Is God 'allowed' to change his mind?

Hi David,Malachi 3:6 "I the LORD do not change". This could only refer to basic character, and to keeping covenant, not to acts of judgment or mercy when needed.Throughout scripture we see that God has at times "repented" or changed his mind, particularily when it became necessary because of free morale agents rebelling to the point of judgement; and this was in keeping with his character. He is absolute in holiness and justice, and is morally and divinely obligated for the good of all to judge the few or all if need be - or to show mercy to one and all should they meet the conditions of mercy. God does not and cannot change his original and eternal plan and purpose, but he can and does change some ways and means of fulfilling the plan.It would appear to me that you are in fact asking; "could God change his mind on the allowance of sin while being a christian?" Absolutely Not. Sin is sin, and it's unacceptable to God no matter who commits it, christian or non-christian. God is sinless and cannot sin, and makes it quite clear that sin seperates us from him. Therefore presumptuous sin is definately not permissable as a child of God and if it occurs, requires forgiveness, repentance and abstinence of such. Actually, this was confirmed to you and the entire world, by a visit from God - in Jesus Christ. It was indeed made quite clear by this visitation and the life, teachings and atoning work of Jesus Christ, that God has not changed his mind on sin in any way shape or form, and has no, nor will ever have, second thouhgts over allowance of sin of any kind, whatsoever, as a child of God.If we think, that God would ever think ""hmmmm..maybe I better change my mind on the sin thing"" Thats just not going to happen. God will not and cannot "Whimp Out" based on our pathetic qualification, and then rejection, of the truth as it is, just to accomodate us.Evidence for presumptuous acts done wilfully and deliberatly against law and conscience is everywhere, and is a tuff subject which most try to avoid. However it's rampant in and exclusive to the human species and it needs to be addressed as to why? I'm quite tired of the explanations that try to blame this problem on God. Can you show me the evidence that God's the cause of these acts, or would even want these acts to occur? No. Since you don't believe in God anyways, it's only logical then that you would leave Him, the Bible and Religion out of your answers in future and attempt a quality answer.Grade 9 Student to Biology Teacher:"About homosexuality Sir, human male species in particular, do you think it was part of evolutions plan that a man should have sexual intercourse with another man ? Although extremely odd behavior, this is evidence of evolution in action correct Sir? Since this action has been widespread throughout the world for milleniums, it must be part of the evolutionary process correct? They are trying to reproduce correct? What transitional form will this behavior eventually bring us I wonder? There doesn't seem to be any evidence of change thus far though is there Sir? As well, why would they keep trying this approach when there is a variation within their own species that gaurentees success in reproduction virtually everytime? Oh, I'm missing something? Oh there not trying to reproduce? Well, why would they do such a thing to each other then Sir?"Respectfully,Paul.

Why do people continually refuse to answer this question as requested?Respectfully, Paul.

Duh? hmm... So, your opinion is that if it feels good sexually, whether heterosexual or homosexual, any act is ok? That no matter how odd the behavior, if it feels good, it's quite fine to do?What are the parameters for this "because it feels good" logic?.Does this logic then explain why a 27 year old, 8 month pregnant, woman is murdered on Christmas eve by her husband, while he is having a torrid sexual relationship with another woman?. This murderous act must be driven by the bonding and social aspect that you refer to then, correct? Was he tired of the old bond and needed a new one? Was that "because it feels good" aspect absent from their relationship, therefore he needed a new one? I guess this extra bonding, social and sexual activity that "felt so good", became more important than the lives of his wife and unborn child then?Judge: "Why did you murder your wife and unborn child?"Husband: "Well your Honor, this new relationship just became too important to me. This new bonding was very special and the sex was utterly fantastic."Judge: " How could extra marital bonding and especially sexual activity with another woman, justify taking the lives of your wife and unborn child!!?Husband: Your Honor? sheeesh! "Because it feels good! Duh!."Respectfully, Paul.

