There’s circular and then there’s circular
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Especially when reasoning – or trying to – with some.
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Would you mind stopping with the universe thing? No one gives a ■■■■ if it’s infinite or not for real.
There are more important things than that I’m sjre
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Philosophy is always a poor substitute for science where science is germane. It is always suspicious to see these ancient puzzles trotted out in the service of an argument with no actual support. A red herring is never persuasive.
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There is a great deal embedded in these remarks - but we need to acknowledge that the notion of good and evil has (plagued?) fascinated us humans for all of recorded history. There are so many things to consider - freedom, law, will, intellect, faith, choice … need I go on?.
And yet, when we face life day to day, it all seems so simple. Things work out to give us pleasure and security, and we are glad and say life is good. Yet life turns around and we are in ■■■■, and it is all so evil. Would it not help to see a higher power that we can praise so that we get the good always? Or at least, a higher power we can blame, since it should have done a better job.
I am not sure this helps anyone (perhaps a higher power than me is needed 
) and yet here we are continuing the debate that has gone on for over 6000 years give or take.
That must be some help since so many have relied on such things since forever. My only hesitation is to think of what that is as a single (or trinitarian) being with motivations like our own. Of course even if that isn’t entirely true it may be useful for humans to address themselves toward whatever it is as if it were a being closer to the sort of being we are. I’m just not convinced it is essential to the retention of a high regard for what is greater.
My question is concerned with the way(s) we as human beings have dealt with the good and evil in our existence - as individuals and as communities. Have we sought so called religious outlooks to enable us to avoid self-examination and admission of our selves as oriented towards evil impulses. I find Christianity as taught in the Gospel as being contrary to the religious impulses shown in our civilisations.
Seemingly so in many highly visible cases in the US. Listening to the analysis of the hearings going on currently in the US, one gets the impression the crazies have taken over and are keen to sink the ship.
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Can you explain further a bit?Didnt quite understand that sorry
I have in mind major religions we find in historic times, which inevitably include a powerful deity or deities, and the role of humanity is to serve them. These generally stand in stark contrast with the Christian faith which shows God willing to send His Son to live as we do, to serve, and to find a way out of our miseries and conflicts. The contrast is great and I am inclined to believe the Faith contradicts these other religions.
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However I recall in the Old Testament God demanding be worshiped and it even sounds like he had an attitude about it.
Also if you use that as an argument in basis of "since God sent his son he care about us and hense he is not evil and will help us in our difficult times " well that certainly is not the case I think.
Again I don’t want to judge God ,but to me he somewhat failed to show superiority in the world. I mean you have the Old Testament God performing feats of strength and power . Justice and vengeance. Sure it was brutal. But his authority wasn’t questioned at all. And then you have the New Testament. Same God beign killed in front of everyone and beign humiliated. What changed?
I get the message of love and stuff but he already had a sacrificial system for sins no? Why show that character? Why show weakness?
And that’s my conclusion. Humans do not understand these principles. Your brain(our brain) is so primal it only understands fear and power.
I’d rather have a God whose nature was constant like in the Old Testament showing really what’s gonna happen if you disobey ,rather than have a God who “forgives” you from everything and then you do it again.
Don’t know how that’s gonna sound but sometimes tyrany,authoritarian ,or whatever you wanna call it is necessary to prevent civilization from going downhill.
People don’t need excess freedom. They need rules. Rules are what separates us from animals. If rules are abolished or are being broken society falls prey to attributes that takes them back to be animals.
Imagine a cop forgiving every crime. Or a judge doing the same.
Hard pill to swallow for me.
All that’s was an allegory for Christians. You do whatever the @ you want ,breaking every rule that good God has made and then you go crying asking for forgiveness. And you are forgiven of course ,for some reason. That reason being “love”.
It seems you have forgotten the central teaching of Christ - repent, turn away from doing evil.
Sigh you didnt got it did you?What i wrote above?
I think you may ‘not get it’ Nick, or perhaps you want to avoid the central question - you have started this discussion on God and the problem of evil. I have pointed out what is different about the Christian faith, including what Christ taught and did. And He certainly did not teach that we break every rule and then get forgiven for it. This is very far from what Christianity teaches and what we are told (commanded) to do and live by.
Yet you go do that np? He didnt taught that i agree.But you do it anyway.That was my point which you missed
And what im pointing out is that if that was The God of the OT(which it is but different) you wouldnt though of doing that.
Christianity is not a licence to sin.
The idea is that you repent, ie change.
If you are truly a Christian then evil is repugnant. You align yourself with God and attempt to live as Jesus taught and demonstrated. You should not need any further forgiveness, but occasionally we make mistakes. That is not the same as living the life of Riley and getting continual forgiveness.
Richard
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