[quote:2m1sgp0r]UD, you appear to believe that God is something like a human tyrant whose honour must be appeased before forgiveness can be granted. Is that true, or am I misreading you? I see God as a loving Father who will grant forgiveness to those who ask, which is quite different to your apparent view which sounds medieval and I had previously thought was a charicature of RC beliefs. I am a father myself (are you?) and if my son misbehaves I punish him, but not for the sakes of vengeance, not to appease my honour, but merely to teach him. If he is truly sorry he gets forgiven without my demanding ‘satisfaction’. If I am capable of such small mercies what more is God capable of. The onbly good punishment is a pedagogical punishment, vengeance is evil. If you believe God makes non-pedagogical punishments then I’m afraid your concept of God is not all good in my opinion. [/quote:2m1sgp0r]

If there is no need for temporal punishment, I ask again, WHY WAS DANIEL PUNISHED?