be followed exactly or the program won&#39;t function.

--"Likewise, God has a standard for us. We cannot change what God says, we cannot put words in His mouth, nor take them away. God made rules for us to follow. If we do not follow God&#39;s standards, then we do not have a valid program, per se. However, the consequences for not following God&#39;s standards are far more severe than not following the standards of Visual Basic."--

Well, apparently God has a variety of standards for us, depending on whether we read the instructions from the Bible, the Talmud, the Qu&#39;ran, the Shvetsashvatra Upanishad, the Dhammapada, the... well, you get the picture.

Now I realise that you said there&#39;s different languages, but you also said that there is only one God, and that "We cannot change what God says, we cannot put words in His mouth, nor take them away." So if a Christian, a Jew, a Moslem, a Buddhist, a Hindhu, a Taoist and a Navajo holy man all meet to discuss religion, then who is putting words in God&#39;s mouth and who isn&#39;t?

Like my question of the 14-year-old Indian Girl. One says she goes straight to hell, another says she doesn&#39;t. Who&#39;s putting words in God&#39;s mouth?

[Robin]

Your analogy doesn&#39;t prove god, and it doesn&#39;t prove we should act according to certain writings. If I make a program that doesn&#39;t follow syntax, the program will either not be able to compile, or by some small chance may compile, but won&#39;t do what you want it to do.

So, the first question you haven&#39;t answered, is how are we supposed to learn God&#39;s syntax? Even if there weren&#39;t many conflicting accounts of what his syntax is, none of the religious books out there tell us how to act in *every* circumstance, they require our own personal interpretation. Second, if we don&#39;t follow God&#39;s syntax, we should face some sort of consequence, or else your computer programming analogy sort of fails (yes, there are silent errors, but we should see some of God&#39;s intervention at some point). If I say God Damnit (violating one of the ten commandmnets) nothing really happens.