Looking for answers to my questions

[Compassionist]

Thank you for reading my post. I am looking for reliable answers to the following questions:

1. How can we know that anything is true?
2. What is the best method to know something is true?
3. If God is real and good, why didn't God prevent all suffering, unfairness and deaths by making all living things equally all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful?
4. If God is real and good, why is the Bible full of God's atrocities? https://www.evilbible.com/ and http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/
5. How do I know that you and all other living things except me are not philosophical zombies? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_zombie
6. How do I know solipsism is true or false? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solipsism
7. How do I know that I am or am not living in a simulation? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_hypothesis
8. How can living things have free will given the determining effects of our genes, environments, nutrients and experiences?
9. Are all of the choices made by living things the inevitable outcome of the unique interactions between their genes, environments, nutrients and experiences?
10. If all our choices are inevitable, then, how can we be responsible for making them?
11. How can it be right to reward or punish an organism for making inevitable choices?
12. If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, does that make God omniculpable?
13. If God is omniculpable, how should God punish God?
14. The Bible claims God predestined our lives https://www.openbible.info/topics/predestination If that is true, then, how is it fair of God to send some to Heaven and some to Hell?
15. Christians believe that humans are immortal souls who go to either Heaven or Hell depending on whether we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour or not. How do we know that we are immortal souls?
16. Are non-human organisms immortal souls also?
17. How do we know which organisms are immortal souls and which are not?
18. According to Hinduism, the world of our sensory perception is an illusion. How can we know if this is true or false?
19. C. S. Lewis claimed in "Mere Christianity" that Jesus is either a liar or a lunatic or the Lord. There is a fourth option - Jesus is a fictional character. How can I prove that Jesus was what the Bible claims?
20. Who wrote each of the books of the Bible?
21. How do we know who wrote each of the books of the Bible?
22. When were each of the books of the Bible written?
23. How do we know when each of the books of the Bible was written?
24. Why does the Catholic Bible differ from the Protestant Bible?
25. According to Jainism, there is no Creator God. Jains believe in not harming sentient beings and are therefore either strict vegetarian or vegan. Jainism is much more peaceful than Christianity. Jains have never colonised and enslaved and mass murdered and forcibly mass converted many people the way Christians and Muslims did. How can anyone defend Christianity or Islam to be more ethical than Jainism?
26. I want all living things to exist without consuming anything. As I am not all-powerful, I can't make this happen. Why would a good God create living things that kill and consume other sentient and non-sentient living things?
27. Scientists estimate that 99.9% of all the species to evolve so far on Earth are already extinct. Why didn't God save all these species?
28. Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." - John 14:12, The Bible (New International Verson). If the Bible is true, then Christians should be resurrecting the dead, turning water to wine, calming storms, healing the sick, etc. Why don't Christians do even greater works than Jesus?
29. Why hasn't Jesus returned yet?
30. Why doesn't God directly communicate with all of us publicly and incontrovertibly? This would prevent all the conflicts between the followers of different denominations and different religions in terms of establishing the existence and nature and wishes of God so I don't understand why God doesn't do it all the time.
31. Hinduism claims that living things are immortal souls that reincarnate based on karma earned through actions and inactions in a past life. How do I know if this is true or false?
32. Do non-human sentient organisms go to Heaven or Hell?
33. Do non-human non-sentient organisms go to Heaven or Hell?
34. What determines who goes to Heaven or Hell?
35. How do we know that Heaven and Hell exist?
36. How can I trust the Bible given all the inaccuracies and contradictions?
37. Different countries have different laws. How do I know which laws are ethical and which are unethical?
38. How do I know what is morally right and what is morally wrong?

[JoeyKnothead]

From the OP:

Ain't this the aisle for ten items or less?

OP, I propose you try to clump all them questions into their respective clods, then throw em out that way.

But, in general, we can't really know we ain't nothing more'n a simulation - cept to note that in this simulation stubbing your toe on the coffee table leg has all the qualities of real physical and emotional pain.

[1213]

Thank you for reading my post. I am looking for reliable answers to the following questions:

Why?

3. If God is real and good, why didn't God prevent all suffering, unfairness and deaths by making all living things equally all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful?

Because people wanted to know evil. That is the reason why people were expelled to this first death to learn what evil truly means.

4. If God is real and good, why is the Bible full of God's atrocities? https://www.evilbible.com/ and http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

I don’t think God does any wrong things.

8. How can living things have free will given the determining effects of our genes, environments, nutrients and experiences?

Free will means one can want freely what ever he wants. It does not mean everything goes also as person wants. I can’t explain how I have free will, but I am sure I have free will. No one is wanting things on my behalf. Don’t you have free will, is someone else ordering you to like something that you don’t like?

12. If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, does that make God omniculpable?

No. God is only responsible of his own actions, not yours or my.

