If there is a God, Why does Evil exist?

[Alvecia]

Let's put it simply then. How do you know that a god would be incomprehensible? What basis do you have for such a conclusion?

Because it would not be a god if it were comprehensible.

Why not? How do you know? A god isn't definitionally incomprehensible. Why do you think it is?

[Anywhere Else But Here]

You seem to be obsessed with the word arrogance. Do you know what it means?

[Nevergia]

Because it would not be a god if it were comprehensible.

Why not? How do you know? A god isn't definitionally incomprehensible. Why do you think it is?

I don't know, but merely assume based on the generally acceptable idea of what a "god" is and what godhood entails. Assuming it is the supreme creator of everything and the universe, or is the universe, it just seems implausible that us mere humans, who are but successful (debatable) products of our environment, who are basically specks of dust in the grand scheme of things, could, well, comprehend god; beyond trying to define it with words, of course, as we are doing right now.

[Alvecia]

Why not? How do you know? A god isn't definitionally incomprehensible. Why do you think it is?

I don't know, but merely assume based on the generally acceptable idea of what a "god" is and what godhood entails. Assuming it is the supreme creator of everything and the universe, or is the universe, it just seems implausible that us mere humans, who are but successful (debatable) products of our environment, who are basically specks of dust in the grand scheme of things, could, well, comprehend god; beyond trying to define it with words, of course, as we are doing right now.

That seems like a pretty baseless assumption. More so if you consider that exact logical thought process historically.

What's to bet that way back in the day, the idea that we could understand the weather, or send people into the very heavens themselves would be treated with the same dismissal that you are using now.

It's just a spin on that old Arthur C Clarke adage:
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
Except in this case, the magic is "god".

If our steady advance of knowledge about our universe is any precedence, then the phrase "We can't know" should be permanantly replaced by "We don't know yet".

Admittedly much of this is also assumption, but I've got history backing me up, what have you got?

[Nevergia]

Admittedly much of this is also assumption, but I've got history backing me up, what have you got?

Honestly? Nothing. But I'm sure that I've bothered to make this point before - that I don't know anything and don't claim to (although I guess other thoughts may be inferred from my posts).

But I don't completely agree with this assertion:

What's to bet that way back in the day, the idea that we could understand the weather, or send people into the very heavens themselves would be treated with the same dismissal that you are using now.

Weather and sending people to space is one thing, and we've evolved past that to understand that everything can eventually be broken down into boring scientific bits. But I remain a sceptic of god and believe that if whatever it is, exists in whatever shape or form it may be, we won't be able to discover it simply due to the assumed nature of godhood - that it is beyond us. Maybe I'm wrong and humans will draw down the very fabric of existence and unveil god's face, but I dunno.

But I have to admit that I still feel that trying to uncover whatever god is, is simply human arrogance.

You seem to be obsessed with the word arrogance. Do you know what it means?

Yes.

[Alvecia]

Admittedly much of this is also assumption, but I've got history backing me up, what have you got?

Honestly? Nothing. But I'm sure that I've bothered to make this point before - that I don't know anything and don't claim to (although I guess other thoughts may be inferred from my posts).

But I don't completely agree with this assertion:

What's to bet that way back in the day, the idea that we could understand the weather, or send people into the very heavens themselves would be treated with the same dismissal that you are using now.

Weather and sending people to space is one thing, and we've evolved past that to understand that everything can eventually be broken down into boring scientific bits. But I remain a sceptic of god and believe that if whatever it is, exists in whatever shape or form it may be, we won't be able to discover it simply due to the assumed nature of godhood - that it is beyond us. Maybe I'm wrong and humans will draw down the very fabric of existence and unveil god's face, but I dunno.

But I have to admit that I still feel that trying to uncover whatever god is, is simply human arrogance.

I hate your use of the word skeptic. You're a skeptic of god in the same way truthers are skeptical of 9/11.

