Is the Christian God's love unconditional?

[Woolmark]

Ok, some questions which have been playing on my mind, I am genuinely interested.

Surely his love is on the condition that you are a) a Christian and b) follow his rules?

Also, if God loves everyone as much as he does, why can't he save everyone by simply appearing to them? If I could save my children by doing this then I would in an instant, rather than turning up at the end and destroying the ones who weren't Christian.

But if Christian belief includes the OT, Genesis marks the beginning.

and as for me making references to it. The people who created the christian church made it a spin off or sequel to the OT religion to give their new church a head start. You took the credit for what went on there so you have to take the bad with the good.

Joseph Smith did the same thing btw when he started the Mormons. He said 'Yeah the OT and NT are true and here I am with part 3 of the Trilogy'

capsium. You are confusing yourself. In any other context you'd see what I meant right away. Ask other Christians how it works.

If I started a stamp collecting club in 2012 we'd probably have stamps from 1960 but our club would still be only a year old. It wouldn't be 53 years old.

And David Icke thought there were reptilian humanoids in positions of power across humanity, but what has that, or any other religious belief, got to do with what I believe, as a Christian?

But if a earlier generation,who were a subsection of the club, had started in 1960, when was the club established?

Capsium I see you're not going to get it so talk to other christians about it. Christianity is 2,000 years old give or take a decade or two.

It's not a dig at christianity. You're the first person I've encountered who thought it was older. Well except for some KJVbible people who thought Jesus spoke english, but they don't count.

As for your other question I know you won't accept it but there is no difference between what paul & co did to make Christianity and what Joseph Smith did to make Mormonism.

I do get it! But it is not so straightforward.

Ms.miggens seemed to be laying claim to earlier accounts of the Tree of Life, so I thought what I said was relevant.

capsium- do some research on the tree of life, there are a multitude of references that predate christianity by thousands of years.

Back you are just describing your beliefs. As an atheist I thought you claimed you were without belief.

I thought you would name some of these ancient accounts ms.miggens.

Back although you are quite correct that there are no Christians in the old testament since Christians belive Jesus is part of the Godhead, part of the trinity, and as such has been alive since the begining of time, that may explain why some Christians may well talk of the Old Testament as being part of the Christian tradition. And Christians would see Jesus as being part of the creative force of God the father in the universe, so would see Jesus there right at the start of universe.

I totally agree back the Old Testament is very, very hard to reconcile. Like some other posters have said if you do not take it all as literally God telling people to do things then it makes a lot more sense.

Christians are involved in human rights campaining and humanitarian work etc. Would we really be doing all that if we thought killing babies and innocent people and rape was right? (Not directing this at anyone in particular)

Capsium: Atheism is a very specific 'non belief' and not being without belief entirely. That's ridiculous.

1919 why not Agnostic then?

Perhaps I should have said without religious belief in my earlier post?

Back you are just describing your beliefs actually I am not, but if you believe that your religion is the true one then I don't expect you to see any kind of parallel with other religions.

If I said name one difference between the births of mormonism and christianity you'd most likely say that jesus really was bringing god's word and Joseph smith wasn't.

They both stood on the shoulders of earlier religions so to speak.

Italiangreyhound yeah I see the cause of Capsium's confusion, but it's an odd way of looking at it and probably means that Jews never existed since they must have all been christians too. They just didn't know it.

I wonder how they'd feel about that? :)

Back I do see parallels. That does not mean my belief if the same as other religious beliefs.

I believe Christ was the (Jewish) Messiah. Some Jews did become Christians.

1919 not sure if you meant me then but I am without belief. Most religious people find that astonishing, but it's true.

What I have instead are facts or when facts are not available rough probabilities based on facts I do know and on experience.

Since experience is unreliable I have no 100% certainties and make do as best I can. So far it works much better than prayer.

Some Jews did become Christians. I didn't mean that. I meant that by your reckoning all the jews were Christians from the start since they worshiped the god you worship.

So there were never any Jews at all. I bet they will be pissed when they find out :)

Agnosticism is not simply the point in the middle between theism and atheism. Agnosticism is concerned about whether we can have knowledge of the existence of a God (to which they say 'I do not know') which I see as subtly different to believing or disbelieving in a God. I have met people who claim to be both agnostic and christian.

Personally I prefer the term 'infidel'.

I never said that back or reckoned it either. I don't know where you get that from. Of course I know not all Jews were Christians from the start.

Curiouser and curiouser..

capsium I was taking your claim that christianity stretches back to Genesis to it's logical conclusion. I was also having a bit of fun with you. Don't worry about it. :)