Bible "what-ifs" that you think about?

[JanetM]

For instance... Imagine if Judas had chosen to repent rather than hang himself? That would have been a riveting turn... Unless Judas was always "fated" to lose his place among the Apostles (Acts 1:20)?

Or what if Mother Mary, exercising her free will, had politely declined the angel? In that case, would someone else have been conceived without Original Sin and later asked the same question?

What if Adam and Eve had not sinned, but then one of their children, say Cain, sinned anyway? Would we have become a divided race, the golden children and the cursed?

What if King Saul had been loyal to God? Or perhaps, even if he had been true, a descendant of Judah was always destined to eventually rule when Saul's descendants (as even David's) were bound to turn from God?

What are some of your own "what-if" Bible thoughts?

[Dorothy B.]

It is my understanding that God sees the whole picture from beginning to end. So, He knew in advance Mary would say yes to be the Mother of the Redeemer. God is outside of time!

Perhaps someone can explain better than me...

Peace,

Dorothy

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I would say that God gave her such graces that she would be moved infallibly to accept.

[Dorothy B.]

That sounds right, Father Obi!

[JanetM]

It is my understanding that God sees the whole picture from beginning to end. So, He knew in advance Mary would say yes to be the Mother of the Redeemer. God is outside of time!

I would say that God gave her such graces that she would be moved infallibly to accept.

Naturally.

Perhaps not the word most would use, but it almost sounds like our Lady was "fated" to say yes... Who is in the mood for a discussion on the nature of fate at this hour? It's 4 AM where I am, and 8-11 PM over in the U.S. where most of you would be.

[JanetM]

C'mon, people. Has nobody else read the Bible and mused randomly on how things might have turned out differently?
Or is it just me with too much time?

[VeryTas]

C'mon, people. Has nobody else read the Bible and mused randomly on how things might have turned out differently?
Or is it just me with too much time?

What if Steven had toned down his testimony before the high priest's council so that Saul didn't keep up the persecution of Christians and so Christians got tolerated in Jerusalem and all died off when the place was destroyed.

[anawim]

Sorry, but I just don't believe in 'what if's'.

[gherkin]

Sorry, but I just don't believe in 'what if's'.

But what if you did?

[Doom]

Sorry, but I just don't believe in 'what if's'.

But what if you did?

That reminds me of a joke I made in graduate school. There was a weekly trivia game, and one of the questions I answered had the answer "multiverse". Someone said " I have never heard of the idea of a multiverse", and I said "Well imagine another universe exactly like our own in every way the only difference being that you know what a Multiverse is", everybody cracked up even though frankly I didn't think it was that funny. But hey, if the audience thinks the joke is funnier than you do, sit back and relish the laughter.