14. The Bible claims God predestined our lives https://www.openbible.info/topics/predestination If that is true, then, how is it fair of God to send some to Heaven and some to Hell?

God has predestined righteous into life, but it is persons own choice what he wants to be. God does not order anyone to be evil and unrighteous.

15. Christians believe that humans are immortal souls who go to either Heaven or Hell depending on whether we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour or not. How do we know that we are immortal souls?

Bible tells that some are destroyed, body and soul in hell. That is why I think the idea of immortal souls is not correct.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 10:28

….How can anyone defend Christianity or Islam to be more ethical than Jainism?

Bible tells “love your enemies” Mat. 5:44-45. If Christians don’t live according to the teachings, it is not fault of Christianity.

27. Scientists estimate that 99.9% of all the species to evolve so far on Earth are already extinct. Why didn't God save all these species?

Why should I believe that 99.9% claim?

29. Why hasn't Jesus returned yet?

Jesus said:

This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matt. 24:14

Obviously, that has not yet happened.

30. Why doesn't God directly communicate with all of us publicly and incontrovertibly?

Probably because there is no good reason for that.

34. What determines who goes to Heaven or Hell?

Bible tells it is righteousness.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

36. How can I trust the Bible given all the inaccuracies and contradictions?

There is “inaccuracies and contradictions” only if you have misunderstood it, or you have wrong “facts”.

38. How do I know what is morally right and what is morally wrong?

By:
Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Matt. 7:12

As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.
Luuk. 6:31

In other words, don’t do others what you don’t want to be done to you. For example, if you don’t want to others to do something against your will, don’t do others something against their will. That is how you can learn what is right. And perhaps right should be understood as a warrant to do something, not as correct. Whatever right you take to yourself, you give also to others, because there is no logical way to say that you only have that right, not others.

[nobspeople]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #1]

1 - You can't
2 - Testing it scientifically
3 - It was his plan for it to turn out like this all along. Or he's incompetent
4 - According to the bible, God was before all things and as such, this means evil/bad came from him as well
5 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
6 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
7 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
8 - You'll have to define the term 'free will' here
9 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
10 - Have you proven they're inevitable?
11 - It's not
12 - Yes
13 - That would be nice, but pointless IMO
14 - It's not
15 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
16 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
17 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
18 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
19 - You can't, unless you can test it scientifically
20 - Various people, it's reported. Moses, for one, is attributed to several books. But we don't know, unless you can test it scientifically
21 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
22 - It's reported various dates for various books
23 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
24 - Catholicism and Protestantism have distinct views on the meaning and the authority of the Bible. ... Catholics, on the other hand, do not base their beliefs on the Bible alone. Along with the Holy Scripture, they are additionally bound by the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.
25 - Anyone can defend anything they want. Rather or not that defense is legitimate or not is another question
26 - Some say this wasn't the case until 'man' 'jacked up' God's all perfect plan.
27 - God seems to be a jerk much of the time
28 - Because those are simply stories, not reality
29 - Some say he has. But we don't know for sure, unless he's not real
30 - Some say he does. Others claim he doesn't. So there's no real good answer
31 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
32 - Would seem likely, unless one adheres to the 'people are better than everything else' concept
33 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
34 - You don't, unless you can test it scientifically
35 - No one knows
36 - You can't
37 - You have to make this determination on your own
38 - You have to make this determination on your own

[Compassionist]

[Replying to 1213 in post #3]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You asked me why I want to know the answers to my questions. I have two reasons: 1. I am curious about the true nature of reality. 2. I want to live ethically. I have studied the top 12 religions. I have also studied teachings by various philosophers. After all of my studying and research, I have concluded that it is impossible to know the true nature of reality unless one is all-knowing, which I am not. In terms of ethics, I am a pacifist vegan egalitarian. I am not convinced that the Bible is true and ethical. I am also not convinced that the Biblical God is real and good. It's possible that the Biblical God is evil and real given His failure to prevent all suffering, unfairness and deaths. It's also possible that the Biblical God is evil and imaginary. I don't know for sure.

By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

[Compassionist]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #4]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You answered question 10 with a question. My answer is that I don't know yet. I need to know the answer to question 9 first which I don't know for sure.

You asked me to define free will. By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

[nobspeople]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #4]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You answered question 10 with a question. My answer is that I don't know yet. I need to know the answer to question 9 first which I don't know for sure.

You asked me to define free will. By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

Much of your questions can't be answered with anything other than science (or answered in a scientific manner). So you're left with two options:
# 1) test them all scientifically or in a scientific manner. This could be lengthily and expensive. If you have the means, I say 'go for it!'. If not, you're left with option #2
# 2) rely on your own, personal belief (however it comes to you).

I've found, for some (maybe even most) of humanity, they care less about proof than what makes sense to them, individually. Sometimes, people even refuse proof in light of it changing their belief and or belief system (1+1=2? No. I believe 1+1= 3, for example).

