[jluetjen]

Originally posted by stuartj

How does the death of JC expunge mankind's sins?

It's not so much the death, as the resurrection and forgiveness that provides the expunging. But if God didn't allow himself (or in this case his human personage) to be killed -- the ultimate affront to a living being, then there wouldn't be any crime or sin worthy of the ultimate forgiveness. So without the death, there wouldn't be the forgiveness. Any other crime or sin is trivial by comparison, and would have resulted in a comparably trivial forgiveness.

Does God support human sacrifice?

In the physical sense, the Christian God does not require it as - for example - Baal did (to personify Baal for the sake of conversation). But at a personal level God does ask for sacrifice -- he wants us to sacrifice ourselves out of our love for others by - for example: charity, compassion and forgiveness -- all of which are forms of personal sacrifice. But does the Christian God require that people have their necks slit for him -- no.

Why does an omnipotent God need to do any of this?

I hardly know the mind of my wife, let along God! But the Bibles reports that God is a jealous god. That sounds like a good enough reason for me.

Why does He need us to worship Him?

See above.

The Holy Trinity- did god kill and resurect himself?

God did not kill himself -- people did by their own free will. God merely made himself available for the act by visiting us in the flesh.

And lets not start on start on free will. We'll need another thread,and Im in no mood for St Thomas Aquinas because its beer oclock.

PS: If you're ever in the Boston area, let me know and I'll buy you a Sam Adams. My German Lutheran background has a history discussing theology over a glass or two of good beer.