Arrogance is just misplaced confidence. If anything, based on historical precedence, it's more arrogant to assume that there's something we will be unable to comprehend than it is to assume that the shrinking gaps of our knowledge will continue to shrink.

[Genivaria]

Admittedly much of this is also assumption, but I've got history backing me up, what have you got?

Honestly? Nothing. But I'm sure that I've bothered to make this point before - that I don't know anything and don't claim to (although I guess other thoughts may be inferred from my posts).

But I don't completely agree with this assertion:

What's to bet that way back in the day, the idea that we could understand the weather, or send people into the very heavens themselves would be treated with the same dismissal that you are using now.

Weather and sending people to space is one thing, and we've evolved past that to understand that everything can eventually be broken down into boring scientific bits. But I remain a sceptic of god and believe that if whatever it is, exists in whatever shape or form it may be, we won't be able to discover it simply due to the assumed nature of godhood - that it is beyond us. Maybe I'm wrong and humans will draw down the very fabric of existence and unveil god's face, but I dunno.

But I have to admit that I still feel that trying to uncover whatever god is, is simply human arrogance.

You seem to be obsessed with the word arrogance. Do you know what it means?

Yes.

Such an odd statement considering that 2000 years ago the former would be sorcery and the latter would put you on the level of a god.
'JUST going to the Moon indeed.'.

[Nevergia]

I hate your use of the word skeptic. You're a skeptic of god in the same way truthers are skeptical of 9/11.

I'm... not quite sure how to read this one.

Arrogance is just misplaced confidence. If anything, based on historical precedence, it's more arrogant to assume that there's something we will be unable to comprehend than it is to assume that the shrinking gaps of our knowledge will continue to shrink.

Maybe. I dunno.

Such an odd statement considering that 2000 years ago the former would be sorcery and the latter would put you on the level of a god.
'JUST going to the Moon indeed.'.

I'm an odd man, then.

[Genivaria]

I hate your use of the word skeptic. You're a skeptic of god in the same way truthers are skeptical of 9/11.

I'm... not quite sure how to read this one.

Arrogance is just misplaced confidence. If anything, based on historical precedence, it's more arrogant to assume that there's something we will be unable to comprehend than it is to assume that the shrinking gaps of our knowledge will continue to shrink.

Maybe. I dunno.

Such an odd statement considering that 2000 years ago the former would be sorcery and the latter would put you on the level of a god.
'JUST going to the Moon indeed.'.

I'm an odd man, then.

Who doesn't understand the significance or meaning of his words.

[Nevergia]

Who doesn't understand the significance or meaning of his words.

I understand the meaning of my words just fine. I simply don't attribute too much meaning to simple banter on a forum.

[Genivaria]

Who doesn't understand the significance or meaning of his words.

I understand the meaning of my words just fine. I simply don't attribute too much meaning to simple banter on a forum.

I simply don't attribute too much meaning

To fucking going to the moon no, that speaks ill of you.'

to simple banter on a forum.

Lol nice deflection.

[Nevergia]

I understand the meaning of my words just fine. I simply don't attribute too much meaning to simple banter on a forum.

I simply don't attribute too much meaning

To fucking going to the moon no, that speaks ill of you.'

to simple banter on a forum.

Lol nice deflection.

I'm not sure why are you being so hostile, though. And deflection? Seriously? Are forums not simply a means to engage in banter?

[Genivaria]

To fucking going to the moon no, that speaks ill of you.'

Lol nice deflection.

I'm not sure why are you being so hostile, though. And deflection? Seriously? Are forums not simply a means to engage in banter?

I'm not being anywhere close to hostile, I find your dismissal of humanities achievements to be both annoying and extremely ignorant.

[Nevergia]

I'm not sure why are you being so hostile, though. And deflection? Seriously? Are forums not simply a means to engage in banter?

I'm not being anywhere close to hostile, I find your dismissal of humanities achievements to be both annoying and extremely ignorant.

...sorry? Don't really see how I dismissed humanity's achievements, seeing as it was you who put "just" in my words.

