Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,817 Year: 3,074/9,624 Month: 919/1,588 Week: 102/223 Day: 0/13 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Is God good?
1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 4 of 722 (660593)
04-27-2012 10:22 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by frako
04-27-2012 7:01 AM


Hello Frako,
The question how can a omnipotent and benevolent God allow evil is one of the oldest and most discussed philosophical contradictions in Christianity.
You could spend entire semesters in seminary
school on this one subject alone.
The first question on must answer is do you believe in the literal interpretation of the bible. I happen to know you are a atheist so in that context I will say the God of the bible is a collection of stories by bronze age jewish priest who for various reasons wrote these stories. The stories where packaged up and adopted by the Catholic church who maintained power until the Protestant reformation.
In order to fully understand the contradiction one must understand ancient levitical, mesoritic laws and jewish culture. Many of the fire and brim stone stories of the OT God of Israel began from ancient Babylonian myths ie: creation stories. The gods of Babylon had one in particular that was adopted named IL. A region known as edom had a god named Yahweh that was eventually adopted by the people of Israel. This God was all powerful and had no trouble conducting himself in the manner we know as the vengeful god of old. People back then understood that sin and not keeping the laws of Yaweh would bring the full wrath of this God upon them. The Musilim god Allah being one who maintains this bad temper and will put you to the fire if you do not abide the koran. It was the Christians who eventually soften the demeanor of God into one who is less vengeful, and culminating into man himself. A forgiving loving good God.
Whole point being all this literature was collected over centuries and spliced together. Reconciling these text are what makes for christian theology and redacting conflicting passages. So to answer your question is God good or bad I would answer that for you it is a moot point since you do not believe such a entity exist.
However, many Christians reconcile the contradiction by stating that God is not the storm, he is not the damage caused, He is the quiet after the storm, he is the peace that comes from the surviving the storm, the good will and hope in people, that is born from such tragedy.
All the above is a matter of personal opinion and has no basis in fact, so take it with a grain of salt.

"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by frako, posted 04-27-2012 7:01 AM frako has not replied

  
1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 384 of 722 (683530)
12-11-2012 3:00 PM
Reply to: Message 380 by New Cat's Eye
12-11-2012 2:50 PM


Re: Is God Good? & MAINSTREAM BASIC BIBLE CHRISTIANITY
Oh the contortions one must do to keep my faith and beliefs true.

"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs

This message is a reply to:
 Message 380 by New Cat's Eye, posted 12-11-2012 2:50 PM New Cat's Eye has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 386 by Faith, posted 12-11-2012 3:04 PM 1.61803 has replied

  
1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 400 of 722 (683551)
12-11-2012 3:40 PM
Reply to: Message 386 by Faith
12-11-2012 3:04 PM


Re: Is God Good? & MAINSTREAM BASIC BIBLE CHRISTIANITY
If you truly believe as you project in these threads, then you would know that evil people can not undermine a true faith and get away with it.
They merely let they're own piousness cannibalize their brethren.

"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs

This message is a reply to:
 Message 386 by Faith, posted 12-11-2012 3:04 PM Faith has not replied

  
1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 425 of 722 (683629)
12-12-2012 10:45 AM
Reply to: Message 421 by jaywill
12-12-2012 8:30 AM


Just don't hurt me
Hello Jaywill, Interesting discussion.
Do you feel that there is such a thing as a objective morality?
You have not explained well what is wrong with being sadistic anyway.
It is deriving pleasure at inflicting pain on another creature.......and yes there are creatures who like to have pain inflicted on them. And if the SM couple hook up and keep they're perversions to themselves bully for everyone.
But Sadism as most things has varying degrees. It is where "we" as a society place that line I feel is where morality comes into the equation. I place the line at causing pain to that which does not wish it so.

"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs

This message is a reply to:
 Message 421 by jaywill, posted 12-12-2012 8:30 AM jaywill has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 467 by jaywill, posted 12-14-2012 10:45 PM 1.61803 has seen this message but not replied

  
1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 435 of 722 (683696)
12-12-2012 3:43 PM
Reply to: Message 434 by jaywill
12-12-2012 3:26 PM


Good Godwin!
Oh there are plenty of quotes to support just any smear campaign one would care to employ invoking Godwins law.

"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs

This message is a reply to:
 Message 434 by jaywill, posted 12-12-2012 3:26 PM jaywill has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024