About a deity full of love and compassion

[Random]

Before you start spouting your anti-semitic lies, I would appreciate it if you would learn the first thing about Judaism.

Fail. I know quite a lot about it, and that pejorative doesn't apply to me at all. You're just bullying, though on this forum, I'm quite sure you won't be sanctioned.

And yet oddly, it's the loving Christians who spent the following 20 centuries oppressing, torturing and slaughtering the supposedly hate-filled Jews. I wonder why that is?

That the Christians have done evil over the millenia to the Jews and everyone else is quite readily apparent to me. No-one can make excuses. In case it needs clarification, I am not an Abrahamic religionist at all. If you read even a few of my posts, you would know this to be the case.

So I guess if your child gets swept out to sea tomorrow, that wouldn't bother you?

Of course it would. The point is, we should all work together to create the conditions and improve existing conditions to the effect that lessens the potential for disaster and sorrow. Don't you agree? As an atheist (supposedly) you must see how divisions of belief are separating mankind and keeping us in a less effective state.

Why not? How are these two things related? And how do you know?

I know.

 

[Penumbra]

God does not cause all this mayhem and destruction.
What is happening in the world is that God is 'withdrawing his protection big time'. He is 'allowing' bad things to happen on an ever-larger scale during this time of tribulation Mat.24v21 which is likely to get worse worldwide in different ways.
Most people don't believe we are at the end of an age of human rule when man will learn his dependancy on God we have hitherto despised. :help:

This isn't an ever larger scale. In the 1300's, somewhere around 1/3rd or 1/2 of Europe's total population was wiped out by the Black Death. That's many tens of millions of people, and the death was slow and full of suffering.

In the early 1900's, the Spanish Flu was estimated to kill 50 million+ people across many regions.

Suggesting that Japan's woes are from a lack of protection from Yahweh is about as logical as suggesting that Japan's woes are a result of a lack of sea shrines to Poseidon. Not praying to the God of ocean and earth has its consequences.

Besides, if the deity's own creation (as in, the way the universe or earth operates naturally) requires protection or things start to die off, then the system itself is inherently flawed.

 

[Beta]

I am prepared to accept an invitation coming directly from God.
I just haven't received any yet.

Have you?

Yes - and from experience .........:thud:

 

[Autodidact]

God does not cause all this mayhem and destruction.
What is happening in the world is that God is 'withdrawing his protection big time'. He is 'allowing' bad things to happen on an ever-larger scale during this time of tribulation Mat.24v21 which is likely to get worse worldwide in different ways.
Most people don't believe we are at the end of an age of human rule when man will learn his dependancy on God we have hitherto despised. :help:

(1) I love when people provide this insight into the mythological psychology. It's so educational.
(2) So some other force wreaks havoc (as it always has) and God could protect us, but doesn't choose to, because we're too bad? Is that how you view the situation? btw, what is the force that causes earthquakes?

Do you consider God to be all-loving and all-powerful?

 

[Autodidact]

Fail. I know quite a lot about it, and that pejorative doesn't apply to me at all. You're just bullying, though on this forum, I'm quite sure you won't be sanctioned.

So you know you're spewing lies, and prefer it to the truth? Because your description bears no relationship to actual Judaism.

That the Christians have done evil over the millenia to the Jews and everyone else is quite readily apparent to me. No-one can make excuses. In case it needs clarification, I am not an Abrahamic religionist at all. If you read even a few of my posts, you would know this to be the case.

But it's the Jews' fault? I assure you, when you spread these anti-semitic lies, they only contribute to the problem.

Of course it would. The point is, we should all work together to create the conditions and improve existing conditions to the effect that lessens the potential for disaster and sorrow. Don't you agree?

Yes, I do. We should enact strong building codes and prepare effective disaster prevention and response plans.

As an atheist (supposedly) you must see how divisions of belief are separating mankind and keeping us in a less effective state.

Yes, but I also think trying to stamp out people's differences usually does more harm than good. Let's just all work together to prevent, respond to, and help the victims of disaster.

