29 Jul 09
1 edit
Originally posted by galveston75Having a great vacation with rain. 😞
...The young man's name --- Albert Einstein
What better place to liven up than the spirituality forum of redhotpawn, eh?
I used to love this story. I thought it was so heads on and indisputable, until someone pointed out
to me that the examples doesn't quite match. First of all, if you're going to stick with the idea that
cold is the absence of heat and darkness is the absence of light, then evil is the absence of good,
not God. Evil doesn't automatically imply that there's an absence of God, for a (wo)man can be
good (generous, giving, caring and loving) without a belief in God. I consider myself to be an
example.
But even if we claim that evil is the absence of good, the logic fails. As souverein already pointed
out, evil is not merely the lack of good, but can be a concious act in and of itself. In the bible, as
rwingett demonstrated, it's stated that God created evil. That means that any Christian must also
accept evil as not merely the absence of good, but also a real essence of human nature itself.
Christians accept the absurd notion that man is born into sin, and sin is evil, hence they must
accept that since man is God's creation: God created evil.
In short, the professor in your example was right all along about God being evil.
My personal interests in religion are more as studies of human psychology, and I think of most
religious scriptures as catalogues to human behaviour under different conditions in different
cultures, always from the subjective view of self. Which means that just about any religion can be
used to support just about any action. This is not "good" in the sense that the word is usually
meant. But then, some people would argue that a man killing for land and country can be
considered good (a hero even). Or an army pillaging enemy land can be considered good if the
enemy is considered evil enough. So good is a very imprecise and meaningless word, perfect for
use in propaganda, but not much else.
Evil is really the same as good, but used to describe the acts and thoughts of those who threaten
your own (way of) life. The difference between the words lie only in their positive vs negative
connotation, and are really only used to condone/condemn the exact same behaviour from a
subjective point of view.
In other words, you can't really objectively and indisputably use the word evil as meaning the
absence of good, as there will always be people who consider the exact same act under the exact
same circumstance to be the opposite of your own view.
29 Jul 09
Originally posted by galveston75Is a shark "evil"? Is the grass "good"? Is the snow "evil"? Are the apples and oranges "evil" or are they "good"? Only a dualist can take for granted her/ his delusion that there is such a thing as "good" and "evil" with established own-being;
DOES EVIL EXIST???
The university professor challenged his students with this
question. Did God create everything that exists?
A student bravely replied "yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" The professor asked.
"Yes, sir," the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, ...[text shortened]... fessor sat down.
The young man's name --- Albert Einstein
The sole place in which "good" and "evil" exist, is the mind of the Human. It seems to me you make too much noise over a simple product of the Human mind😵
29 Jul 09
Originally posted by twhiteheadI cannot show you empircal evidence that love exists other than creation and the evidence of our own lives. You see, love is not measurable nor can it be observed. Like God, you might even say it does not really exist....but then, we know better don't we? 😉
So can you provide evidence that goodness is measurable and exists and evil is not measurable and is merely the absence of good? Can you show that it is not the case that goodness is the absence of evil?
29 Jul 09
Originally posted by JigtieSo you are saying that even though you don't believe in God you can still be loving hence the whole notion that the absence of God equates evil? But are you not the creation of his hand created to love? In fact, is not love what drives us and motivates us in all that we do? After all, we were created in the image of God who is a God of love. The question then becomes, why are there times we choose not to love? This is evidecne for the absence of God in our lives.
[b]Having a great vacation with rain. 😞
What better place to liven up than the spirituality forum of redhotpawn, eh?
I used to love this story. I thought it was so heads on and indisputable, until someone pointed out
to me that the examples doesn't quite match. First of all, if you're going to stick with the idea that
cold is the absence of heat and d ...[text shortened]... erous, giving, caring and loving) without a belief in God. I consider myself to be an
example.
29 Jul 09
I think the sense of good & evil is already in us. It's universal but not all agree totally. Humans by our very nature are moral beings. (we can argue how that came to be) Obviously our sense of right & wrong can be skewed but we still try to be moral. I think they both exists Good & Evil. We see it manifested in our day to day experiences.
Manny
30 Jul 09
Originally posted by menace71But my question was did God create evil? Did it not exist at one time in the past?
I think the sense of good & evil is already in us. It's universal but not all agree totally. Humans by our very nature are moral beings. (we can argue how that came to be) Obviously our sense of right & wrong can be skewed but we still try to be moral. I think they both exists Good & Evil. We see it manifested in our day to day experiences.
Manny
30 Jul 09
Originally posted by galveston75Maybe its the same reason why He just chose not to destroy Adam and Eve and start over again. Who knows? Certainly not you!
Your right on that. Why didn't he just destroy Satan then and start over again
Do you realise what a great % of your beliefs are pure assumptions and speculation?
30 Jul 09
2 edits
Originally posted by Rajk999do you realise that your prejudice has you foaming at the mouth like a rabid hound? unless you are prepared to preach and teach others, you should remain silent, for there are a whole host of biblical commands and principles that you have ignored.
Maybe its the same reason why He just chose not to destroy Adam and Eve and start over again. Who knows? Certainly not you!
Do you realise what a great % of your beliefs are pure assumptions and speculation?
30 Jul 09
Originally posted by robbie carrobieList them.
do you realise that your prejudice has you foaming at the mouth like a rabid hound? unless you are prepared to preach and teach others, you should remain silent, for there are a whole host of biblical commands and principles that you have ignored.
One which I am not ignoring is beware of false prophets and false doctrines.
30 Jul 09
Originally posted by Rajk999"You are from you father the D _ v _ l"!!!! Fill in the blanks RaJ.
Maybe its the same reason why He just chose not to destroy Adam and Eve and start over again. Who knows? Certainly not you!
Do you realise what a great % of your beliefs are pure assumptions and speculation?