Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Not really. I was employing parody. If you were to simply call your "central source" the Aether we'd be a lot closer to agreement.Oopsies, set out to make humans but, damn, made it way too hot! Guess I'll wait 15 billion years or so,.. perhaps make a whole bunch of plants and other creatures to pass the time.. kill a bunch off now and then with volcanoes, big meteors, and stuff.. then really focus upon getting this so-called "Intelligent Design" of mine to somehow appear "Grand!" in retrospect...Oopsies, set out to make humans but, damn, made it way too hot!
oddly, you make that distinction too ... same as the desert idolators.
certainly the metaphysical forces combined to create a life that then evolved into separate beings, all those being the same. for certain - a design from a central source.
certainly the metaphysical forces combined to create a life that then evolved into separate beings, all those being the same. for certain - a design from a central source.
.Not really. I was employing parody. If you were to simply call your "central source" the Aether we'd be a lot closer to agreement.
Yep, we still disagree, but closer. In that, all wells end well in a well's end.I would ascribe a benign aether for the former and the latter an input entirely different as being centrally organized, decisions from the beginning for which both are essential for the life to exist.
Such fucking bullshit. Your shitty personal anecdotes are fucking useless.1. On the whole, people who don't believe in GOD tend to have very filthy mouths.
My mom (don't you talk about my mom!) used to make us literally wash our mouths out with soap. It's a real crime that until recently there'd be no need for me to add the word "literally" there. People used to take for granted that you generally meant what you said when you said something. It started with "literally" indicating emphasis. 'Whoa, I just literally stubbed the shit out of my toe!' Now no one just says what they mean for fear of not being taken seriously. 'Whoa, I just stubbed the shit out of my toe!' 'Yeah, right, and I bet your nail is hanging on by a thread.' No one even knows what literally means anymore. Literally!Such fucking bullshit. Your shitty personal anecdotes are fucking useless.1. On the whole, people who don't believe in GOD tend to have very filthy mouths.
And what exactly do burning crosses and hiding under sheets have to do with Biblical Christianity? Some people burn crosses down and some people have them torn down. I see no difference. Both are an attempt to silence the Message of Salvation that Christ brings as a free gift and bestows upon everyone (no matter their ethnicity) who will receive it.I don't see CHRISTIANITY as being in the forefront in any century. I do see satanic corruption of "religious" ideology as being front and center but certainly in no way do I see BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY as being harmful nor starting wars. Surely all the aborted babies (which one would seem to see as pure and innocent) are not dead because of CHRISTIAN ETHICS.I don't know how to say this in a "politically correct" way; however, it really needs to be said. Look over this thread. In fact, look over all the various threads thought this site. Several things I believe will stand out:
1. On the whole, people who don't believe in GOD tend to have very filthy mouths. Sorry, the facts speak for themselves. That doesn't mean that I've never used a choice word or two --- or three, but I must say, I've always felt/feel that it is not liberating but hurtful, demeaning and unkind. Since becoming a believer, I really want to help all people and not just a select clique of sophisticates who I'd want at my party. I actually feel bad whenever I insult someone, and I try very hard to respect everyone while obviously contrary/divergent in understanding this Creation.
2. For the most part, people who don't believe in GOD show a lack of respect for those that disagree with them. It isn't like --- well, " I don't agree with you but let's be friends anyway." It's more like "You're stupid and nothing you say is of any value ---- I want to bite your nose off. Tell me where you live, so I can blow up your house, or at the least drown you in the toilet." None of this makes me feel that what I believe is wrong. In fact, I makes me feel that I'm dealing with possessed people.
