beastie wrote:In regards to Emma if it came from Joseph alone then it was presumptuous. If it came from God as rebukes go it was a fairly mild one. I think I've had worse. More akin to the Laman and Lemuel shock treatment than simple commands complete with visual and auditory aides to show the result of the wrong path.
If it came from God he is not a being worthy of love and respect.
Fear, yes, but not love, not respect.
Why not? If God can nudge me towards greater eternal bliss with the occasional threat or even an overwhelming physical sensation akin to pain it's a small price to pay.
I might be biased as when I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life God ordered me to stop. I refused. He called me to every covenant I'd made and still refused. While praying in rebellion and proclaiming my independence he took direct action and the sensation was almost paralyzing. I still refused. Finally that night he sent me dreams showing me exactly what would happen if I kept on the course I was on. Those images still frighten me.
I don't fear God, I view him as a teacher and a parent. I wouldn't listen so he upped the intensity.
I could neither love nor respect someone who would refuse to have pulled me from that path by any means necessary just as I would think little of a friend who didn't mind me becoming a monster or a parent who didn't mind that I acted cruelly towards them. I worship a God of Love and that can be a scary thing. There are times I almost wish he loved me less and would just be satisfied.