Thank you for that enlightening exposition concerning Einstein's intended meaning in that statement. I did not know the full context of it. Thank you for sharing that.

However, I still stand by my earlier post, in which I stated that scientists should be respected according to their contributions to science, not by their theology, and that to call a scientist stupid just because they believe in creation is simple closed-minded bigotry. There were two microbiologists in my home church.

Also, I do not believe that science and theology are mutually exclusive. However, since science can only touch the realm of observable phenomena, it is ill-equipped to address the issue of God's existence.

(Except for that godhatesfags guy. He is stupid, and so is his belief).

As a clergyman and Christian theologian myself, I would not concede that the belief itself is stupid. Calling orthodox Christianity stupid IS the same as calling Christians stupid. It's one thing to say that you disagree with someone, but to call them stupid or even to call their beliefs stupid is ad hominem, and in civilized circles that's a no-no. (Except for that godhatesfags guy. He is stupid, and so is his belief).

Well, according to what you said in the Religious Affiliations topic, you believe that God hates me because I am an atheist.

So maybe God even loves that godhatesfags dude. It's just that he's so busy proclaiming hatred, he can't see it so clearly. That to me is sad. But God will not force us to see what we do not wish to see; this man refuses to see God's unconditional love for others, so he will not see it for himself.

One little aside: If you measure tear gland enzymes, we are actually related more closely to the chicken. Yes, I know that's a weak argument that any of you could destroy in a matter of seconds, but I thought it was funny.

Like the dinosaurs, if there weren't dinosaurs there would be no oil.

I also belive God cannot control free will.

The bodily waste of the dinosaurs in fact even the bones themselves decomposed over time into oil not just the plant life of the pre-historic age. Indeed the plant life would be the majoirity of oil. I was using dinosaurs as an example in the context of evolution. Since the bible says that humans were created in the being it doesn't says anything on the dinosaurs, you see that was the point I was trying to get across.

However, it remains to be proven that humans have what some people like to call free will. Scripture does say that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, so there is at least one instance of Him exercising control over the human will.

Otherwise, it just doesn't seem in line with God's plan.

What plan? Didymus, does the Bible mention any specific plan, apart from saying "god has a plan that we aren't meant to know"? Does it even say that, or is it just assumed?

Well, yes, there's that plan. But I was wondering if there's a more specific (or obscure?) plan that racerx might have been referring to when he says the hardening-of-the-heart thing "just doesn't seem in line with God's plan". I only have a vague knowledge of the plan-for-salvation, but I don't see how that incident necessarily contradicts that plan.

Actually, he didn't say that.

Upsilon wrote:

He could, but why should he? The way you make it sound, God MUST because he CAN, and somehow his love is supposed to completely override his justice. Maybe the plain and simple truth is that he doesn't love everyone the same. "Jacob I love, Esau I hated."

I certainly don't remember telling Upsilon that God hates him.

x.x Think about what you just said. It's a joke.