3. I heard Christians asked over and over to prove GOD exists. And yet the fact that average people who say they believe in the Bible generally are (at the very least) more forbearing, persistently kind in the face of adversity, and tolerant of what others think while still disagreeing. This simply is not the case of most non-believers unless it's on a one to one bases. But where there is a group of non-believers gathered around a Christian or two, they become ravenous wolves. This wouldn't be odd, except if GOD didn't exist, would not everyone pretty much behave in the same way and exhibit the same belligerence? Why should I care what you believe or think? What's it to me? But I in fact feel lead to persist and testify of what I believe to those who seem so blind to the obvious. I don't wish anyone to be able to say that no one told me.
4. I hear non-believers say again and again that there is no proof of GOD. And yet I know of multiple events in my own life that helped me, protected me, saved me from harm, and even confronted me when I was out of line ------- that are totally unexplainable from a position of "that's simply a coincidence..." I'd hate to imagine that atheists or agnostics here could say that they've lived their lives without anything unexplainable ever happening to them. That would be a boring life indeed. And yet I see such events as GOD's teaching method and trying to garner one's attention... Is it possible that anyone could be so hardened as to not perceive the obvious?.And yet I know of multiple events in my own life that helped me, protected me, saved me from harm, and even confronted me when I was out of line ------- that are totally unexplainable from a position of "that's simply a coincidence..."
what has that to do with a religion / book of forgeries and fallacies -
View attachment 358053
what of their fate.
name one century christianity has not been at the forefront of persecution and victimization of the innocent - all three desert religions.
of proof, where is yours the 1st century religious itinerant ever claimed to be a messiah..I don't see CHRISTIANITY as being in the forefront in any century.
denial is the tool of participation.
all three - biblical - desert religions have the same uninterrupted history since their beginnings ... that of christianity obliterating the events and message of the 1st century through forgeries and misrepresentation.
View attachment 358161
without the forgeries and fallacies written into their books are alleviated by the truly religious their demonic nature will remain as intended - sinner.
God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
And what exactly do burning crosses and hiding under sheets have to do with Biblical Christianity? Some people burn crosses down and some people have them torn down. I see no difference. Both are an attempt to silence the Message of Salvation that Christ brings as a free gift and bestows upon everyone (no matter their ethnicity) who will receive it.I don't see CHRISTIANITY as being in the forefront in any century. I do see satanic corruption of "religious" ideology as being front and center but certainly in no way do I see BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY as being harmful nor starting wars. Surely all the aborted babies (which one would seem to see as pure and innocent) are not dead because of CHRISTIAN ETHICS.I don't know how to say this in a "politically correct" way; however, it really needs to be said. Look over this thread. In fact, look over all the various threads thought this site. Several things I believe will stand out:
1. On the whole, people who don't believe in GOD tend to have very filthy mouths. Sorry, the facts speak for themselves. That doesn't mean that I've never used a choice word or two --- or three, but I must say, I've always felt/feel that it is not liberating but hurtful, demeaning and unkind. Since becoming a believer, I really want to help all people and not just a select clique of sophisticates who I'd want at my party. I actually feel bad whenever I insult someone, and I try very hard to respect everyone while obviously contrary/divergent in understanding this Creation.
2. For the most part, people who don't believe in GOD show a lack of respect for those that disagree with them. It isn't like --- well, " I don't agree with you but let's be friends anyway." It's more like "You're stupid and nothing you say is of any value ---- I want to bite your nose off. Tell me where you live, so I can blow up your house, or at the least drown you in the toilet." None of this makes me feel that what I believe is wrong. In fact, I makes me feel that I'm dealing with possessed people.
3. I heard Christians asked over and over to prove GOD exists. And yet the fact that average people who say they believe in the Bible generally are (at the very least) more forbearing, persistently kind in the face of adversity, and tolerant of what others think while still disagreeing. This simply is not the case of most non-believers unless it's on a one to one bases. But where there is a group of non-believers gathered around a Christian or two, they become ravenous wolves. This wouldn't be odd, except if GOD didn't exist, would not everyone pretty much behave in the same way and exhibit the same belligerence? Why should I care what you believe or think? What's it to me? But I in fact feel lead to persist and testify of what I believe to those who seem so blind to the obvious. I don't wish anyone to be able to say that no one told me.
