[narf poit chez BOOM]

Primitive, do you mean that a: a person would never be that degenerate, or b: that it doesn't matter how degenerate a person is, they still have a right to live? because i would say that God, having given someone life, has the right to take that life away. and for me, if God has the right to take one person's life away, then that logically extends to all people.

Deccan
Here's an exercise, Narf: try to imagine a world in which Christianity is literally true. In which, say miracles and appearances of supernatural entities like angels and demons are relatively rare, but indisputable events, in which the literal, never-changing, law of the Bible unquestionably sends people either to Heaven or Hell as appropriate, and God makes clear, explicit announcements from time to time, and people must obey those commands literally and blindly even though their purposes may be utter inscrutable and mystifying to human minds or face unavoidable, terrible punishments.

I can think of at least two science-fiction stories which describe such worlds. I'll give you the links to them later.

first of all, a writer can write a scenario any way they want. second, you seem to be describing a world where God pushes people past there limits. God doesn't do that. He pushes people to there limits and at those times i have grown faster than at any other time in my life.

as for my religeos beleif's, i'm a mormon, for those who havn't guessed. since i don't know what sort of preconceptions you might have, i'll start with the most obvious. no, the missionares aren't supposed to be pushy, and if they are, complain. now, as for Mormon views on the final judgement, there's the celestial kingdom, which has the presence of God. this is where a lot of non-mormons have a problem, because only mormons can go to the celestial kingdom. but, as i said earlier, knowing more of God's law also means more chances to break it.
then, there's the telestial, which has the presence of Jesus. that's where all the good people go who aren't mormons and all the mormons who didn't go to the celestial kingdom.
then, there's the terrestial kingdom, which has the presence of the Holy Ghost. the average person goes there. the average person will undoubtable include mormons. that's not to say that because the average person goes there that it's a bad place to be, it's only in comparison that it pales.
then, there's outer darkness. that's what i was refering to when i said hell. as i understand it, there is nothing good there. even murderers don't stay there forever. you might think of it as to much punishment, but as i understand it, someone who's there would be in more pain in a higher kingdom, simply because they would always be comparing themselves and always be coming up short.
my own beleif is that initialy, we'll do some of the deciding of where we go simply because of who we feel comfortable with - which will be people who made the same type of choices we did and with whom we feel comfortable.

[ November 22, 2003, 21:16: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]