I know.

Why not? How are these two things related? And how do you know?

 

[Beta]

Penumbra , you mention single events with devastating results , quite true.
But no matter what happens some will never accept the sovereignty of God so I will say no more

 

[Autodidact]

Penumbra , you mention single events with devastating results , quite true.
But no matter what happens some will never accept the sovereignty of God so I will say no more

And no matter what happens, some will blame it on mythological beings.

 

[Penumbra]

Penumbra , you mention single events with devastating results , quite true.
But no matter what happens some will never accept the sovereignty of God so I will say no more

Of course not. They accept the knowledge of germ theory, plate tectonics, or fluid dynamics.

Some, of course, propose local or foreign gods to be the cause of a nation's problems.

 

[Beta]

...I thought one thousand years were like a day to God?


So that means he's waited six days?


...Yes, he is pretty hasty.

No , God waited 6000 years (exactly as predicted) but the last time I mentioned 2Pet.3v8 I was laughed to scorn - seems there is no pleasing people

 

[Autodidact]

No , God waited 6000 years (exactly as predicted) but the last time I mentioned 2Pet.3v8 I was laughed to scorn - seems there is no pleasing people

Wait, could you clarify exactly what was "predicted" and where? Are you saying that you knew there would be a giant tsunami in Japan this weekend, but could not be bothered to warn the Japanese?

 

[Breathe]

No , God waited 6000 years (exactly as predicted) but the last time I mentioned 2Pet.3v8 I was laughed to scorn - seems there is no pleasing people

Wait, could you clarify exactly what was "predicted" and where? Are you saying that you knew there would be a giant tsunami in Japan this weekend, but could not be bothered to warn the Japanese?

I'm with Auto.
That'd be pretty mean, dude.

Where do you get this "God waiting 600 years exactly as predicted" thingy?

 

[Random]

So you know you're spewing lies, and prefer it to the truth? Because your description bears no relationship to actual Judaism. But it's the Jews' fault? I assure you, when you spread these anti-semitic lies, they only contribute to the problem.

My original post on this thread was meant to illustrate the absurdity of blaming God for natural disasters. Clearly, this has not been discerned by you. In no way was I blaming any group, race or religion for anything.

That you seized upon the inclusion of 'Jews' in my perspective on this to parrot "anti-semite" shows only that it struck a nerve with you - and therefore I shall accept the likelihood that you are subconsciously acknowledging there is truth in what I said. You can bark and spout "lies lies lies" and "anti-semite" all you like, but it does not make it so - only I know and judge myself, no-one else can (and certainly not you).

In any case, it is all water off a duck's back to me.

Yes, I do. We should enact strong building codes and prepare effective disaster prevention and response plans.

Yes, but I also think trying to stamp out people's differences usually does more harm than good. Let's just all work together to prevent, respond to, and help the victims of disaster. Why not?

Agree of course, we should. Differences can always be set aside at a time of crisis.

How are these two things related? And how do you know?

Again, it was meant to illustrate the absurdity of these questions arising when a big calamity or disaster strikes, not to be a literal assertion of some mystifying fact. I find it sad that someone starts a thread about how God must suck when something like an earthquake hits Japan, it shows a complete lack of understanding, especially, in my view, because these people aren't really otherwise interested in, or aware of, that (God).

 

[PolyHedral]

Had not Man rejected God in the first place, none of it would be happening.

Is this a panthiest God you are talking about?

 

[Random]

Is this a panthiest God you are talking about?

There is no agreed upon definition of God, even if I intentionally meant one in that post (which I didn't).

I said that in the hopes of showing an alternative perspective on the whole "God is evil because evil things like the Earthquake in Japan happen" idea behind this thread. I meant to illustrate the absurdity and irrelevance of taking this approach to the trials and tribulations of life, not make a mystifying assertion about some imagined deity. Thanks.

 

[Willamena]

But that's not a definition, mostly because it's ambiguous. Definitions don't flow from impressions; Impressions flow from the interaction of the painting and your own mind. (Both of which can be defined.)

I gave no definition there, yes, deliberately. Any specific definition isn't relevant to what I'd said, and (obviously) would be personal. While impression flows from the interaction of the painting and a mind, it could equally be argued as the case that definition of the painting (what gives the images form and meaning) flows from that impression.

Ever stared at a Rothko?

Your logic's fine, but you're talking about a pantheistic God, which isn't really a seperate entity from the laws of nature. The OP is asking about the more anthropomorphic daddy-in-the-sky, which is quite separate from nature itself.

I get that, that the argument is dependent upon a particular image of "God", and others don't get to play.

 

[PolyHedral]

There is no agreed upon definition of God, even if I intentionally meant one in that post (which I didn't).

I said that in the hopes of showing an alternative perspective on the whole "God is evil because evil things like the Earthquake in Japan happen" idea behind this thread. I meant to illustrate the absurdity and irrelevance of taking this approach to the trials and tribulations of life, not make a mystifying assertion about some imagined deity. Thanks.

It's a perfectly valid argument if you assume there's an anthropomorphic guy in the sky (or something at all relatable) that has some recognizable feeling towards humanity. If you don't want to make that assumption, there's not much "god" left, only physics.

 

[Autodidact]

My original post on this thread was meant to illustrate the absurdity of blaming God for natural disasters. Clearly, this has not been discerned by you. In no way was I blaming any group, race or religion for anything.

What has been lost on you is that it's not about blaming God for anything. It's about yet one more piece of evidence that God does not exist. Clearly, at a minimum, an omnipotent and all-loving God does not exist.

That you seized upon the inclusion of 'Jews' in my perspective on this to parrot "anti-semite" shows only that it struck a nerve with you - and therefore I shall accept the likelihood that you are subconsciously acknowledging there is truth in what I said. You can bark and spout "lies lies lies" and "anti-semite" all you like, but it does not make it so - only I know and judge myself, no-one else can (and certainly not you).

You just randomly chose Jews as an example, without the slightest awareness that the Jews have been used as the world's scapegoat and nearly annihilated because of it? Good choice...not.

In any case, it is all water off a duck's back to me.

Not to me.

Again, it was meant to illustrate the absurdity of these questions arising when a big calamity or disaster strikes, not to be a literal assertion of some mystifying fact. I find it sad that someone starts a thread about how God must suck when something like an earthquake hits Japan, it shows a complete lack of understanding, especially, in my view, because these people aren't really otherwise interested in, or aware of, that (God).

Well, again, you missed the point. It's not about blame. It's about logic. It's not that God sucks, but that there is no God. But clearly, if God exists, yes, He would then suck big time.

 

[Autodidact]

There is no agreed upon definition of God, even if I intentionally meant one in that post (which I didn't).

I said that in the hopes of showing an alternative perspective on the whole "God is evil because evil things like the Earthquake in Japan happen" idea behind this thread. I meant to illustrate the absurdity and irrelevance of taking this approach to the trials and tribulations of life, not make a mystifying assertion about some imagined deity. Thanks.

So when you replied, "I know," you were what, kidding?

 

[Willamena]

It's about yet one more piece of evidence that God does not exist.

If you're talking about the Problem of Evil, it really, really, really, really isn't.

At best, it eliminates a property of "God."

 

[Random]

It's a perfectly valid argument if you assume there's an anthropomorphic guy in the sky (or something at all relatable) that has some recognizable feeling towards humanity. If you don't want to make that assumption, there's not much "god" left, only physics.

If there is a God, then "God" is Physics, too. Surely? Some take the view that God is All and that there is nothing that is not God. So why exclude physics? I think Physics is crucial to God. Why not? There is a way here beyond the anthropomorphic God who is made in man's image (or made man in His image) and who is accused of intentionally doing things like causing disasters. Right? I mean, patently it is nonsense. You might as well believe HAARP is God.