Is there a God?

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

If there was a God who infinitely loved mankind then he could have created a world where human beings and animals are much more at ease, but instead he created a cruel one where there's an unending cycle of violence.

And tbh accepting that nature and by extension the universe has absolutely no agency for either good or evil is much better than trying to look at how shitty the universe actually is and shoehorning an omnibenevolent entity into the mix.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

I learned long ago not to ask this question to a Rabbi. The conversation goes something like

Me: So Rabbi is there a God?

The Rabbi: What do you think about the existence of a God?

Me: Well I'm not totally sure. Do you have an opinion on the matter.

The rabbi: would the existence of a God change your worldview?

[KITTENPUPPYLAND]

Whenever I would ask this question to my mom, she would simply tell me that God is too big of topic for our minds to even fathom, so we must simply believe without questions. Now that I am grown and have learned to not stop asking questions so I am able to form my own opinions, I do believe there is a God of some sort. Whether that be the God I learned about during mass as a child, or not, I believe there is something bigger than ourselves. I think whatever is out there is bigger than us and earth. There has to be a reason for the creation of the universe. It is an enormous topic, and one we will never truly master.

[Tarsonis]

FFS LET THIS BASTARD OF A THREAD DIE. THE HORSE IS DEAD>

[The New California Republic]

FFS LET THIS BASTARD OF A THREAD DIE. THE HORSE IS DEAD>

To be fair it's only been a couple of weeks between posts.

[Farnhamia]

FFS LET THIS BASTARD OF A THREAD DIE. THE HORSE IS DEAD>

To be fair it's only been a couple of weeks between posts.

Divine horses can't die.

[Tarsonis]

FFS LET THIS BASTARD OF A THREAD DIE. THE HORSE IS DEAD>

To be fair it's only been a couple of weeks between posts.

I know, that's why I'm lamenting. We were so close to it qualifying as a grave dig, and it going away. But nope another new player trawling the forums had to throw their coin into the well.

[The New California Republic]

To be fair it's only been a couple of weeks between posts.

Divine horses can't die.

Great, now I've got the Q Lazzarus song in my head because of this discussion.

[Farnhamia]

To be fair it's only been a couple of weeks between posts.

I know, that's why I'm lamenting. We were so close to it qualifying as a grave dig, and it going away. But nope another new player trawling the forums had to throw their coin into the well.

And if this one did sink down into the depths, there would be another soon enough. The "Is There a God?" thread you know, right?

[Albrenia]

And so it begins anew.

As I probably mentioned earlier in this read, I'm not convinced a God exists, although I'm open to changing my mind based on evidence.

If a God was proven to me, I'd have a bunch of questions for Him, that's for sure. Not all of them entirely pleasant.

[Tarsonis]

And so it begins anew.

As I probably mentioned earlier in this read, I'm not convinced a God exists, although I'm open to changing my mind based on evidence.

If a God was proven to me, I'd have a bunch of questions for Him, that's for sure. Not all of them entirely pleasant.

"God I gotta talk to you."

God: "I know."

" You know what I think of your so called plan?"

God: "Yep."


"Well.....Well Good!" *Walks away muttering under breath. "Showed Him."

God: "Not Really."

*Thinks* Ugh he's so infuriating.

God: "I know."

[The Alma Mater]

And so it begins anew.

As I probably mentioned earlier in this read, I'm not convinced a God exists, although I'm open to changing my mind based on evidence.

If a God was proven to me, I'd have a bunch of questions for Him, that's for sure. Not all of them entirely pleasant.

"God I gotta talk to you."

God: "I know."

" You know what I think of your so called plan?"

God: "Yep."


"Well.....Well Good!" *Walks away muttering under breath. "Showed Him."

God: "Not Really."

*Thinks* Ugh he's so infuriating.

God: "I know."

One would assume he'd ask questions like "bonemarrow cancer in kids.. why ?".

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

One would assume he'd ask questions like "bonemarrow cancer in kids.. why ?".

More damningly designing the Ichneumonidae to breed by live parasitism is just completely meaningless for the Chosen Tribe of Israel because they'll never impact eachother.

[Albrenia]

And so it begins anew.

As I probably mentioned earlier in this read, I'm not convinced a God exists, although I'm open to changing my mind based on evidence.

