There are many verses in the Bible about God's predestination. https://www.openbible.info/topics/predestination Why would a good God predestine anyone to do evil? Surely, a good God would predestine all to do good? Does the existence of evil prove that God is evil? Surely, a good God would have made all living things to be autotrophs instead of making some autotrophs, some herbivores, some carnivores, some omnivores, and some parasites? Here are some examples of evil events which caused or are causing suffering, deaths, and injustices:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extinction_events
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_epidemics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_n ... death_toll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_g ... death_toll
https://thevegancalculator.com/animal-slaughter
Is God evil?
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #281Do you think being all-knowing and all-powerful does not make one forever happy? I wouldn't know as I am not all-knowing and all-powerful. I imagine it would make one forever happy. After all, all-knowing and all-powerful beings can't be harmed by anyone or anything.William wrote: ↑Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:43 pm [Replying to Compassionist in post #279]
Agreed.We should not assume anything.
I don't know if God or Gods exist or not. That's why I am an agnostic.
Understood.
I don't know if the universe was created or not. I have lots of unanswered questions.
Acknowledged.
We should not assume anything.I wish all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful. That way we could all be forever happy.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #282[Replying to Compassionist in post #281]
It appears to be a contradiction, leading to the logic that an all knowing being would have to have somehow experienced or imagined these things, otherwise it wouldn't be all knowing.
I don't know. What makes you imagine that it would?Do you think being all-knowing and all-powerful does not make one forever happy?
How would something all knowing not know it could be harmed, or what it would be like to be harmed, or even what harm was?I imagine it would make one forever happy. After all, all-knowing and all-powerful beings can't be harmed by anyone or anything.
It appears to be a contradiction, leading to the logic that an all knowing being would have to have somehow experienced or imagined these things, otherwise it wouldn't be all knowing.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #283All-knowing and all-powerful beings can't be harmed because they can protect themselves from everyone and everything e.g. murderers, rapists, torturers, natural disasters, diseases, accidents, etc.William wrote: ↑Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:38 pm [Replying to Compassionist in post #281]
I don't know. What makes you imagine that it would?Do you think being all-knowing and all-powerful does not make one forever happy?
How would something all knowing not know it could be harmed, or what it would be like to be harmed, or even what harm was?I imagine it would make one forever happy. After all, all-knowing and all-powerful beings can't be harmed by anyone or anything.
It appears to be a contradiction, leading to the logic that an all knowing being would have to have somehow experienced or imagined these things, otherwise it wouldn't be all knowing.
Talking about this is entirely speculative. I am not all-knowing and all-powerful. I don't know anyone else who is all-knowing and all-powerful. It may not even be possible for any being to be all-knowing and all-powerful.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #284[Replying to Compassionist in post #283]
That is why I say that the question of 'good' and 'evil' are beside the point. It adds unnecessary complications to the question.
That is why I say that the question of 'good' and 'evil' are beside the point. It adds unnecessary complications to the question.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #285I still think we should try to discover if Gods exist and if they are good or evil.William wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:22 am [Replying to Compassionist in post #283]
That is why I say that the question of 'good' and 'evil' are beside the point. It adds unnecessary complications to the question.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #286That question's been answered, and gods didn't fare too well.Compassionist wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 5:59 amI still think we should try to discover if Gods exist and if they are good or evil.William wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:22 am [Replying to Compassionist in post #283]
That is why I say that the question of 'good' and 'evil' are beside the point. It adds unnecessary complications to the question.
Alas, given the multitudes continue to oppress others in the name of their imaginary god, we gotta keep explaining to adults that no, the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist.
I might be Teddy Roosevelt, but I ain't.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #287[Replying to Compassionist in post #285]
I should first try to discover if I exist within a created thing. In that, I should also approach the question without the additional baggage of "good" and "evil" - if you like - take an "agnostic" position on the matter rather than complicate my experience of this reality by superimposing notions about good and evil on top of that, even that this is difficult to achieve.
As previously mentioned, that is the cart before the horse.I still think we should try to discover if Gods exist and if they are good or evil.
I should first try to discover if I exist within a created thing. In that, I should also approach the question without the additional baggage of "good" and "evil" - if you like - take an "agnostic" position on the matter rather than complicate my experience of this reality by superimposing notions about good and evil on top of that, even that this is difficult to achieve.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #288How can we discover if we exist within a created reality or not?William wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 1:07 pm [Replying to Compassionist in post #285]
As previously mentioned, that is the cart before the horse.I still think we should try to discover if Gods exist and if they are good or evil.
I should first try to discover if I exist within a created thing. In that, I should also approach the question without the additional baggage of "good" and "evil" - if you like - take an "agnostic" position on the matter rather than complicate my experience of this reality by superimposing notions about good and evil on top of that, even that this is difficult to achieve.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #289[Replying to Compassionist in post #288]
We are truly each alone in that.
The answer to that question remains a work in progress for those working on it at the "coal face" and currently consist of individuals who are altogether largely working in their own subjective interpretation of their existence and any accompanying meaning which might be derived from that.How can we discover if we exist within a created reality or not?
We are truly each alone in that.
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Re: Is God evil?
Post #290[Replying to Compassionist in post #1]
This is just the argument from evil, which Thomas Aquinas addresses as do I am many others. Here is my basic answer - https://www.freelymeditate.com/single-p ... y-for-good
This is just the argument from evil, which Thomas Aquinas addresses as do I am many others. Here is my basic answer - https://www.freelymeditate.com/single-p ... y-for-good