Is there a God?

[Southern Orbistan]

yes
/thread

[Jedi Council]

yes
/thread

This expression is generally used for things that are very clear.

Like "Is being alive good?"

The existence of a deity of any kind is definitely not clear.

[La Xinga]

This thread just started yesterday and we're almost a 1/8 done.

[Punished UMN]

yes
/thread

This expression is generally used for things that are very clear.

Like "Is being alive good?"

The existence of a deity of any kind is definitely not clear.

Being bold today, are we?

[Jedi Council]

This expression is generally used for things that are very clear.

Like "Is being alive good?"

The existence of a deity of any kind is definitely not clear.

Being bold today, are we?

Being alive > being dead.

[Kowani]

This expression is generally used for things that are very clear.

Like "Is being alive good?"

The existence of a deity of any kind is definitely not clear.

Being bold today, are we?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_Greenland

[Punished UMN]

Being bold today, are we?

Being alive > being dead.

Perhaps, but does it beat non-existence?

[The New California Republic]

Being alive > being dead.

Perhaps, but does it beat non-existence?

Since it's fundamentally unknowable, then it's impossible to make that determination.

[Geneviev]

They did have free will. They created suffering using their free will.

That contradicts your earlier claim. If they had free will and where able to live in a place without suffering then removing suffering from the world would have no effect on your free will, yet you claimed it would.

They had free will without suffering until they brought sin into the world. Now that there is sin, human free will is the cause of suffering. Removing suffering would require ending free will to eliminate the sin that causes it, or making pain and things like that impossible. Both of those aren't good actions.

I don't have an explanation for the caterpillars themselves. It is the result of human actions, but that doesn't seem just either.

It is not the result of human actions. It couldn't possibly be. Humans don't have the capability to produce parasitic wasps.

But even if we were to assume that humans could be responsible (we're not), why doesn't God, out of mercy, remedy this? Is he not able?

There is no way for God to end suffering without creating worse problems. He stays with people and loves them instead, and that almost ends suffering.

They did have free will. They created suffering using their free will.

I would love to know how Adam and Eve's 'free will' created suffering for caterpillars of all things.

They used their free will to bring sin into the world, and that is the cause of all suffering.

[Genivaria]

That contradicts your earlier claim. If they had free will and where able to live in a place without suffering then removing suffering from the world would have no effect on your free will, yet you claimed it would.

They had free will without suffering until they brought sin into the world. Now that there is sin, human free will is the cause of suffering. Removing suffering would require ending free will to eliminate the sin that causes it, or making pain and things like that impossible. Both of those aren't good actions.

It is not the result of human actions. It couldn't possibly be. Humans don't have the capability to produce parasitic wasps.

But even if we were to assume that humans could be responsible (we're not), why doesn't God, out of mercy, remedy this? Is he not able?

There is no way for God to end suffering without creating worse problems. He stays with people and loves them instead, and that almost ends suffering.

I would love to know how Adam and Eve's 'free will' created suffering for caterpillars of all things.

They used their free will to bring sin into the world, and that is the cause of all suffering.

Adam and Eve actively chose to bring sin into the world, or sin was a consequence of HAVING Free Will?

There is no way for God to end suffering without creating worse problems.

How could you possibly know this?

[Farnhamia]

They had free will without suffering until they brought sin into the world. Now that there is sin, human free will is the cause of suffering. Removing suffering would require ending free will to eliminate the sin that causes it, or making pain and things like that impossible. Both of those aren't good actions.


There is no way for God to end suffering without creating worse problems. He stays with people and loves them instead, and that almost ends suffering.


They used their free will to bring sin into the world, and that is the cause of all suffering.

Adam and Eve actively chose to bring sin into the world, or sin was a consequence of HAVING Free Will?

Eve chose, because ... women and snakes. They were told, "So, have fun but don't eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, m'kay?" Satan, disguised cleverly as a snake, convinced Eve that that was an unfair restriction. She ate, got Adam to eat, and hey, presto! sin enters the world. So, yeah, it was their fault, especially Eve's, because, you know what women are like.

My favorite part is where they were ashamed of being naked, as if, who cares? They were the only people in the whole world!

[The New California Republic]

My favorite part is where they were ashamed of being naked, as if, who cares? They were the only people in the whole world!

And they actually managed to hide from God somehow.

[Farnhamia]

My favorite part is where they were ashamed of being naked, as if, who cares? They were the only people in the whole world!

And they actually managed to hide from God somehow.

"Uhm ... Adam? Eve? You realize I can see through those fig leaves, right?" Maybe he was just pissed because they were tearing leaves off the Ficus.