If a God was proven to me, I'd have a bunch of questions for Him, that's for sure. Not all of them entirely pleasant.

"God I gotta talk to you."

God: "I know."

" You know what I think of your so called plan?"

God: "Yep."


"Well.....Well Good!" *Walks away muttering under breath. "Showed Him."

God: "Not Really."

*Thinks* Ugh he's so infuriating.

God: "I know."

Hehe. Not quite.

I would be interested to know why the hell he made me with a mind made to question, and then made all the evidence point to the wrong conclusion. Then I'd probably ask why all the needless suffering, kids with cancer, wasps that eat their hosts alive, and the usual.

My final not-so-nice question relates to the worst event in my life so far, and why a true innocent (not me, I'm not a true innocent) had to suffer so much when He could have eased it.

[Tarsonis]

"God I gotta talk to you."

God: "I know."

" You know what I think of your so called plan?"

God: "Yep."


"Well.....Well Good!" *Walks away muttering under breath. "Showed Him."

God: "Not Really."

*Thinks* Ugh he's so infuriating.

God: "I know."

One would assume he'd ask questions like "bonemarrow cancer in kids.. why ?".

point





you

[Tarsonis]

"God I gotta talk to you."

God: "I know."

" You know what I think of your so called plan?"

God: "Yep."


"Well.....Well Good!" *Walks away muttering under breath. "Showed Him."

God: "Not Really."

*Thinks* Ugh he's so infuriating.

God: "I know."

Hehe. Not quite.

I would be interested to know why the hell he made me with a mind made to question, and then made all the evidence point to the wrong conclusion. Then I'd probably ask why all the needless suffering, kids with cancer, wasps that eat their hosts alive, and the usual.

My final not-so-nice question relates to the worst event in my life so far, and why a true innocent (not me, I'm not a true innocent) had to suffer so much when He could have eased it.

I'm sure. What amuses me is you thinking you'd stand before an omniscient, omnipotent being and take it to task.

[Albrenia]

Hehe. Not quite.

I would be interested to know why the hell he made me with a mind made to question, and then made all the evidence point to the wrong conclusion. Then I'd probably ask why all the needless suffering, kids with cancer, wasps that eat their hosts alive, and the usual.

My final not-so-nice question relates to the worst event in my life so far, and why a true innocent (not me, I'm not a true innocent) had to suffer so much when He could have eased it.

I'm sure. What amuses me is you thinking you'd stand before an omniscient, omnipotent being and take it to task.

Asking questions isn't the same as telling it off. Although I'm sure He would be used to people venting their spleens at him since even living people do that.

[Tarsonis]

I'm sure. What amuses me is you thinking you'd stand before an omniscient, omnipotent being and take it to task.

Asking questions isn't the same as telling it off. Although I'm sure He would be used to people venting their spleens at him since even living people do that.

The tone of your comment suggests otherwise. Here's a question though, assuming you get the chance to ask, what would you do with the answer?

[Albrenia]

Asking questions isn't the same as telling it off. Although I'm sure He would be used to people venting their spleens at him since even living people do that.

The tone of your comment suggests otherwise. Here's a question though, assuming you get the chance to ask, what would you do with the answer?

I would know the reason, at the very least. I would no longer be tasked with believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years.

I'm assuming an omnipotent God could give me an answer I would find reasonable, seeing as He's God and would know everything and how to correctly explain it to me.

[Tarsonis]

The tone of your comment suggests otherwise. Here's a question though, assuming you get the chance to ask, what would you do with the answer?

I would know the reason, at the very least. I would no longer be tasked with believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years.

I'm assuming an omnipotent God could give me an answer I would find reasonable, seeing as He's God and would know everything and how to correctly explain it to me.

Ah but reasonable is a matter of perspective isn't it. I mean would you merely be satisfied with the answer, or is there a particular quality you need met?

[Albrenia]

I would know the reason, at the very least. I would no longer be tasked with believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years.

I'm assuming an omnipotent God could give me an answer I would find reasonable, seeing as He's God and would know everything and how to correctly explain it to me.

Ah but reasonable is a matter of perspective isn't it. I mean would you merely be satisfied with the answer, or is there a particular quality you need met?

A reason. Why such horror must occur and still allow the observer with the power to stop it to claim benevolence.

