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From: Bill Steidtmann
Adam: Whadaya know for sure?
Bob: I’ve been thinking about the fall of Satan.
Adam: Was he pushed?
Bob: The good angel Lucifer rebelled, which turned him into Satan.
Adam: Wow, what are the odds? How could that have happened?
Bob: Free will. God respects free will.
Adam: When you say God “respects” it, you mean He submits even if His will is the exact opposite?
Bob: Yup.
Adam: Then why didn’t He submit to the will of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Bob: Because both wills are the same will of God even though they’re exactly opposite.
Adam: God can’t make up His mind, so He’s arguing with Himself?
Bob: Yup.
Adam: So, as long as there is free will, there exists a small probability that an individual could rebel and be lost, even though they are in Heaven?
Bob: It’s only a very small probability.
Adam: One in a trillion?
Bob: Smaller.
Adam: One in a quadrillion?
Bob: Sounds about right.
Adam: And if that happens, then that person is sent to Hell, where the probability of getting out is zero.
Bob: Yup.
Adam: You’re saying that Hell is permanent, and Heaven is an everlasting contingency.
Bob: Yes, it’s a one-way street.
Adam: And if each person in Heaven has, let’s say, one opportunity to rebel each day, and the probability of rebelling is one in a quadrillion, how long does it take, statistically speaking, to completely empty Heaven?
Bob: I guess a quadrillion days, more or less.
Adam: And if it’s more, then eternity will provide plenty of time to wait for it, until finally only God remains, alone and staring at the fire.
Bob: Well, he could always make more creatures.
Adam: And give them free will?
Bob: Of course. But you’re missing the fact that I’m smart enough not to rebel.
Adam: Smarter than Lucifer?
Bob: Much.
Adam: Just for the record, what’s your opinion of democracy?
Bob: It’s the best form of government.
Adam: And monarchy is the worst?
Bob: Absolutely. Death to tyrants!
Adam: Then it won’t take a quadrillion days for you to get kicked out. I’d give it a couple weeks, tops.
Bob: God will change me if need be.
Adam: And then respect you when you change back.
Bob: God loves us enough to let us drive off the Heavenly cliff into everlasting Hell.
Adam: I’m glad my parents didn’t have that kind of love. In the end, the logical conclusion of your theology and mine are exact opposites.
Bob: How so?
Adam: In your theology everyone is eventually lost, with no possibility of being saved, in spite of Jesus Christ’s best efforts, while God looks on. In my theology, everyone is eventually saved, with no possibility of being lost, as a direct result of Jesus Christ’s best efforts, with God in full control.
Bob: I guess we won’t know until we get to Heaven.
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