Understanding God

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Yes, but as God he can do that without being hateful. He also said he was God, and I am quite sure he doesn't, or didn't depending on your beliefs, want us doing that. Especially when he gave us an explicit command to do what is kind and loving.

Some of you might argue that that is hypocrisy, but that is beside the point, either way Jesus didn't want us calling names.

It's not for you or Paula to tell me what to think as a christian. It's sanctimonious and holier than thou of you both to presume that. The scriptures can be quoted to prove or disprove anything, so don't be tedious with that either.

I'm no more proclaiming my own righteousness than if I were to say "murder is wrong" or "Jesus doesn't want you to murder".
I sincerely apologize if I seemed condescending. I merely wished to say that Jesus does want us to be loving. I don't, and can't, claim to be perfect or even better than average.

Serissa, good question..........Yes Jesus did, he was dealing with religious leaders who were misleading his people, these religious leaders knew better but were total hypocrites,so yeah he called them just that. As for Postperson, I find it hard to believe that you would call me or Tim_P sanctimonious or holier than thou, we were not attacking you, we as a matter of fact are on the same side as you, but you called someone a name, If I did that I would expect you, a brother in Christ to lovingly correct me, and believe me, if you hung out with me alot, you'd be doing that alot, yeah.........I NEED PRAYER, so I can't possibly be sanctimonious or holier than thou. In Matthew 5:44, and Romans 12:17-18 tells us how to treat others who persecute us for our beliefs, so thats what I was basing my comment on re: name calling, so please don't think I am against you, that wasn't it at all.

Let's get back to the original question about God creating the world and the universe. To answer the question for myself--after being a believer for a while, I came to the conclusion that the idea of God creating the earth and the universe made the most intellectual sense because the alternative doesn't make sense at all. There are two basic paradigms of origins in the world today. The first one, which can be called naturalism (with the theory of evolution as big part of it) basically argues that the world came about because of one big cosmic roll of the dice. It argues that we are here by chance and by accident, and that there was no objective purpose behind our being on this planet. The second view--intelligent design (with creationism playing a big part of it) argues that we are the product of a purposeful and intricate design. One of the analogies is that you can't have a clock without a clockmaker. It also goes further by arguing that this clockmaker designed the clock with a purpose in mind. The ultimate religious and philosophical question is--which view makes greater intellectual sense? For me the intelligent design-creationist view makes more sense.