4. I hear non-believers say again and again that there is no proof of GOD. And yet I know of multiple events in my own life that helped me, protected me, saved me from harm, and even confronted me when I was out of line ------- that are totally unexplainable from a position of "that's simply a coincidence..." I'd hate to imagine that atheists or agnostics here could say that they've lived their lives without anything unexplainable ever happening to them. That would be a boring life indeed. And yet I see such events as GOD's teaching method and trying to garner one's attention... Is it possible that anyone could be so hardened as to not perceive the obvious?.And yet I know of multiple events in my own life that helped me, protected me, saved me from harm, and even confronted me when I was out of line ------- that are totally unexplainable from a position of "that's simply a coincidence..."
what has that to do with a religion / book of forgeries and fallacies -
View attachment 358053
what of their fate.
name one century christianity has not been at the forefront of persecution and victimization of the innocent - all three desert religions.
of proof, where is yours the 1st century religious itinerant ever claimed to be a messiah..I don't see CHRISTIANITY as being in the forefront in any century.
denial is the tool of participation.
all three - biblical - desert religions have the same uninterrupted history since their beginnings ... that of christianity obliterating the events and message of the 1st century through forgeries and misrepresentation.
View attachment 358161
without the forgeries and fallacies written into their books are alleviated by the truly religious their demonic nature will remain as intended - sinner.
.And what exactly do burning crosses and hiding under sheets have to do with Biblical Christianity?
Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
God had to make those defects for them to appear in this universe. Or are you saying that god didn't create the whole universe? Or didn't know how it would play out?Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
"...Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults ; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! ..."
MOSES MAIMONIDES, THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Part 3, Chapter XII, Titled "Three Kinds of'Evil : (1) That caused by the Nature "of Man" ; (2) Caused by Man to Man ; (3) Caused by Man to himself" Page 267 - 272
If our existence was but a coincidence, what might be the odds of such a coincidence?
Which category does COVID-19 fall under?Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
"...Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults ; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! ..."
MOSES MAIMONIDES, THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Part 3, Chapter XII, Titled "Three Kinds of'Evil : (1) That caused by the Nature "of Man" ; (2) Caused by Man to Man ; (3) Caused by Man to himself" Page 267 - 272
The racist tower of babel story, of course. You have never actually read the bible, have you?And what exactly do burning crosses and hiding under sheets have to do with Biblical Christianity?
From Chapter XII:Which category does COVID-19 fall under?Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
"...Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults ; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! ..."
MOSES MAIMONIDES, THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Part 3, Chapter XII, Titled "Three Kinds of'Evil : (1) That caused by the Nature "of Man" ; (2) Caused by Man to Man ; (3) Caused by Man to himself" Page 267 - 272
Utter nonsense. So this world, with all its pain and suffering was the best thing a perfect and good being could come up with? Your bar is very low.From Chapter XII:Which category does COVID-19 fall under?Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
"...Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults ; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! ..."
