[Uucf-bible] Re: On Genesis 18:20-33

[Alicebjoem at aol.com]

Dear All,
    To me this story of Abraham and Sodom is a wonderful illustration of the 
fact that the ancient Hebrews did not try to think, as did the Greek 
philosophers, about abstract universals in a rigidly "logical" way.  Therefore, they 
never assigned to God qualities like omniscience and omnipotence.  So they never 
had to ask questions like, "How could God be God and not know?"  Or, "If God 
is unchanging, how could he change his mind?"
    The ancient Hebrews experienced - and proclaimed - the creative, 
sustaining, judging. re-creative and community-forming Power of Life as just, 
long-suffering, merciful and responsive.  God is just:  Do wrong and it'll cost you.  
God is long-suffering: The wonder is not that we pay the price of wrong, but 
that we get away with as much wrong and for as long as we do.  God is merciful: 
Life gives individuals and societies chance after chance after chance to heed 
to voices of generosity and right if there are any.  God is responsive:  
Reality-in-the-large, though not controlled by human longing, is interactive with 
us.
    For me, to say Yes to God is to see and be glad that all these things are 
true.
        Thine, Alice Blair Wesley