'JUST going to the Moon indeed.'.

[Devana]

I too question the existence of a god. Religion, it seems, was pretty much only created to explain what could not have been explained in the less advanced past. Also most people these days don't seem to believe in Greek mythology anymore, but isn't religion essentially equivalent to myth? In my opinion, religion is quite irrational, closed-minded and past its time (or in other words, expired).

Note: I do not intend on converting you to atheism or other non-religious beliefs, as you are allowed to have your own beliefs. I try to stick to what science and common sense back up, but, I actually believe in reincarnation. My belief is mine alone.

[Socialist Czechia]

Necessity of Creator(s) exists, because Human beings wants order around them.

But Universe is inherently chaotic and unpredictable. I rather live with that. Better than some Greek god with epic beard, sitting in the skies.

[Salandriagado]

It sounds like you've already defined a god that you claim not to know whether it exists.
If a god truely were beyond our comprehension then we wouldn't be able to comprehend that it is something that is beyond the bounds of scientific inquiry.

It sounds to me like you've already decided that god does exist, and that rather than deal with the messy theological implications of such a decision, you've carved out an exemption specifically for it.

There's nothing inherently incomprehensible about godhood. The only comprehensibility is what we assign to it.

Your own view is based on the premise that you know what god is, and that it's not something you can understand, but that's just as unsupported an assuption as the idea that we could comprehend godhood.

My whole point was that I do not try and define god, but try and explain my view on why it is incomprehensible. Isn't that the whole point of god? Maybe I just don't know how to explain it better; I would chalk it up to not being a native speaker of English, but that's just a lazy excuse, really.

But assigning something the trait of incomprehensibility is not exactly an attempt to define it - that's just semantics, really.

If you can't define your terms, then you aren't talking about anything at all, just babbling incoherently.

[Deads Heads]

Because God is evil, at least according to the standards we, the puny worms beneath him, put up. Not only does he allow evil to exist but propagates evil in his words and actions. Therefore, there really are no good Christians, when you get right down to it. All you find is ignorance-praising tyrant worship out of fear of eternal torture in a lake of fire by a ghost and his minions at the end of the world or hatred towards those upon whom the punishment will be enacted. Or both.

[Godular]

Necessity of Creator(s) exists, because Human beings wants order around them.

But Universe is inherently chaotic and unpredictable. I rather live with that. Better than some Greek god with epic beard, sitting in the skies.

I like that the universe is chaotic, but that such complex and spiffy little things as humans arose from that chaos. Makes me appreciate things more than the idea of a wand-waving space monkey doing it all for ‘reasons’.

[Amblibahdesh]

DEFINE EVIL

[Deads Heads]

DEFINE EVIL

No, define god.

[Godular]

DEFINE EVIL

No, define god.

Both are subjective.

[Hakons]

DEFINE EVIL

No, define god.

Tertulian, an early Christian, writes in AD 207:

"So far as a human being can form a definition of God, I adduce one which the conscience of all men will also acknowledge — that God is the great Supreme existing in eternity, unbegotten, unmade without beginning, without end."

God is infinite, so it is impossible for beings with finite mental capacities to form a complete definition, but Tertulian does a pretty good job.

[Godular]

No, define god.

Tertulian, an early Christian, writes in AD 207:

"So far as a human being can form a definition of God, I adduce one which the conscience of all men will also acknowledge — that God is the great Supreme existing in eternity, unbegotten, unmade without beginning, without end."

God is infinite, so it is impossible for beings with finite mental capacities to form a complete definition, but Tertulian does a pretty good job.

‘Reasons’

[Deads Heads]

No, define god.

Tertulian, an early Christian, writes in AD 207:

"So far as a human being can form a definition of God, I adduce one which the conscience of all men will also acknowledge — that God is the great Supreme existing in eternity, unbegotten, unmade without beginning, without end."

God is infinite, so it is impossible for beings with finite mental capacities to form a complete definition, but Tertulian does a pretty good job.

Define "the great Supreme".