MOSES MAIMONIDES, THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Part 3, Chapter XII, Titled "Three Kinds of'Evil : (1) That caused by the Nature "of Man" ; (2) Caused by Man to Man ; (3) Caused by Man to himself" Page 267 - 272
MEN frequently think that the evils in the world are more numerous than the good things; many sayings and songs of the nations dwell on this idea. They say that a good thing is found only exceptionally, whilst evil things are numerous and lasting. Not only common people make this mistake, but even many who believe that they are wise. Al-Razi wrote a well-known book On Metaphysics [or Theology]. Among other mad and foolish things, it contains also the idea, discovered by him, that there exists more evil than good. For if the happiness of man and his pleasure in the times of prosperity be compared with the mishaps that befall him,--such as grief, acute pain, defects, paralysis of the limbs, fears, anxieties, and troubles,--it would seem as if the existence of man is a punishment and a great evil for him. This author commenced to verify his opinion by counting all the evils one by one; by this means he opposed those who hold the correct view of the benefits bestowed by God and His evident kindness, viz., that God is perfect goodness, and that all that comes from Him is absolutely good. The origin of the error is to be found in the circumstance that this ignorant man, and his party among the common people, judge the whole universe by examining one single person. For an ignorant man believes that the whole universe only exists for him; as if nothing else required any consideration. If, therefore, anything happens to him contrary to his expectation, he at once concludes that the whole universe is evil. If, however, he would take into consideration the whole universe, form an idea of it, and comprehend what a small portion he is of the Universe, he will find the truth. For it is clear that persons who have fallen into this widespread error as regards the multitude of evils in the world, do not find the evils among the angels, the spheres and stars, the elements, and that which is formed of them, viz., minerals and plants, or in the various species of living beings, but only in some individual instances of mankind. They wonder that a person, who became leprous in consequence of bad food, should be afflicted with so great an illness and suffer such a misfortune; or that he who indulges so much in sensuality as to weaken his sight, should be struck With blindness! and the like. What we have, in truth, to consider is this:--The whole mankind at present in existence, and a fortiori, every other species of animals, form an infinitesimal portion of the permanent universe. Comp. "Man is like to vanity" (Ps. 144:4); "How much less man, that is a worm; and the son of man, which is a worm" (Job 25:6); "How much less in them who dwell in houses of clay" (ibid. 4:19); "Behold, the nations are as a drop of the bucket" (Isa. 40:15). There are many other passages in the books of the prophets expressing the same idea. It is of great advantage that man should know his station, and not erroneously imagine that the whole universe exists only for him. We hold that the universe exists because the Creator wills it so; that mankind is low in rank as compared with the uppermost portion of the universe, viz., with the spheres and the stars: but, as regards the angels, there cannot be any real comparison between man and angels, although man is the highest of all beings on earth; i.e., of all beings formed of the four elements. Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults: we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! Comp. "Is destruction his [work]? No. Ye [who call yourselves] wrongly his sons, you who are a perverse and crooked generation" (Deut. 32:5). This is explained by Solomon, who says, "The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord" (Prov. 19:3).
I explain this theory in the following manner. The evils that befall an are of three kinds:--
(1) The first kind of evil is that which is caused to man by the circumstance that he is subject to genesis and destruction, or that he possesses a body. It is on account of the body that some persons happen to have great deformities or paralysis of some of the organs. This evil may be part of the natural constitution of these persons, or may have developed subsequently in consequence of changes in the elements, e.g., through bad air, or thunderstorms or landslips. We have already shown that, in accordance with the divine wisdom, genesis can only take place through destruction, and without the destruction of the individual members of the species the species themselves would not exist permanently. Thus the true kindness, and beneficence, and goodness of God is clear. He who thinks that he can have flesh and bones without being subject to any external influence, or any of the accidents of matter, unconsciously wishes to reconcile two opposites, viz., to be at the same time subject and not subject to change. If man were never subject to change there could be no generation: there would be one single being, but no individuals forming a species. Galen, in the third section of his book, The Use of the Limbs, says correctly that it would be in vain to expect to see living beings formed of the blood of menstruous women and the semen virile, who will not die, will never feel pain, or will move perpetually, or will shine like the sun. This dictum of Galen is part of the following more general proposition:--Whatever is formed of any matter receives the most perfect form possible in that species of matter: in each individual case the defects are in accordance with the defects of that individual matter. The best and most perfect being that can be formed of the blood and the semen is the species of man, for as far as man's nature is known, he is living, reasonable, and mortal. It is therefore impossible that man should be free from this species of evil. You will, nevertheless, find that the evils of the above kind which befall man are very few and rare: for you find countries that have not been flooded or burned for thousands of years: there are thousands of men in perfect health, deformed individuals are a strange and exceptional occurrence, or say few in number if you object to the term exceptional,--they are not one-hundredth, not even one-thousandth part of those that are perfectly normal.
