Is God Evil?

[Samuraikoku]

I disagree. They passed with flying colours.

Of course, if it was a test, the deck was stacked against them from the beginning.
First, the information God gave them at the beginning was false. He told them if they ate the fruit, they would die.
Second, that threat had no meaning. They were the first humans. No one had ever died before. How could they understand what death meant?
Third, they ate the fruit after the Devil exposed God's lie. He told them that the fruit would educate them about good and evil and give them the faculty to judge between them.
They discovered that their creator lied to them in an attempt to deprive them of a moral compass. They concluded that this creator wasn't worth obeying.
The million dollar question is, why would God want his creations to be unable to distinguish good from evil?

I agree with everything. To expand further, my own question would be, is there a Christian answer for that?

[Deus in Machina]

I disagree. They passed with flying colours.

Of course, if it was a test, the deck was stacked against them from the beginning.
First, the information God gave them at the beginning was false. He told them if they ate the fruit, they would die.
Second, that threat had no meaning. They were the first humans. No one had ever died before. How could they understand what death meant?
Third, they ate the fruit after the Devil exposed God's lie. He told them that the fruit would educate them about good and evil and give them the faculty to judge between them.
They discovered that their creator lied to them in an attempt to deprive them of a moral compass. They concluded that this creator wasn't worth obeying.
The million dollar question is, why would God want his creations to be unable to distinguish good from evil?

I agree with everything. To expand further, my own question would be, is there a Christian answer for that?

I've never heard a satisfying one.
My own answer is, of course, that his first creations (the angels) were able to distinguish between good and evil and some of them chose to rebel against him. They knew good and they knew evil and they judged God to be evil. He didn't want us to be able to do the same.

[Samuraikoku]

I've never heard a satisfying one.
My own answer is, of course, that his first creations (the angels) were able to distinguish between good and evil and some of them chose to rebel against him. They knew good and they knew evil and they judged God to be evil. He didn't want us to be able to do the same.

I've never heard any, so you're more informed than I.

As for your own answer... if even God's WORKERS believe he is a shitty employer, then how can WE believe he is a good teacher?

[Deus in Machina]

I've never heard a satisfying one.
My own answer is, of course, that his first creations (the angels) were able to distinguish between good and evil and some of them chose to rebel against him. They knew good and they knew evil and they judged God to be evil. He didn't want us to be able to do the same.

I've never heard any, so you're more informed than I.

As for your own answer... if even God's WORKERS believe he is a shitty employer, then how can WE believe he is a good teacher?

I'm currently going through the Bible book-by-book and recording my impressions. The more I read, the gladder I am that there's no proof that this psychopathic megalomaniac exists.

[Vitius]

Why is that?

Because, simply because he believes he is right in his actions doesn't mean he is.

Exactly.

But who decides what is right or wrong? Personally, I think large amounts of profane language is wrong, but some people would disagree and say that it expresses a large amount of thought and puts emphasis on a particular topic, therefore leading to the conclusion that it is right.

[Episarta]

No, there is no god so he can't be evil. But if there was a god, then I would have to say yes. He does more things that most people would consider evil than Satan. God is a total dick in the bible.

[Norstal]

Easy; I cannot prove a negative. It is up to you to prove how he is exempt, not me.

Ah, but that's the joy of being religious. I don't have to prove anything; I believe. Good night.

Oh good, then it has been decided that god doesn't exist. Excellent.

[Arborlawn]

I don't know. You tell me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8GThDoW9yU&NR=1

[Bleckonia]

But why did God allow the "Fall of Man" occur?

He didn't.

He told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit. Eve was persuaded, and Adam was as well, and the Fall occurred.

How do you even know that the story of Adam and Eve is true? I find it very hard to believe.

[Keronians]

He didn't.

He told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit. Eve was persuaded, and Adam was as well, and the Fall occurred.

How do you even know that the story of Adam and Eve is true? I find it very hard to believe.

We're working under the assumption that the story is true, aren't we?

If we don't, then the question is made redundant, because first we must answer: Does God even exist?

[Norstal]

How do you even know that the story of Adam and Eve is true? I find it very hard to believe.

We're working under the assumption that the story is true, aren't we?

If we don't, then the question is made redundant, because first we must answer: Does God even exist?

What you should've said is "No, the 'Fall of Man' did not occur because I'm Hindu and this are my beliefs: (...)".

[Arborlawn]

We're working under the assumption that the story is true, aren't we?

If we don't, then the question is made redundant, because first we must answer: Does God even exist?

