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Hey girlies! [[ and guys... if any read. ;) ]]

I wrote this as a reply to one of the sisterhood girls on the thread "too young what happens?" under spiritual. I'd advise all of you to check it out! It's a very interesting thread. :) It's on susiemagazine.com under sisterhood, under forums.

So I was replying to a girl who was arguing for predestination. She had some very good points, but here was my reply:

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To the girl who believes in Calvinism:

You believe in predestination, right?

Well, if you believe in predestination, that means that if there is one little girl in Africa who is destined to go to heaven, all of the missionaries can just say "oh well. she's going to heaven anyway. I don't need to do anything about it."

Is that what God wants us to do?

the answer is obvious. NO. But, if we believe in predestination, our argument is valid. We dont' have to do anything at all! We can all sit at our computer screens and watch videos of stars and singers dancing around on a stage all day--completely forgetting about the people who need our help. If we believe in predestination, we are not able to help, and missions are useless.

Also, if we believe in predestination, we believe in a God who picks and chooses who gets to enjoy eternal life with him in heaven. He sorts through all the people and sees who's worthy.

sounds like those annoying girls who put you down every day at school, doesn't it?

But God is NOT LIKE THAT. It says in the Bible that no one has an excuse for not knowing God. That means that no matter what, someone can become a Christian.

God is a just, fair, loving God. He isn't a God who looks at someone and says "I think I'll let them burn in Hell, even if they try and find me."

To be honest, that's what predestination says that God is thinking.

Also, there are two different versions of predestinations. I'm going to clarify right now what I mean by "predestination," and what I think you mean. (they're the same)

The first way of saying predestination means that God knows your every move, your every thought, your every word before you even say it. He planned you from the beginning, but you sill have free will in your life. He simply knows what choice your going to make before you make it. (which gets into more theological discussions like "but then do we really have free will?" But that's beyond the point)

The second point is that you have no control over your life. No matter what you do, you couldn't help it, and you're either going to heaven or hell. You can't control it. So if you're a "good" person, and you try and help everyone in the world, but you're predestined to go to Hell, there's nothing you can do about it.

I'm talking about the second one.

A just God does NOT send people to hell without giving them a chance. A just God sends people to heaven if they find him, and gives everyone an even chance.

Our God is just, loving, kind, and compassionate. He does not send people to Hell without them choosing their path. He urges us to choose the narrow road, and that the wide road will only lead to death and destruction.

why would he warn us if we had no choice over our lives? Why would he warn us if he had already programmed us, like his little robots?

He wouldn't.

It's not logical.

To sum everything up, here's the whole thing in a simple syllogism :

If we believe in predestination, we believe that no one has a choice in whether they are condemned to suffer in hell or not

However, we know that God is a just God, and we know that a just God gives everyone a choice, as does our God in multiple places in the Bible.

Therefore, everyone must have a choice whether they enter heaven or hell at the end of their life because our God is a just God.

BeCcA

(And I have Bible references to back up every single thing I said. )

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What are your thoughts? Please tell me! I love debating, and I'm open to learn more about my heavenly father. :)

BeCcA