Finally. A quality answer without a "God-Bash". Thx Rrhain.Some good points are made. However, although research can be catagorized in the manner you have described, it is at the same time quite clear that all other species behavioral characteristics are seen as survivalistic actions. When a chimp takes another chimps food it has done so because it feels it needs to eat that food to survive, period. When a chimp responds to this other chimps action it's doing so because it feels it's survival is being threatened by the taking of its food. This cannot be catagorized as stealing and delivering punishment such as we do. Stealing within the human species however, is always done out of greed, laziness or for profit.Indeed there are clinical and personal reasons for the multitudes of failures that we humans commit, with the question being why are we the only species to have these characteristics? Why is there such a vast difference between us and all other species in this area? Why is it that I can break into my neighbours house and steal his $10,000 stereo set when I have one of my own at home? Do I need his set? No. Do I need his set to survive? No. What is my motivation to do this then? Why does the human species consistantly conceive things in their minds that go against conscience, and then futher, manifest those things through a blatant action? Why can some of our species seem to control this and yet others cannot? We have all thought things that go against conscience and yet not all commit an action to go along with that thought. Am I to assume that you are saying it's the condition of the mind that dictates our every action? Is the mind the place that we "Know" or "Feel" ? or both? or neither? If I know something is wrong to do, can I go ahead and do it based on how I feel? Where did this ability come from? I "know" it's wrong to steal my neighbours stereo, but, based on how I "feel" allows me to steal it? or even gives me the right to steal it? Why is it that one day I may steal something and the next day not? Why is it that the greater the value of something the greater the likelihood of me stealing it there is? Why would value mean anything to me anyways? I'm simply surviving am I not? What told my mind to place such a value on things and then give liscence to steal them? Is it an emotion that drives this? If so what emotion is it then ? For that matter where did emotions come from, and again, which one drives the stealing or say cold blooded murder action? Why do we have all these emotions and all other species are basically void of them? When a mentally handicapped person commits a crime we blame their mind and their handicap. If an intelligent, physically fit person commits a crime what does that say about the condition of their mind or their personality? What's to blame in this case? The mind or emotions? or neither?.Thought is the process by which we live. Every decision and then action that is made, begins with a thought process. What gaurds the thought process from presumptuous error? The conscience, which is the birthplace of emotions. But what if the conscience fails? You will have errors. How could this unseen conscience have developed that can be more powerful than the mind? And since it is more powerful than the mind how is it then possible to err with it in place? If its intension is to protect us from err, how does it fail us then? Is there something more powerful than the conscience then? Yes. The Free Will: The complete and total right to choose between right and wrong.No other species has or even needs this right. Observation has shown that all their behavioral habits are survivalistic in nature, and they never commit presumptuous acts of wrong. Why do they not have or need this right?It was not part of their design.Repectfully, Paul

[QS]Of course, you still haven't managed to explain how one gets from homosexual activity to murder. Could you help us out here?[QS] I have absolutely no idea how this activity could lead to an action such as murder. I do know however, that the majority of the participants of this activity do not commit such an action, or a wrongful action of any kind for that matter. Perhaps an interview with a person like Wayne Gacey or another, could help you with an answer to your question. The labeling of an action is not my responsibilty. My responsibility is to my conscience and laws. As I've pointed out, all actions, whether right or wrong, are done out of the free will. Some people use both laws and conscience to determine their actions, some use just laws, some use just conscience, and some use neither to determine some of their actions. For me personally , laws are my first line of defense against wrongdoing. If the law says it wrong then I don't do it and if I do, and get caught, I suffer the consequences. If any form of law does not have a bearing on a decision to be made, then I rely on my conscience to direct me next. I do use both in every decion to be made.As we all know, there are two forms of law. Human law and Spiritual(Gods) law. Some of course do not recognize Spiritual law and only use human law to determine lifes actions. Again, a free will choice. Others at the same time use both forms of law in their daily lives. Both human and Spiritual law say murder is wrong, and as well, my conscience tells me taking the life of another is wrong, therefore murder is clearly a wrongful action in my opinion, but again, is a free will choice to be made. Human law does not say that homosexuality is a wrongful action, Spiritual law does, therefore it is now left up to the individual conscience to decide whether to participate in that action or not, my conscience tells me it is, again, another free will choice. This has been my point throughout this entire thread. Neither evolution nor God are responsible for human actions, we are. To say that we commit war, suicide, rape, murder, terrorism, steal, lie, etc. etc. because science considers that perhaps some of those tendancies have been rarely observed in the monkeys , is an extremely shallow, and I think a rediculous excuse to qualify human actions in these areas. As well,to say that these things happen because God doesn't intervene to stop them, is equally rediculous. But then again, that's your free will choice to believe either.I just wish the blame for human actions would rest where it belongs, on humans. There are a few individuals at this forum that consistantly blame God for the worlds problems and human failures. If God changed and intervened all the time, what would we do? How would our view of God change ? Would we all believe then? Would we love God then? Wouldn't we have to? Wouldn't "seeing is believing" force us to believe in and love God? But wait a minute, having no choice but to believe in God goes against the very nature of a given free will. You see God's thinking then? To intervene in the process of the human free will and its decisions and results, would both force a believe by some in God, and void the overall purpose of the free will, which both go directly against Gods own eternal purpose and plan. He will NOT force us to believe in him by intervention, as well, intervention I think, would not always cause belief anyways.Are murder and homosexuality, sins you ask? What does law and your conscience tell you? It's not up to me to tell you what to think of these things, thats your responsibilty. I'm only obligated to act according to law and my own conscience, as we all are.BTW: Do you "personally" believe that we are the way we are, as a result of what we see in the monkeys? Wouldn't you think that with the millions of years that we have spent as a seperate species, and with our superior intelligence, that we could have learned to stop all these wrongful and uneccessary actions that we mimic then? Or does this Sin thing you talk about have more to do with it than we think?Respectfully, Paul.

Nice law !!.. So it's the mayors fault that the man wouldn't work or hunt to feed his family? Sounds like a dream job to me LOLRespectfully, Paul