What you should've said is "No, the 'Fall of Man' did not occur because I'm Hindu and this are my beliefs: (...)".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8GThDoW9yU&NR=1

[Norstal]

What you should've said is "No, the 'Fall of Man' did not occur because I'm Hindu and this are my beliefs: (...)".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8GThDoW9yU&NR=1

What? He's Hindu. He should only speak of god from his perspective. Unless, he wants to betray his religion.

[Arborlawn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8GThDoW9yU&NR=1

What? He's Hindu. He should only speak of god from his perspective. Unless, he wants to betray his religion.

[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW470udR02w[/url]

[Caninope]

Maybe. Someone who has omnipotence, yet chooses to allow so much suffering in the world is either malevolent, apathetic or not real.

Or a examiner.

[Ramenasia]

Is God Evil? Well, that depends on what your definition of "good" and "evil" are.

I can give you an undeniable example of evil: mass murder. So if the Bible is treated as a reliable historical source and God has murdered many, many (some innocent, some not so innocent) people, it appears that God is evil.

Firstly, the question should be if God is good then why is there such evil in the world, but, if God is evil then why is there such good in the world? Witness the birth of a newborn baby, read your favorite poem, listen to the song that you and your spouse danced to at your wedding, look at your children. Those are truly good things, things that cause good emotions to flow up inside of you.

Some people get "good emotions" from committing rape, torture, etc. These are certainly not "good" in terms of morality. What defines truly good things?

Given, there is just as much good as there is bad in the world, but that does not mean that God wishes these things to happen. He allows them to happen for a time. For instance, on the walls of one the housing cells in a Nazi concentration camp one of the prisoners scrawled on the wall, "I believe in the sun even when it doesn't shine, I believe in love even when it isn't shown, I believe in God even when He doesn't not speak." That man, or woman, must have found some shred of good in her soul in the face of such evil. Anyone who would say otherwise is refusing to see the obvious.

I don't see how one person's determination relates to whether God is evil or not.

[Furious Grandmothers]

Is God Evil? Well, that depends on what your definition of "good" and "evil" are.

I can give you an undeniable example of evil: mass murder. So if the Bible is treated as a reliable historical source and God has murdered many, many (some innocent, some not so innocent) people, it appears that God is evil.

That's not undeniable. I'm amoral and I'll be first to say that I don't consider mass murder evil. In fact, I don't consider anything good or evil at all.

[Norstal]

I can give you an undeniable example of evil: mass murder. So if the Bible is treated as a reliable historical source and God has murdered many, many (some innocent, some not so innocent) people, it appears that God is evil.

That's not undeniable. I'm amoral and I'll be first to say that I don't consider mass murder evil. In fact, I don't consider anything good or evil at all.

One shouldn't, which is why I agree. If your only reason not to go bonkers and commit mass murders, you might probably one of those mass murderers. Instead, approach it in a reasonable manner. Why should we not commit mass murder? Because it would violate the human rights that we all share and have.

I guess a proper term is that God is a hedonist masochist. He likes to commit pain, torture, and killings for personal satisfaction.

[Samuraikoku]

I guess a proper term is that God is a hedonist masochist. He likes to commit pain, torture, and killings for personal satisfaction.

Wouldn't that be a "sadist" instead of a "masochist"?

[Norstal]

I guess a proper term is that God is a hedonist masochist. He likes to commit pain, torture, and killings for personal satisfaction.

Wouldn't that be a "sadist" instead of a "masochist"?

True.

[Paxiani]

he is definently not evil.

[Deus in Machina]

:eyebrow: he is definently not evil.

Because...

[Schwabenreich]

I don't trust my ability to evaluate the moral alignment of a person, let alone that of a deity, whether real or fictitious exists outside of my or even humanity's level of perception. However, if the events described in what is reputed by his believers, to be God's word, then God has much to answer for. A simple look at the abrahamic faiths raise more questions then they answer in regard to the world, and many of them could be directed at the will and motivations of the deity. Yahweh/God/Allah needs to do some explaining, not just in relation to activity or inactivity on the happenings of the world, but also for past actions described in the religious tomes. Not to mention he needs to clear up what he really meant on some of the quotes he delivered through prophets because theres some stuff in his older works that seem really, really, barbaric and immoral. Not to mention, they easily enspires evil or harsh interpretations.

[Southern Babylonia]

To be honest, most religions are equally oppressive. I can't believe in a god like the one the bible depicts, but I don't like atheists either. Those who deny god on the grounds that god is evil are saying the evil god exists, which it clearly doesn't. I describe my religion (which I founded myself) as New Ager Anarcho-Buddhism. Has nothing to do with my political views.

[Samuraikoku]

Wouldn't that be a "sadist" instead of a "masochist"?

True.

On the flip side, "the masochist" would be the believers. So belief in the Abrahamic God equals a S&M relationship.