[Fujiwara Tochi]

Probably

[Alistan Democratic Nation]

I would like to believe that a God exists but there is no evidence completely proving either side so the correct answer is "We don't know."

[Minskiev]

Alright, who tripled the post count?! Who was it?

Anyways. Anyway? Is there a way or are there ways? There are ways, right? So anyways? Alright.

[Neanderthaland]

It is not the result of human actions. It couldn't possibly be. Humans don't have the capability to produce parasitic wasps.

But even if we were to assume that humans could be responsible (we're not), why doesn't God, out of mercy, remedy this? Is he not able?

There is no way for God to end suffering without creating worse problems. He stays with people and loves them instead, and that almost ends suffering.

Then he is not omnipotent.

[Greater Mobile]

-

[Minskiev]

No, there is no God.

I wish there was. It would give us someone to blame when things go awry. We would have someone to hold accountable in the aftermath of catastrophe.
We would also have someone to praise when things go right. We would know who to thank when good things happen to good people. Someone to guard us in the night.

That isn't the case however. In the face of war, hunger, peace, and prosperity - we have no one to blame. No one to thank. Instead, where we would perhaps hope to see the sway of a divine struggle, we only find the fingerprints of men.

All Gods and all Devils have been human. Our only true prayer is solidarity with the struggles of those who would work for an equitable world. Those, the downtrodden, are our Saints.

Sorry to ruin your philosophical moment, but the underlined bit is...simply wrong. War? Blame the warmongers. The attackers. The wrongdoers. Thank those bringing justice. Hunger? Blame those who created the food shortages. Thank the people making food currently. Peace? Blame...can’t really blame there, but you can thank those who created the peace. Same with prosperity, thank those who created it.

[Nevertopia]

No, there is no God.

I wish there was. It would give us someone to blame when things go awry. We would have someone to hold accountable in the aftermath of catastrophe.
We would also have someone to praise when things go right. We would know who to thank when good things happen to good people. Someone to guard us in the night.

That isn't the case however. In the face of war, hunger, peace, and prosperity - we have no one to blame. No one to thank. Instead, where we would perhaps hope to see the sway of a divine struggle, we only find the fingerprints of men.

All Gods and all Devils have been human. Our only true prayer is solidarity with the struggles of those who would work for an equitable world. Those, the downtrodden, are our Saints.

Sorry to ruin your philosophical moment, but the underlined bit is...simply wrong. War? Blame the warmongers. The attackers. The wrongdoers. Thank those bringing justice. Hunger? Blame those who created the food shortages. Thank the people making food currently. Peace? Blame...can’t really blame there, but you can thank those who created the peace. Same with prosperity, thank those who created it.

Why would an almighty, all-loving god allow those things to exist in a perfect world?

[La Xinga]

Sorry to ruin your philosophical moment, but the underlined bit is...simply wrong. War? Blame the warmongers. The attackers. The wrongdoers. Thank those bringing justice. Hunger? Blame those who created the food shortages. Thank the people making food currently. Peace? Blame...can’t really blame there, but you can thank those who created the peace. Same with prosperity, thank those who created it.

Why would an almighty, all-loving god allow those things to exist in a perfect world?

Punishment maybe?

[Nevertopia]

Why would an almighty, all-loving god allow those things to exist in a perfect world?

Punishment maybe?

for what? Those things affect victim and perpetrator alike.

[Awesomeland012345]

Why would an almighty, all-loving god allow those things to exist in a perfect world?

Punishment maybe?

If a god was almighty, and they let these things happen, and then punish people for doing the things that the god made them do... seems like a god that wants to torture innocent people. Not trying to be rude, but just trying to follow your line of logic.

[La Xinga]

Punishment maybe?

for what? Those things affect victim and perpetrator alike.

What do you mean?

Punishment maybe?

If a god was almighty, and they let these things happen, and then punish people for doing the things that the god made them do... seems like a god that wants to torture innocent people. Not trying to be rude, but just trying to follow your line of logic.

How did God make them do it?

[Minskiev]

Well we humans aren’t exactly peachy all the time, so I couldn't blame God if they exists for doing that.

But then again, 2020 seems a tad excessive. Hold on...maybe COVID was just punishment to China to avenge the Uyghurs, but it spread? Why would an all-powerful god not think that disease would spread..hm.. I‘m lost.

La xinga, say person A hurt group B, then God, seeing this, hurt A and B. That’d hurt B, and they didn’t do anything wrong. Why would the all-loving God do this?