Is God evil?

[Compassionist]

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

[William]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #230]

When I was a Christian, I used to believe that the Bible is true and God is real and good but that was before I had read the whole Bible. At that time, I had read only cherry-picked verses about God's Love e.g. "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." - 1 John 4:16, The Bible (New Living Translation) and "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16, The Bible (New Living Translation).

What I appreciate about the old testament [Jewish side of the story] is that it doesn't even try and separate "good and evil" when it comes to the notion of GOD [YHVH] and the nature of nature [as opposed to the nature of Human expression.]

Your problem [it seems to me] is that you belong on some other planet in some other universe and cannot integrate the goings on in this universe, with the sense of self that you have.

I hope that when you pass on, that you find what you are looking for. That your next reality experience will be one in which you get everything you wish for, that this current universe experience hasn't been able to provide you with. At least it can be said that this current universe provided you with that much [re your wishful thinking re alternative realities].

I am fascinated with the idea that something mindfully created both 'all things bright and beautiful' as well as 'all things dim and ugly' and that whatever the mind was/minds were which created it all, i want to understand that/those mind/minds.

[Compassionist]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #230]

When I was a Christian, I used to believe that the Bible is true and God is real and good but that was before I had read the whole Bible. At that time, I had read only cherry-picked verses about God's Love e.g. "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." - 1 John 4:16, The Bible (New Living Translation) and "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16, The Bible (New Living Translation).

What I appreciate about the old testament [Jewish side of the story] is that it doesn't even try and separate "good and evil" when it comes to the notion of GOD [YHVH] and the nature of nature [as opposed to the nature of Human expression.]

Your problem [it seems to me] is that you belong on some other planet in some other universe and cannot integrate the goings on in this universe, with the sense of self that you have.

I hope that when you pass on, that you find what you are looking for. That your next reality experience will be one in which you get everything you wish for, that this current universe experience hasn't been able to provide you with. At least it can be said that this current universe provided you with that much [re your wishful thinking re alternative realities].

I am fascinated with the idea that something mindfully created both 'all things bright and beautiful' as well as 'all things dim and ugly' and that whatever the mind was/minds were which created it all, i want to understand that/those mind/minds.

My problems are all the sufferings, injustices, and deaths. If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

[William]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #230]

When I was a Christian, I used to believe that the Bible is true and God is real and good but that was before I had read the whole Bible. At that time, I had read only cherry-picked verses about God's Love e.g. "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." - 1 John 4:16, The Bible (New Living Translation) and "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16, The Bible (New Living Translation).

What I appreciate about the old testament [Jewish side of the story] is that it doesn't even try and separate "good and evil" when it comes to the notion of GOD [YHVH] and the nature of nature [as opposed to the nature of Human expression.]

Your problem [it seems to me] is that you belong on some other planet in some other universe and cannot integrate the goings on in this universe, with the sense of self that you have.

I hope that when you pass on, that you find what you are looking for. That your next reality experience will be one in which you get everything you wish for, that this current universe experience hasn't been able to provide you with. At least it can be said that this current universe provided you with that much [re your wishful thinking re alternative realities].

I am fascinated with the idea that something mindfully created both 'all things bright and beautiful' as well as 'all things dim and ugly' and that whatever the mind was/minds were which created it all, i want to understand that/those mind/minds.

My problems are all the sufferings, injustices, and deaths.

I know. You have made that clear to the reader.

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

[Compassionist]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #230]

When I was a Christian, I used to believe that the Bible is true and God is real and good but that was before I had read the whole Bible. At that time, I had read only cherry-picked verses about God's Love e.g. "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." - 1 John 4:16, The Bible (New Living Translation) and "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16, The Bible (New Living Translation).

What I appreciate about the old testament [Jewish side of the story] is that it doesn't even try and separate "good and evil" when it comes to the notion of GOD [YHVH] and the nature of nature [as opposed to the nature of Human expression.]

Your problem [it seems to me] is that you belong on some other planet in some other universe and cannot integrate the goings on in this universe, with the sense of self that you have.

I hope that when you pass on, that you find what you are looking for. That your next reality experience will be one in which you get everything you wish for, that this current universe experience hasn't been able to provide you with. At least it can be said that this current universe provided you with that much [re your wishful thinking re alternative realities].

I am fascinated with the idea that something mindfully created both 'all things bright and beautiful' as well as 'all things dim and ugly' and that whatever the mind was/minds were which created it all, i want to understand that/those mind/minds.

My problems are all the sufferings, injustices, and deaths.

I know. You have made that clear to the reader.

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

[William]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

[Compassionist]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

I don't know. If I ever become all-knowing and all-powerful, I will make you and all the other organisms all-knowing and all-powerful, too.

[William]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

I don't know. If I ever become all-knowing and all-powerful, I will make you and all the other organisms all-knowing and all-powerful, too.

So we would be indistinguishable from each other, therefore, just the one thing...

[Compassionist]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

I don't know. If I ever become all-knowing and all-powerful, I will make you and all the other organisms all-knowing and all-powerful, too.

So we would be indistinguishable from each other, therefore, just the one thing...

Just because in my imaginary reality all organisms are equally all-knowing and all-powerful it does not mean that we are all indistinguishable from each other. Maybe I would look like a square and you would look like a triangle in that reality.

[William]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

I don't know. If I ever become all-knowing and all-powerful, I will make you and all the other organisms all-knowing and all-powerful, too.

So we would be indistinguishable from each other, therefore, just the one thing...

Just because in my imaginary reality all organisms are equally all-knowing and all-powerful it does not mean that we are all indistinguishable from each other. Maybe I would look like a square and you would look like a triangle in that reality.

Form is not what I am speaking about. I am speaking about sentience - assuming all these equal entities will be self aware...they would all be of the same mind...

[Compassionist]

[Replying to Compassionist in post #234]

If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful, I would have no problems.

And that is the type of universe I hope you get to experience. I think we both can agree that you will never get to experience those things in this current universe.

Just as a thought experiment, can you give me some indication as to what that universe would be like, "If all living things were all-knowing and all-powerful"?

I imagine that in a reality where all living things are all-knowing and all-powerful, we could each own an infinite number of universes. There is no suffering, injustice, or death. We know and understand everyone and everything and always know what the right thing to do is and always do the right thing. We all experience an infinite quality of life and an infinite standard of living for an infinite length of time.

Wouldn't all that amount to just the one thing?

I don't know. If I ever become all-knowing and all-powerful, I will make you and all the other organisms all-knowing and all-powerful, too.

So we would be indistinguishable from each other, therefore, just the one thing...

Just because in my imaginary reality all organisms are equally all-knowing and all-powerful it does not mean that we are all indistinguishable from each other. Maybe I would look like a square and you would look like a triangle in that reality.

Form are not what I am speaking about. I am speaking about sentience - assuming all these equal entities will be self aware...they would all be of the same mind...

There may be qualitative differences between the sentience of all living things even if they were all equally all-knowing and all-powerful. I am speculating. I don't know. We are talking about an imaginary scenario. I have never met any all-knowing and all-powerful being. I don't know if such beings can even exist.