is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair?

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Wootah
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is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair?

Post #1

Post by Wootah »

Hi all,

It occurred to me that when everything is going badly in life that 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair and nihilism.

Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.

Does anyone want to give some reasons for or against this?
Proverbs 18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

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Post by William »

Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 am Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.
I do not see how it is evident that GOD has to be seen through the filter of "Good or Evil" any more than one has to see the so-called "Problem of Evil" if one is to accept the notion of a mindful creation re the universe, specifically re life on Earth.

"It is what it is" and attaching 'good' or 'evil' to what is, simply muddies the waters.

One can understand that life should be the way that it is without having to also understand that "God is good" - or for that matter, that "God is evil".

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #12

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 am Hi all,

It occurred to me that when everything is going badly in life that 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despair and nihilism.
I agree because imho, hope is nearly always psycologically better for us than no hope. That said, It is dangerous to hope without valid basis because dissapointment can sometimes be more destructive than hopelessness.

Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 amWithout believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.
True.
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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

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Post by JehovahsWitness »

Difflugia wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 9:19 am
Why would it have to be against all of the evidence? Against the preponderance of evidence fits just as well.
What evidence are you referring to ?
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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

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Post by Difflugia »

Athetotheist wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 3:18 pmAsking, "if God is good, whence evil?" doesn't establish that any particular evil resides in God. Assuming that it does [asking the question rhetorically rather than literally] is, therefore, non sequitur.
I suppose only if God is omnipotent. I guess the OP didn't specify the Christian god, so I did assume that.
Athetotheist wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 3:18 pmEven so, to someone whose life is going entirely well the gods may seem benign. To someone whose life isn't going well at all, they may seem capricious. Perhaps there's evidence that they can be both.
So, to the person whose life isn't going well, is the belief that God is good anyway a psychological crutch?
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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #15

Post by brunumb »

1213 wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:13 am I don't think we have any evidence for that God is not good.
Yes we do, the Bible. While it may contain a lot of things that suggest God is good, there is enough there to show that he is not. A bit like the man living next door for decades who is a wonderful neighbour, goes to church, helps out in the community and so on, but then turns out to be a serial killer. It all depends on what we see and sometimes what we choose not to see.
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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #16

Post by Athetotheist »

Difflugia wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 5:37 pm
Athetotheist wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 3:18 pmAsking, "if God is good, whence evil?" doesn't establish that any particular evil resides in God. Assuming that it does [asking the question rhetorically rather than literally] is, therefore, non sequitur.
I suppose only if God is omnipotent. I guess the OP didn't specify the Christian god, so I did assume that.
Athetotheist wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 3:18 pmEven so, to someone whose life is going entirely well the gods may seem benign. To someone whose life isn't going well at all, they may seem capricious. Perhaps there's evidence that they can be both.
So, to the person whose life isn't going well, is the belief that God is good anyway a psychological crutch?
No, because we're always able to look beyond our own circumstances. Even if the gods are making me suffer, perhaps they're not making a loved one suffer.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #17

Post by Athetotheist »

brunumb wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 8:06 pm
1213 wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:13 am I don't think we have any evidence for that God is not good.
Yes we do, the Bible. While it may contain a lot of things that suggest God is good, there is enough there to show that he is not. A bit like the man living next door for decades who is a wonderful neighbour, goes to church, helps out in the community and so on, but then turns out to be a serial killer. It all depends on what we see and sometimes what we choose not to see.
This depends entirely on regarding the Bible as an accurate depiction of God.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #18

Post by Tcg »

Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 am
Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.
Given that life is the way that it is, there is no rational reason to believe life should not be the way it is. It is the way that it is, and belief of any kind want change reality. One can of course deny reality, but that doesn't change it.

Both the use of heroin and losing oneself into fantasy can help people feel better, at least temporarily, but that doesn't mean either habit is healthy.

Tcg
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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #19

Post by Wootah »

Tcg wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 12:13 am
Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 am
Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.
Given that life is the way that it is, there is no rational reason to believe life should not be the way it is. It is the way that it is, and belief of any kind want change reality. One can of course deny reality, but that doesn't change it.

Both the use of heroin and losing oneself into fantasy can help people feel better, at least temporarily, but that doesn't mean either habit is healthy.

Tcg
Why struggle then? Isn't the reason we struggle because we do not agree that life should be the way it is and we struggle to achieve different outcomes?
Proverbs 18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

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Re: is 'believing (against the evidence) that God is good' is a very good psychological protection mechanism from despai

Post #20

Post by Wootah »

William wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 4:07 pm
Wootah wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 7:28 am Without believing in a good God, there is really no reason to believe that life should not be the way it is.
I do not see how it is evident that GOD has to be seen through the filter of "Good or Evil" any more than one has to see the so-called "Problem of Evil" if one is to accept the notion of a mindful creation re the universe, specifically re life on Earth.

"It is what it is" and attaching 'good' or 'evil' to what is, simply muddies the waters.

One can understand that life should be the way that it is without having to also understand that "God is good" - or for that matter, that "God is evil".
If life is what it is - why struggle then?
Proverbs 18:17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Member Notes: viewtopic.php?t=33826

"Why is everyone so quick to reason God might be petty. Now that is creating God in our own image :)."

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