If He is the omnibenevolent, omnipotent and all-knowing God I am told about, He can surely look past the petty arrogance of a mortal being who struggles with the lack of such knowledge and enlighten me.

[Tarsonis]

Ah but reasonable is a matter of perspective isn't it. I mean would you merely be satisfied with the answer, or is there a particular quality you need met?

A reason. Why such horror must occur and still allow the observer with the power to stop it to claim benevolence.

If He is the omnibenevolent, omnipotent and all-knowing God I am told about, He can surely look past the petty arrogance of a mortal being who struggles with the lack of such knowledge and enlighten me.

I'm not saying He can't. I'm saying reasonable is a matter of perspective. What if the answer isn't reasonable to you? Hypothetically, since I can't offer up a legit explanation that I don't know, What if he tells you that tasking you with "believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years." is the reason why the system exists in the first place?

I imagine that doesn't sound like a reasonable answer. So what I'm asking is, would simply knowing there is a reason, no matter how unsatisfying that answer might be, be enough?

Or is there certain criteria you need met?

[Greater Miami Shores]

Whenever I would ask this question to my mom, she would simply tell me that God is too big of topic for our minds to even fathom, so we must simply believe without questions. Now that I am grown and have learned to not stop asking questions so I am able to form my own opinions, I do believe there is a God of some sort. Whether that be the God I learned about during mass as a child, or not, I believe there is something bigger than ourselves. I think whatever is out there is bigger than us and earth. There has to be a reason for the creation of the universe. It is an enormous topic, and one we will never truly master.

I agree, great Post. GMS.

[Albrenia]

A reason. Why such horror must occur and still allow the observer with the power to stop it to claim benevolence.

If He is the omnibenevolent, omnipotent and all-knowing God I am told about, He can surely look past the petty arrogance of a mortal being who struggles with the lack of such knowledge and enlighten me.

I'm not saying He can't. I'm saying reasonable is a matter of perspective. What if the answer isn't reasonable to you? Hypothetically, since I can't offer up a legit explanation that I don't know, What if he tells you that tasking you with "believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years." is the reason why the system exists in the first place?

I imagine that doesn't sound like a reasonable answer. So what I'm asking is, would simply knowing there is a reason, no matter how unsatisfying that answer might be, be enough?

Or is there certain criteria you need met?

Well I'd obviously have to accept the answer no matter what it is since He's God and all, and just knowing would bring at least the loss of uncertainty. I'd only find peace with the answer if it wasn't something horribly unbenevolent like 'it's all a test' or 'I just find watching you guys suffer fun' or something like that.

Assuming He is really benevolent though, the answer would have to be satisfying. My own perspective in this case doesn't matter, since God would know my perspective and be able to explain the reason in a way which salves my concerns. If He cared to anyway, which he would if He was benevolent.

[Tarsonis]

I'm not saying He can't. I'm saying reasonable is a matter of perspective. What if the answer isn't reasonable to you? Hypothetically, since I can't offer up a legit explanation that I don't know, What if he tells you that tasking you with "believing in the righteousness of a process which produces enormous needless suffering every second of every day, for millions of years." is the reason why the system exists in the first place?

I imagine that doesn't sound like a reasonable answer. So what I'm asking is, would simply knowing there is a reason, no matter how unsatisfying that answer might be, be enough?

Or is there certain criteria you need met?

Well I'd obviously have to accept the answer no matter what it is since He's God and all, and just knowing would bring at least the loss of uncertainty. I'd only find peace with the answer if it wasn't something horribly unbenevolent like 'it's all a test' or 'I just find watching you guys suffer fun' or something like that.

Assuming He is really benevolent though, the answer would have to be satisfying. My own perspective in this case doesn't matter, since God would know my perspective and be able to explain the reason in a way which salves my concerns. If He cared to anyway, which he would if He was benevolent.

the only problem with the underlined there is that the explanation itself might be inherently unsatisfying. Which means God could it explain it to you six different ways from Sunday, and it wouldn't be satisfying. God would have to lie in that scenario, which God doesn't do. So there may not be salves for your concerns at all. (Because it might very well all be a test. But depending on the purpose of that test, benevolence might not be inherently disqualified.)

But you say you'd be at least some what satisfied with knowing that a plan exists.

So my question is, would you require a complete walk through of what could possibly be a 9 Quadrillion+ Point Plan, or would you be satisfied with the broad strokes?