Actually, the way I was reading the dialogue is not as being spoken in the Garden, but presently. The command "be fruitful and multiply" was actually spoken in Scripture three times (making it an emphatic command) and still speaks to us today.
I take Rev. Daub's revealing dialogue to be in the ears of every married couple today. I hear it in my mind quite frequently. The competing sentiments convict me of my sinfulness on this issue, even though I practice no overt methods of family planning.
Think of this like the devil and the angel you sometimes see depicted on the opposing shoulders of a cartoon character giving conflicting advice into his ears.
I agree with your point that putting words in the devil's mouth "can make almost anything sound instantly discreditable."
That has me questioning how helpful the entire practice is. It is too easy to use it illegitimately, and it is possibly too difficult for many of those who do to understand what makes it so. So for once I am with you.
...except for the fact that I do not advocate the "as much as you can" viewpoint which Eric likes to attach to our position.
Put my true argument into Satan's mouth and it will make him look like a clown, because he cannot advocate God's perfect will.
Nevertheless, you are correct that all such arguments are no substitute for the Word of God, which you must remember is just as abused as Eric has made the posted dialogue.
"...except for the fact that I do not advocate the 'as much as you can' viewpoint which Eric likes to attach to our position."
I agree that you don't advocate a _logically consistent_ version of it, in that you are very concerned about sperm-murder among the married, but not at all among the unmarried (or even among the married, during infertile days), and in that you allow husbands and wives to miss sex on a fertile day, but not if this miss is even slightly, sub-consciously motivated by the fear of having more children.
However, given those exceptions where you have chosen to allow practical considerations to bend the logic of your position (which otherwise you insist on strictly), you do say that we must be as fruitful as we can be.
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Wasn't Satan's actual reply, "I've gotta kill 'em before they have the chance!"
Hi Vicar Lehman!
Actually, the way I was reading the dialogue is not as being spoken in the Garden, but presently. The command "be fruitful and multiply" was actually spoken in Scripture three times (making it an emphatic command) and still speaks to us today.
I take Rev. Daub's revealing dialogue to be in the ears of every married couple today. I hear it in my mind quite frequently. The competing sentiments convict me of my sinfulness on this issue, even though I practice no overt methods of family planning.
Think of this like the devil and the angel you sometimes see depicted on the opposing shoulders of a cartoon character giving conflicting advice into his ears.
Caspar
For Adam and Eve, there obviously wasn't going to be a better time. For the rest of us, there sometimes is.
In other news, I've decided I like this new invent-yer-own-dialogue form of making a point. So now I present my own:
God: "Be fruitful and multiply."
Satan: "And that means AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN."
Funny how one can make almost anything sound instantly discreditable by having the devil say it.
Eric P.,
I agree with your point that putting words in the devil's mouth "can make almost anything sound instantly discreditable."
That has me questioning how helpful the entire practice is. It is too easy to use it illegitimately, and it is possibly too difficult for many of those who do to understand what makes it so. So for once I am with you.
...except for the fact that I do not advocate the "as much as you can" viewpoint which Eric likes to attach to our position.
Put my true argument into Satan's mouth and it will make him look like a clown, because he cannot advocate God's perfect will.
Nevertheless, you are correct that all such arguments are no substitute for the Word of God, which you must remember is just as abused as Eric has made the posted dialogue.
Caspar
God: "Be fruitful and multiply."
Satan: "Yes, trust God's judgment on this matter."
See what I mean?
Caspar claims,
"...except for the fact that I do not advocate the 'as much as you can' viewpoint which Eric likes to attach to our position."
I agree that you don't advocate a _logically consistent_ version of it, in that you are very concerned about sperm-murder among the married, but not at all among the unmarried (or even among the married, during infertile days), and in that you allow husbands and wives to miss sex on a fertile day, but not if this miss is even slightly, sub-consciously motivated by the fear of having more children.
However, given those exceptions where you have chosen to allow practical considerations to bend the logic of your position (which otherwise you insist on strictly), you do say that we must be as fruitful as we can be.
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