That would be your take away from that. Ignore the overwhelming good and define the rule through exception.Utter nonsense. So this world, with all its pain and suffering was the best thing a perfect and good being could come up with? Your bar is very low.From Chapter XII:Which category does COVID-19 fall under?Maimonides responds...No, god had to create cancer for it to exist in this universe, since god created everything in it, including Satan.God created a world without cancer. It was the result of the FALL that Satan was given a foothold to consume the earth with fear, hate, disease, destruction, violence, and death. Yes, some children do get cancer. And yet as a parent, while I'd want a healthy child, I rather have a loving and tender child for a short time then to have one who grew into a spiteful arrogant slob that didn't love anyone but himself and was consumed with problems which he brought upon himself.I wouldn't have deformed little kids or give them cancer, that's for sure.Instead of telling me what you wouldn’t have done can you tell me what you would have done and why?An intelligent designer wouldn't have put cancer and deformities... in an intelligent design.
"...Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults ; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! ..."
MOSES MAIMONIDES, THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
Part 3, Chapter XII, Titled "Three Kinds of'Evil : (1) That caused by the Nature "of Man" ; (2) Caused by Man to Man ; (3) Caused by Man to himself" Page 267 - 272
MEN frequently think that the evils in the world are more numerous than the good things; many sayings and songs of the nations dwell on this idea. They say that a good thing is found only exceptionally, whilst evil things are numerous and lasting. Not only common people make this mistake, but even many who believe that they are wise. Al-Razi wrote a well-known book On Metaphysics [or Theology]. Among other mad and foolish things, it contains also the idea, discovered by him, that there exists more evil than good. For if the happiness of man and his pleasure in the times of prosperity be compared with the mishaps that befall him,--such as grief, acute pain, defects, paralysis of the limbs, fears, anxieties, and troubles,--it would seem as if the existence of man is a punishment and a great evil for him. This author commenced to verify his opinion by counting all the evils one by one; by this means he opposed those who hold the correct view of the benefits bestowed by God and His evident kindness, viz., that God is perfect goodness, and that all that comes from Him is absolutely good. The origin of the error is to be found in the circumstance that this ignorant man, and his party among the common people, judge the whole universe by examining one single person. For an ignorant man believes that the whole universe only exists for him; as if nothing else required any consideration. If, therefore, anything happens to him contrary to his expectation, he at once concludes that the whole universe is evil. If, however, he would take into consideration the whole universe, form an idea of it, and comprehend what a small portion he is of the Universe, he will find the truth. For it is clear that persons who have fallen into this widespread error as regards the multitude of evils in the world, do not find the evils among the angels, the spheres and stars, the elements, and that which is formed of them, viz., minerals and plants, or in the various species of living beings, but only in some individual instances of mankind. They wonder that a person, who became leprous in consequence of bad food, should be afflicted with so great an illness and suffer such a misfortune; or that he who indulges so much in sensuality as to weaken his sight, should be struck With blindness! and the like. What we have, in truth, to consider is this:--The whole mankind at present in existence, and a fortiori, every other species of animals, form an infinitesimal portion of the permanent universe. Comp. "Man is like to vanity" (Ps. 144:4); "How much less man, that is a worm; and the son of man, which is a worm" (Job 25:6); "How much less in them who dwell in houses of clay" (ibid. 4:19); "Behold, the nations are as a drop of the bucket" (Isa. 40:15). There are many other passages in the books of the prophets expressing the same idea. It is of great advantage that man should know his station, and not erroneously imagine that the whole universe exists only for him. We hold that the universe exists because the Creator wills it so; that mankind is low in rank as compared with the uppermost portion of the universe, viz., with the spheres and the stars: but, as regards the angels, there cannot be any real comparison between man and angels, although man is the highest of all beings on earth; i.e., of all beings formed of the four elements. Man's existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults: we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! Comp. "Is destruction his [work]? No. Ye [who call yourselves] wrongly his sons, you who are a perverse and crooked generation" (Deut. 32:5). This is explained by Solomon, who says, "The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord" (Prov. 19:3).
