Quasimodo wrote: Of course, the easier and more likely answer is that no God is there to intervene. It seems that God is never there when needed most (or needed least, for that matter). Maybe that's a clue.
Perhaps it's best to proceed as if there is no God and just do our best to solve problems on our own. If God eventually does show up, so much the better.
Quasimodo, I understand your suspicion about Gods existence.. I agree that it makes sense to do our best to solve problems whether there is a God or not. Even though it is not what you are thinking of when you say god is not there it has been my experience that God has been there for me.(No pots of gold, no indication I am any better than anybody else)
Quasimodo wrote:Of course, the easier and more likely answer is that no God is there to intervene. It seems that God is never there when needed most (or needed least, for that matter). Maybe that's a clue.
Perhaps it's best to proceed as if there is no God and just do our best to solve problems on our own. If God eventually does show up, so much the better.
Quasimodo, I understand your suspicion about Gods existence.. I agree that it makes sense to do our best to solve problems whether there is a God or not. Even though it is not what you are thinking of when you say god is not there it has been my experience that God has been there for me.(No pots of gold, no indication I am any better than anybody else)
I have no suspicion about God's existence. Iknowinmyeveryfiber that there is no god.
How it is? Simple. I had a burning bosom. At first, I thought it was the too spicy Asian food, then - to neutralize it - I drank some Pálinka ***. (Please interpret the word "some" by Your own gusto!) Then, god itself appeared to me. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am he who doth not exist and never existed. Remember this and do not forget this and make an eternal remembrance of this and don't unlearn this and don't getover this and (as I should always repeat my words) soandso - and don't drink more pálinka at least today.
------------------------------ *** FYI In 2004 the European Union accepted pálinka as a Hungarian speciality, and hence its production is limited to Hungary (and four provinces of Austria for pálinka made from apricot). This caused some confusion in neighbouring countries, as some claimed that producers of fruit brandies would have to pay a royalty to Hungary. This is however not the case. It is the brand "pálinka" that is protected by Hungarian and EU law, hence producers outside of Hungary are not allowed to use the brand "pálinka" for their products, but they are free to produce fruit brandies and sell them under different names. This is in spite of the drink being historically distilled in most of historical Hungary, many regions of which fall outside the present-day borders.
The production is regulated by the 2008. LXXIII. Law of the Republic of Hungary. Under the relevant EU and Hungarian law, pálinka can be made only from healthy and legally allowed fruits by way of distillation. Pálinka falls under generic protected designation of origin. Its alcohol content is between 37.5% and 86% ABV.
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
huckelberry wrote:Bazooka ,your question was probably stronger before you added this rejoinder. Most everybody knows the answer at this point .The larger plan involves humans taking the responsibility of stopping it. God waits on his part because he wants humans to do it. That is part of the plan to solve the whole tree of sin not just selected extra obvious examples. You may remain unconvinced that Gods strategy of delegation is best but that does not mean we should not do our part to stop evil.
That wasn't really my point - of course we should do what we can to end abuses. The point is, if God really exists and if He has the ability to intervene in this life (which I believe is Nippers position). Then you have to come to terms with the fact that He could prevent children from being abused but chooses not to. I cannot envisage a 'learning' so important that I would be willing to allow children to be abused, in order to teach it. Can you?
The alternative is that you face up to the prospect that although God exists, He doesn't have the ability to physically intervene in this life either directly or indirectly. On the basis that He would intervene to prevent child abuse if He could. That renders Him somewhat akin to an imaginary friend.
That said, with the Book of Mormon, we are not dealing with a civilization with no written record. What we are dealing with is a written record with no civilization. (Runtu, Feb 2015)
According to Mormonism (Christianity?) we are here to learn.
That said, with the Book of Mormon, we are not dealing with a civilization with no written record. What we are dealing with is a written record with no civilization. (Runtu, Feb 2015)
According to Mormonism (Christianity?) we are here to learn.
I should plead a bit of caution about simple short statements about the meaning of life. I will risk an approximate comparison
In Mormonism people are children of God,secure in their fundamental goodness who are here on a test to learn something and prove themselves.
In most Christian thinking, and I think Nipper and my self would find our self in agreement here, humans are not from someplace but are here in a to be or not to be situation.The continued life of the human family and perhaps larger populations of spirits is in question because of being seriously compromised by the cancer of evil. In a sense we are in a war to the death with the force of evil. We may use learning but the pain and death of this life are a result of the war. We are here as soldiers to win.
That said, with the Book of Mormon, we are not dealing with a civilization with no written record. What we are dealing with is a written record with no civilization. (Runtu, Feb 2015)
Bazooka wrote:How do you determine what is 'evil'?
I do not have some litmus test or and special ability to divine all situations. I would not claim to be able to go about determining evil. If I try to determine all situations I find a lot are ambiguous.
I think we all know basic pointers to evils characteristics. Evil is cynical disregard for community and life. Evil is taking advantage of a vulnerable person and saying, you fool.
Bazooka wrote:How do you determine what is 'evil'?
Probably the same way you "determine" it.
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires...seek discipline and find your liberty I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent