Our deeper intuitions resonate with certain things. Is there a God, a creator and does he have rules?

It is God's rules and laws in his own universe that we all may or may not agree
with. Its not odd though that he would have them, and that at the end of time,
after all has been said and done that people may have to answer for those broken
laws.

This is God's own provision that is done before any of us came into being, and
that by ignoring cannot change what He has done. Therefore, our position is one
of responding the best we can with the knowledge we do have. Many try to best
know how to respond. Of course each of us here will differ on what is best
perhaps, but my guess is that on such a serious matter we will all do as we see
is best to do no matter what our worldview or religion.

I can only speak for me, and these are my thoughts. We can make a rough
situation worse by making the death of Jesus worth nothing for the ignoring of
it. The only thing worse than what we see (death and slavery from our own sins
and the cost to Jesus and His Father) is to mock the death of Jesus by ignoring
it and insisting on paying the price twice. Its needless waste of life and
especially if its just for pride and then all is still lost anyway.

When one thinks about it, one can see why God cannot ignore the ignoring of what
His own son chose to do, lay down his own life (his own words, and knowing and
trusting it was once for all and can raise it back up.) We can imagine the loss
to God as He is Father. If ever a parent, this loss seems only more acute in
trying to understand, but especially so in a totally perfect human being. Jesus
knew the cost and benefits both, and chose to proceed, and there was love
motivating Him I am sure of and He was not unaware of the Power. We don't know
of any "cost" to Jesus if he should say no, and He and His Father were one, and
the pain of Jesus was surely all the more painful to His Father. The reward,
that He is the name above all names forever and ever, and it is rightly owed,
and the relationship that cannot be imagined with the creation that wants it
also.

Lest I sound like I am totally defending something I don't altogether undertand,
please let me make it clear that I don't have all the answers, but I am trying
to respond to what I do see and know of the Creator of this Universe. I don't
know why God didn't come down as the Father and do this instead of Jesus. I
truly think HE knows best about what is best for all of us, and that He KNOWS
the path (unpleasant as it may be at times) to the best of all possible worlds.
If God is who he and Jesus say He is, then all things look as they should and
would to me in nature and humanity and every aspect of the universe. These
things cannot be made up, but seem to just "be".....and for a reason.

Leaving enough room to doubt for those insisting on doing so, seems a fair thing
to me, but also allowing for very good reasons for coming to a conclusion that
no better suggestion can be honestly given, for what "is and seems to be".
Relationship sought with a creation and all the incredibly complex details that
it entails comes often down to trust and faith in the things we DO see and know.
The not forcing on anyone, and yet the necessity of what we all seem to know is
true that true evil must be dealt with.

A God truly broken and cut to the core over his own Son's death may be be one
little way in which we can maybe begin to understand the severity of the
rejecting of the free gift to us that cost him literally everything. Thus,
rewarding those that follow and trust and love and accept as they can, and
punishing evil that has broken laws. We know in our own societies that to not
punish with a good judging system, true evil, that no good can be had by "the
law abiding citizens" that just want to work and have a good life. We should
expect no less by the laws and powers governing all of the Universe and all that
it entails, should we?

Our deepest intuitions seem to resonate as well with I think Jesus spoke of
about life and death and all things in between and the ever after. This my
understanding and my thoughts, and I try to respond even though I fall short. I
truly believe it is the hope and truth for all mankind, and the best route to
the best possible world.

This is admittedly long and rambling, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.
Ocean