I explain this theory in the following manner. The evils that befall an are of three kinds:--
(1) The first kind of evil is that which is caused to man by the circumstance that he is subject to genesis and destruction, or that he possesses a body. It is on account of the body that some persons happen to have great deformities or paralysis of some of the organs. This evil may be part of the natural constitution of these persons, or may have developed subsequently in consequence of changes in the elements, e.g., through bad air, or thunderstorms or landslips. We have already shown that, in accordance with the divine wisdom, genesis can only take place through destruction, and without the destruction of the individual members of the species the species themselves would not exist permanently. Thus the true kindness, and beneficence, and goodness of God is clear. He who thinks that he can have flesh and bones without being subject to any external influence, or any of the accidents of matter, unconsciously wishes to reconcile two opposites, viz., to be at the same time subject and not subject to change. If man were never subject to change there could be no generation: there would be one single being, but no individuals forming a species. Galen, in the third section of his book, The Use of the Limbs, says correctly that it would be in vain to expect to see living beings formed of the blood of menstruous women and the semen virile, who will not die, will never feel pain, or will move perpetually, or will shine like the sun. This dictum of Galen is part of the following more general proposition:--Whatever is formed of any matter receives the most perfect form possible in that species of matter: in each individual case the defects are in accordance with the defects of that individual matter. The best and most perfect being that can be formed of the blood and the semen is the species of man, for as far as man's nature is known, he is living, reasonable, and mortal. It is therefore impossible that man should be free from this species of evil. You will, nevertheless, find that the evils of the above kind which befall man are very few and rare: for you find countries that have not been flooded or burned for thousands of years: there are thousands of men in perfect health, deformed individuals are a strange and exceptional occurrence, or say few in number if you object to the term exceptional,--they are not one-hundredth, not even one-thousandth part of those that are perfectly normal.
There is no 'overwhelming' good, there is a continuum and everyone is somewhere on that spectrum, there are no exceptions. I have it really good, always have, but I know many who suffer every day. For some it is their bad choices, for some it is their bad luck.That would be your take away from that. Ignore the overwhelming good and define the rule through exception.So this world, with all its pain and suffering was the best thing a perfect and good being could come up with? Your bar is very low.
So you want God to do magical stuff for you, eh?
I pity you if you believe existence isn't overwhelmingly good.There is no 'overwhelming' good, there is a continuum and everyone is somewhere on that spectrum, there are no exceptions. I have it really good, always have, but I know many who suffer every day. For some it is their bad choices, for some it is their bad luck.That would be your take away from that. Ignore the overwhelming good and define the rule through exception.So this world, with all its pain and suffering was the best thing a perfect and good being could come up with? Your bar is very low.
So you want God to do magical stuff for you, eh?
As for the magical stuff? Yes! If God wants me to believe in him I think he owes me something that shows he is real. Moses got a burning bush. Jesus performed miracles. I don't ask for much, just something.
I couldn't careless if you believe in God or not.There is no 'overwhelming' good, there is a continuum and everyone is somewhere on that spectrum, there are no exceptions. I have it really good, always have, but I know many who suffer every day. For some it is their bad choices, for some it is their bad luck.That would be your take away from that. Ignore the overwhelming good and define the rule through exception.So this world, with all its pain and suffering was the best thing a perfect and good being could come up with? Your bar is very low.
So you want God to do magical stuff for you, eh?
As for the magical stuff? Yes! If God wants me to believe in him I think he owes me something that shows he is real. Moses got a burning bush. Jesus performed miracles. I don't ask for much, just something.
