A valid question to all organized religion

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Stopping an evil act does not suppress free will.

Nor is it necessary to do evil things to prove you have free will.

While we're on the subject of omniscience, why does God come back and ask "Why do you cover yourselves with fig leaves? Have you eaten of the bad tree?" Were those rhetorical questions?

Edit: and it occurs to me - what kind of 'ty ...[text shortened]... st most earthly tyrants have the decency to suppress criminals that don't serve their interests.

Blaming God for the evil men do makes as much sense as blaming good parents whose children grow up to become evil adults. The level of control you seem to think is good is as I said typical of tyrants, or liberal politicians who want to control nearly every aspect of our lives. It seems to me you can't have creatures capable of making free will decisions without there being a downside to it.

The only way to eliminate evil is to eliminate free will, so which would you rather have? A perfect world where no one opposes his creator, or a world where you have a choice? It appears you want to have it both ways... you want to have freedom to choose what you will or will not do, and at the same time not suffer consequences for bad choices. Are you also unhappy if you flip a two sided coin and it doesn't always turn up heads?

Everyone says they understand what free will is, but for some reason not everyone understands what can happen as a result of free will. Aren't you curious as to why God would create a universe where there were creatures who can freely choose to do as they will? He could have just as easily created everything (including us) to do exactly what he designed it to do.

Is it also God's fault you have a mind, and can use it in any way you choose?

Originally posted by lemon lime
Is it also God's fault you have a mind, and can use it in any way you choose?

Err ... yes

Originally posted by lemon lime
The only way to eliminate evil is to eliminate free will, so which would you rather have?

No - that's a false dichotomy. It is not necessary to have evil; all you need is a world where no one freely chooses evil. Everyone has a highly beneficent moral character.

Think of it this way. We don't generally claim that someone who has never murdered or raped lacks free will. So, if those evil acts can be removed from the equation without harming free will, then you can continue removing other evils until none remain.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
No - that's a false dichotomy. It is not necessary to have evil; all you need is a world where no one freely chooses evil. Everyone has a highly beneficent moral character.

Think of it this way. We don't generally claim that someone who has never murdered or raped lacks free will. So, if those evil acts can be removed from the equation without harming free will, then you can continue removing other evils until none remain.

So how does it happen that we could have a world where no one would ever choose to do evil? And if one could not choose to do evil, how could one choose to never make a mistake that could result in an evil act?

Originally posted by galveston75
So how does it happen that we could have a world where no one would ever choose to do evil? And if one could not choose to do evil, how could one choose to never make a mistake that could result in an evil act?

I covered both of these last post.

Originally posted by galveston75
So how does it happen that we could have a world where no one would ever choose to do evil? And if one could not choose to do evil, how could one choose to never make a mistake that could result in an evil act?

God knows all that has happened, is happening and will happen - correct?
So he knows who the bad guys are;
So being omnipotent he gets rid of them.
Leaving the rest of us with our free-will intact.
And a better world.

So why doesn't he do that?

Originally posted by wolfgang59
God knows all that has happened, is happening and will happen - correct?
So he knows who the bad guys are;
So being omnipotent he gets rid of them.
Leaving the rest of us with our free-will intact.
And a better world.

So why doesn't he do that?

Be careful what you wish for...

Originally posted by SwissGambit
I covered both of these last post.

So again I ask how can these be removed as you said in that post and where would be the cutoff be for the bad or slightly bad or just a little bad?

Originally posted by wolfgang59
God knows all that has happened, is happening and will happen - correct?
So he knows who the bad guys are;
So being omnipotent he gets rid of them.
Leaving the rest of us with our free-will intact.
And a better world.

So why doesn't he do that?

Where does the Bible say that he knows all that will happen in the future?

Originally posted by rwingett
I don't think you have any idea what logic is.

You are correct. You don't think I have any idea what logic is.

You said; "If Satan has corrupted portions of the bible, then nothing the bible says can be "clear." "

Think rwingett, you're a bunch smarter than me, was the Bible clear before Satan corrupted it? Therefore how could he?

Originally posted by galveston75
So again I ask how can these be removed as you said in that post and where would be the cutoff be for the bad or slightly bad or just a little bad?

God, as the designer, can remove the defects of personality that cause such actions.

It doesn't matter where you put the cutoff. The point is, wherever you put it, no actions past the line need to happen for there to be free will.

Originally posted by josephw
You are correct. You don't think I have any idea what logic is.

You said; "If Satan has corrupted portions of the bible, then nothing the bible says can be "clear." "

Think rwingett, you're a bunch smarter than me, was the Bible clear before Satan corrupted it? Therefore how could he?

The key word in my previous sentence is 'IF'. Ponder that for a few moments.

Originally posted by Rajk999
What exactly is the 'word of God'
- the Hebrew Bible
- The Greek Septuagint
- The King James 1611
- The King James
- The JW Bible

Which is clear and can be trusted?
They are all different.

They are all different. Change the words and they meaning is changed.

Which is the "Word of God"? But that's not the question you asked.

You asked "what is the Word of God"?

I noticed vistesd is as confused as you are. I pity the soul that cannot recognize the Word of God when they hear it.

Originally posted by rwingett
The key word in my previous sentence is 'IF'. Ponder that for a few moments.

I did.

It is not logical that, if there be (a) God, and that He caused His Word to be published through out the world, that His Word would be eradicated or corrupted.

Instead, it is logical that God would cause His Word to be preserved.

Think it through friend.

Originally posted by josephw
I did.

It is not logical that, [b]if there be (a) God, and that He caused His Word to be published through out the world, that His Word would be eradicated or corrupted.

Instead, it is logical that God would cause His Word to be preserved.

Think it through friend.[/b]

Is it "logical" that if there is a god that he would allow Satan to exist at all?