So you need to decide what kind of person you are. Are you the one that will go to all lengths to find your answers, or are you the type that finds something they believe to be one way, and ignore any potential proof to the contrary?
Once you identify which type of person you are, then you can set out for your answers.

[Compassionist]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #4]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You answered question 10 with a question. My answer is that I don't know yet. I need to know the answer to question 9 first which I don't know for sure.

You asked me to define free will. By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

Much of your questions can't be answered with anything other than science (or answered in a scientific manner). So you're left with two options:
# 1) test them all scientifically or in a scientific manner. This could be lengthily and expensive. If you have the means, I say 'go for it!'. If not, you're left with option #2
# 2) rely on your own, personal belief (however it comes to you).

I've found, for some (maybe even most) of humanity, they care less about proof than what makes sense to them, individually. Sometimes, people even refuse proof in light of it changing their belief and or belief system (1+1=2? No. I believe 1+1= 3, for example).

So you need to decide what kind of person you are. Are you the one that will go to all lengths to find your answers, or are you the type that finds something they believe to be one way, and ignore any potential proof to the contrary?
Once you identify which type of person you are, then you can set out for your answers.

As far as I know, it is impossible to test some ideas scientifically e.g. the solipsism hypothesis, the simulation hypothesis and the illusion hypothesis. I have not found any scientific method which can test these three ideas robustly. If you can devise any scientific method for testing these three ideas accurately, please let me know. In terms of daily living, I am a pacifist vegan egalitarian. I am agnostic regarding the existence and the nature of all deities.

[nobspeople]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #4]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You answered question 10 with a question. My answer is that I don't know yet. I need to know the answer to question 9 first which I don't know for sure.

You asked me to define free will. By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

Much of your questions can't be answered with anything other than science (or answered in a scientific manner). So you're left with two options:
# 1) test them all scientifically or in a scientific manner. This could be lengthily and expensive. If you have the means, I say 'go for it!'. If not, you're left with option #2
# 2) rely on your own, personal belief (however it comes to you).

I've found, for some (maybe even most) of humanity, they care less about proof than what makes sense to them, individually. Sometimes, people even refuse proof in light of it changing their belief and or belief system (1+1=2? No. I believe 1+1= 3, for example).

So you need to decide what kind of person you are. Are you the one that will go to all lengths to find your answers, or are you the type that finds something they believe to be one way, and ignore any potential proof to the contrary?
Once you identify which type of person you are, then you can set out for your answers.

As far as I know, it is impossible to test some ideas scientifically e.g. the solipsism hypothesis, the simulation hypothesis and the illusion hypothesis. I have not found any scientific method which can test these three ideas robustly. If you can devise any scientific method for testing these three ideas accurately, please let me know. In terms of daily living, I am a pacifist vegan egalitarian. I am agnostic regarding the existence and the nature of all deities.

Then it seems you already have your answers. Input from others is immaterial.

[Compassionist]

[Replying to nobspeople in post #4]
Thank you very much for the time and effort you spent replying to my post. You answered question 10 with a question. My answer is that I don't know yet. I need to know the answer to question 9 first which I don't know for sure.

You asked me to define free will. By free will, I mean being free to do anything I want to do and being free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. I clearly am not free to do anything I want to do. If I were, I would have gone back in time and prevented all suffering, unfairness and deaths. Also, my will is not free from the determining effects of causal agents such as genes, environments, nutrients and experiences. For example, if I had the genes of a bacteria I would not be able to type these words or if I had never experienced the English language, I would not be able to type these words.

Much of your questions can't be answered with anything other than science (or answered in a scientific manner). So you're left with two options:
# 1) test them all scientifically or in a scientific manner. This could be lengthily and expensive. If you have the means, I say 'go for it!'. If not, you're left with option #2
# 2) rely on your own, personal belief (however it comes to you).

I've found, for some (maybe even most) of humanity, they care less about proof than what makes sense to them, individually. Sometimes, people even refuse proof in light of it changing their belief and or belief system (1+1=2? No. I believe 1+1= 3, for example).

So you need to decide what kind of person you are. Are you the one that will go to all lengths to find your answers, or are you the type that finds something they believe to be one way, and ignore any potential proof to the contrary?
Once you identify which type of person you are, then you can set out for your answers.

As far as I know, it is impossible to test some ideas scientifically e.g. the solipsism hypothesis, the simulation hypothesis and the illusion hypothesis. I have not found any scientific method which can test these three ideas robustly. If you can devise any scientific method for testing these three ideas accurately, please let me know. In terms of daily living, I am a pacifist vegan egalitarian. I am agnostic regarding the existence and the nature of all deities.

Then it seems you already have your answers. Input from others is immaterial.

I have provisional answers. I want to know and understand everything. I am happy to be corrected by others as long as they are providing me with sound evidence. The Bible and other religious books are not evidence. They are claims about reality. Claims about reality must be proven to be true before they can be accepted to be true.