I can stand the pacifists like Tolstoi, but leftist contextless abuse of the Bible to beat it into some hippy nonsense gets my hackles up. I need to stop reading this thread, as I already have enough temptations to wrath as it is.
For the Kingdom of God is not something we will look at and say 'Lo! behold, there it is!' The Kingdom of God is of peace, love and joy in the Holy Spirit.
By these words, progressivenerdgirl, we see that the Kingdom of God does not flourish by laws, decrees, isms, or certain letter, but by the aforementioned qualities being held above that of perceived freedom, the need for violence, condemnation, anger, wrath, retaliation, hatred, dishonesty, hopelessness, unfair demand, spite, jealousy and all other manner of iniquity by which the human race is guilty.
Only when the mind is focused on the practice of love, patience, kindness, compassion, faith, hope, charity, forgiveness, meekness, humility and peace, can 'Be it on earth as it is in heaven', be realised as it is intended.
However we know that not every soul can inherit and understand such focus. And our God has held his son as ransom for this reason.
Yet I would rather come to God humble, allowing others passage before me, and saying 'I tried God, yet I understand I am no better than your enemy, because of this; In Adam all die, yet so as in Jesus all will live. Thank you'
Question; will there be guns in heaven?