Zone1 The Problem of Evil

[The Sage of Main Street]

then just let nature take it's course.

Grammar Heretics

God created the apostrophe and the diabolical Netrix turned it into an apocalypse.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Sure about that?

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25:14-30 - English Standard Version

The Parable of the Talents - “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at...

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Matthew Invented the Sweatshop

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Only if you think he would have been a Republican.

Left and Right: Two Wings of the Same Prep School

Since Jesus inherited his Daddy's power, he can be blamed for establishing the Richkid Reich.

 

[The Irish Ram]

So God punished the innocent to punish the guilty? Well it wouldn't be the only time.

God removed their access to the tree of life, but did He punish Adam and Eve or did He cover their sins and remain with them?

 

[Meriweather]

From the Book of Meriweather?

As I said...Rabbinical commentary throughout the years. As far as the rest of your post...shrug. I had the same questions and most were answered by Rabbinical commentary. I was puzzled by the differences of what I new of God and how he was presented in the Old Testament. Learning about the Hebrew language, history, and culture from Rabbis and scholars and I learned they know the same loving God of my own experience.

Still, there are those who are determined to see God as villain rather than seeking to actually know him. Their loss and enough said.

 

[The Irish Ram]

My answer is the Creator is a non-intervening "God". He created life and set the initial conditions and then just let nature take it's course. Simple as that.

But, the Bible has God hands on from the beginning to the return of Christ.

 

[ding]

On the contrary, the universe is exactly the way it has to be based on natural laws.


People have tried to weigh the soul and found it to be zero. Flesh appears to be all there is.


I think I understand life as well as anyone, but it is you who seem struggle with my sense of right and wrong, not me.

You mean like being created according to the laws of nature which are fine tuned for life?

I couldn't be happier for you to believe you have no soul.

Every argument you make shows you believe in absolute truth and absolute morals even if you don't believe it does.

 

[ding]

Matthew Invented the Sweatshop

That's nice.

 

[surada]

But, the Bible has God hands on from the beginning to the return of Christ.

God wouldn't make so many errors and contradictions.

 

[Crepitus]

Left and Right: Two Wings of the Same Prep School

Not even close my friend.

 

[alang1216]

God removed their access to the tree of life, but did He punish Adam and Eve or did He cover their sins and remain with them?

I thought mortality and birthing pain were part of the deal? Sounds like punishment of their innocent descendants. No?

 

[alang1216]

As I said...Rabbinical commentary throughout the years. As far as the rest of your post...shrug. I had the same questions and most were answered by Rabbinical commentary. I was puzzled by the differences of what I new of God and how he was presented in the Old Testament. Learning about the Hebrew language, history, and culture from Rabbis and scholars and I learned they know the same loving God of my own experience.

Still, there are those who are determined to see God as villain rather than seeking to actually know him. Their loss and enough said.

If he is not evil he is certainly harsh:

God himself has brought suffering on the people in order to get them to turn back to him. This is stated in a series of divine laments in Amos 4:6-12. God indicates that he brought famine, to try to get the people to repent: “yet you did not return to me”; he brought a serious drought: “yet you did not return to me”; he destroyed their crops with blight and mildew and locusts: “yet you did not return to me”; he brought an epidemic and military defeat: “yet you did not return to me.” And since they have failed to return to him, despite everything that he has tried to do in order to get them to sit up and take notice, the outcome will be dire: “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (6:12)​

 

[alang1216]

You mean like being created according to the laws of nature which are fine tuned for life?

For life, for radiation, for gravity, for quantum foam, for everything in the universe. Life is a tiny part at best.

I couldn't be happier for you to believe you have no soul.

I happy that you're happy.

Every argument you make shows you believe in absolute truth and absolute morals even if you don't believe it does.

Absolute truth, yes, absolute morals, nope.

 

[ding]

For life, for radiation, for gravity, for quantum foam, for everything in the universe. Life is a tiny part at best.


I happy that you're happy.


Absolute truth, yes, absolute morals, nope.

Wat does being a tiny part have to do with anything?



Morals are standards. Standards are based upon logic. Logic is absolute.

 

[MarathonMike]

But, the Bible has God hands on from the beginning to the return of Christ.

I have my own beliefs that are probably closer aligned to Judaism or Native American beliefs.

 

[The Irish Ram]

I thought mortality and birthing pain were part of the deal? Sounds like punishment of their innocent descendants. No?

Those are consequences of Adam and Eve's actions, not punishment from God. They weren't in Eden anymore...

 

[alang1216]

Wat does being a tiny part have to do with anything?

Of the Solar System's eight planets and its eight most likely dwarf planets, six planets and six dwarf planets are known to be orbited by at least 299 natural satellites, or moons. So far as we know only one has life. That is 0.03%. Not many in a universe geared to life.

Morals are standards. Standards are based upon logic. Logic is absolute.

If that were true, why are morals different between cultures and times?

 

[Meriweather]

If he is not evil he is certainly harsh:
God himself has brought suffering on the people in order to get them to turn back to him. This is stated in a series of divine laments in Amos 4:6-12. God indicates that he brought famine, to try to get the people to repent: “yet you did not return to me”; he brought a serious drought: “yet you did not return to me”; he destroyed their crops with blight and mildew and locusts: “yet you did not return to me”; he brought an epidemic and military defeat: “yet you did not return to me.” And since they have failed to return to him, despite everything that he has tried to do in order to get them to sit up and take notice, the outcome will be dire: “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (6:12)

Hatred of God should not be so intense that one closes ones ears and mind to what Rabbi's have said, which in essence, man's actions have consequences. Secondly, when hardships happened, the people in Biblical times took the opportunity to assess their own behaviors in both good times and bad. In good times, there is the luxury of having leisure to focus on parties, good times, and independent ways that please self at the expense of what pleases God. In bad times...people turn to God--and to better behavior.

Try looking at the Bible as a treatise on human behavior and psychology. When humans do this, these are the consequences. When humans do that, those are the consequences. It is no different from when humans jump off a high place, gravity pulls them down. When humans control fire, they can stay warm during cold times.

Our ancestors--of whom many dismiss as being ignorant and superstitious--knew more about humanity than we do today. The beauty of the Bible is that those who have no belief in God can easily dismiss him. The good and bad that falls upon mankind is no different from the annual change in seasons. In this season, these things happen. In that season, those things happen. No God needed, these things are the result of the earth spinning and orbiting around the sun. When mankind does this, these are the result; when mankind does that, those are the results. No God needed. And there goes your villain into non-existence.

 

[surada]

Those are consequences of Adam and Eve's actions, not punishment from God. They weren't in Eden anymore...

Muslims think Adam and Eve were separated for 130 years. During that time Adam shacked up with Lilith and she gave birth to demons. Then God forgave Adam and Eve and they were reunited. Eve eventually died and was buried in Jeddah.

They don't believe in original sin.

Judaism rejects the idea of original sin: it believes that humans enter the world pure, with the ability to choose either good or evil via their free will. A person always has the power to avoid sin and its negative effects. Due to free will, goodness is not impossible, only difficult at times.

 

[alang1216]

Those are consequences of Adam and Eve's actions, not punishment from God. They weren't in Eden anymore...

An neither are we, what did we do to deserve that?