DJ White

Writer exploring Christian theology from a non-believer's perspective

Open to respectful conversations on any topic

[DJ White @DW2025X]

As a non-believer, I always found the Bible to be a hopelessly incoherent mess

After spending the last 18 months seriously studying it and having hundreds of conversations with Christians I'm still a non-believer

But, at long last, the Bible itself finally makes sense

Here's the principle that changed everything for me

The Glory Imperative
Simply put, the premise is this:
God’s supreme priority is the magnification of His own glory — to the exclusion of everything else. Human beings are merely a practical necessity in order for His attributes to be fully realized

This principle makes the pattern of events throughout the Bible not only understandable but also logically coherent

Under the Glory Imperative, the full scope of God can only be realized in a broken and fallen world — one where wrath, jealousy and vengeance can be displayed alongside “love”, grace and mercy. Having “fine-tuned” the universe to support life, God also created the specific conditions necessary for “sin” to be introduced through Man’s “fall”

He then populates that world with weak, helpless, incompetent beings since even a somewhat capable creation would be far less likely to stand in awe of Him or remain perpetually dependent

Every blessing, every judgment, every miracle and every silence serves the same singular purpose: to magnify the name of God in an eternal loop

The Glory Imperative assigns no moral judgment to this. It is merely a framework built to make sense of the available information

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@ihorace @TheExBeliever To think at what level would be pertinent
We would have to demonstrate that the creatures are being created out of "love" and not another motive (glorification, amusement, etc.)

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@anchoredso37497 Once you understand God is a glory-focused being, suffering and evil make perfect sense

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@ihorace @TheExBeliever I think the similarity is covered in the angels example

The type of specimen created would have a lot to do with the reason He is creating them in the first place

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@ihorace @TheExBeliever Minimal competence would be quite a few steps above "without me, you can do nothing"

Communication is also typically two-way so our hypothetical deity might pursue some form of that as well?

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@RRT5ON1996 @ion_eyes It is not easily verified but rather hotly contested

"Trust" means "believe" which is largely involuntary

You yourself said the faith must be given to you by a third party, I'm open to receiving it so what's next?

[DJ White @DW2025X]

That's fair but the chasm still warrants addressing

A fully realized, almost perfect human will still be light years away from the creator as well as the angels

For our hypothetical deity, I would suggest the creatures made "in His image" should be somewhat closer to angels in terms of their potential upside

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@Anyachi4ox To generate the faith He craves above all else (Hebrews 11:6)

His game His rules

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@holygabbana Seeing the way He interacts with some of His closest followers, boring would be a huge upgrade

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@OperHealAmerica Defeat is another word that Christians massage to their own ends

This is much more common than most people realize

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@GodlyAction I don't mind hearing it if you don't mind a respectful conversation about why I don't believe you

[DJ White @DW2025X]

Using the Christian God as an example, angels have specific advantages that human beings do not (intellect, strength, proximity, power, etc.)

Human by contrast are weak, stupid and incompetent so much so that our creator boasts we can "do nothing" of our own accord

The chasm in abilities is massive and IMO severely undercuts the notion of a genuine relationship being the goal

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@Theeocean_mab This is only true for Christians

and it's a shame

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@SolaSixMillion While I disagree strongly that God "loves" human beings, I do believe that He merely discards those that are of no use to Him rather than torment them

He shows no interest in torture anywhere in the canon

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@Thevine_ntwk I found out recently that this is FAR closer to the truth than even I expected

Arizona Christian University just put out a study that blew my mind about how few Christians are actually walking the talk

I knew the number was low but not THIS low

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@IthoughtiwasU Yup

[DJ White @DW2025X]

Divine thought of the Day:
What if God creates skeptics specifically for Hell in order to bolster the faith of believers?

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@motorbikemike13 Thank you for the comment

I agree about always questioning and learning
It's how I became a non-believer

[DJ White @DW2025X]

The inheritance refers to a tangible asset that can be easily verified and is subject to certain legal frameworks
The death of Jesus fails this test because of the elements of 'belief" and faith

Also, if faith is given by a third party, than is it logically incoherent to punish those who do not receive it since God Himself is in control of that process

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@JoeInfluencer The story of Job gives us clear evidence of what happens when His glory and our well-being conflict

Humanity is merely a mirror to serve His purpose

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@joshwhitlatch Here here

[DJ White @DW2025X]

@JoeInfluencer That is correct

Humans are His audience
Nothing more