Theodicy

[_Maksutov]

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

-Epicurus

[_sock puppet]

Why indeed.

[_Amore]

"The kingdom of god is within you."
As you love others, you love God.
This applies to everyone.

Now reconsider the quote:

Are you willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then you are not omnipotent.
Are you able, but not willing?
Then you are malevolent.
Are you both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Are you neither able nor willing?
Then why consider yourself GOoD?

God is not some external sky daddy.
God is experienced within.
Evil is also internally experienced.
Then we act on our conscious focus.

[_moksha]

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

-Epicurus

All these questions are moot if God is following the watercourse way.

[_Maksutov]

"The kingdom of god is within you."
As you love others, you love God.
This applies to everyone.

Now reconsider the quote:

Are you willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then you are not omnipotent.
Are you able, but not willing?
Then you are malevolent.
Are you both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Are you neither able nor willing?
Then why consider yourself GOoD?

God is not some external sky daddy.
God is experienced within.
Evil is also internally experienced.
Then we act on our conscious focus.

God is a psychological construct of human beings that can be used in positive ways.
Or it can be used to justify bad things.

[_The CCC]

God will not force you to do anything. It is called Agency or Free Will. In other words We choose.

[_Maksutov]

God will not force you to do anything. It is called Agency or Free Will. In other words We choose.

And in the instances where we don't choose, like natural disasters, God is being malevolent.

[_Amore]

God is a psychological construct of human beings that can be used in positive ways.
Or it can be used to justify bad things.

True.
This is precisely why it's so important to redefine God in healthier terms.
God is love.
Love is appreciating what is, while striving for what is best, through trial & error (active faith/hypothesis).
None of us know what is really "best" - we just learn as we go.

And in the instances where we don't choose, like natural disasters, God is being malevolent.

God is a truthfull process fulfilling itself.
The reality is that if an apple becomes ripe enough, it will fall off the tree and land on the ground.
It's not God's fault, it's just part of the laws of nature.
Truth happens.

Maybe the reason why Jesus (& others like him) can "forgive them for they know not what they do" is because he realized "truth happens." If he intuitively understood the natural sequence of events that lead up to someone doing evil or something bad happening, he would be fighting against truth/reality if he were to get mad. I don't get mad that 2+2=4, and similarly, why would I get mad about other natural sequence of events?

That's not to say that I understand, forgive and have serenity about much.
There is opposition in all things - we need it - we thrive best with it, even if it is sometimes painful or annoying.

[_Chap]

God is not some external sky daddy.

So, like, not a deity as conceived by the immense mass of humanity now and in past centuries, then? I've been saying for a while that nothing like that existed. That's why I'm an atheist.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

And your redefined 'God' is clearly not the deity to whom Jesus evidently imagined existed when he prayed like that - I mean, 'Our Father, which art in heaven' is pretty obviously a 'sky daddy', isn't he?

[_Maksutov]

God is not some external sky daddy.

So, like, not a deity as conceived by the immense mass of humanity now and in past centuries, then? I've been saying for a while that nothing like that existed. That's why I'm an atheist.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

And your redefined 'God' is clearly not the deity to whom Jesus evidently imagined existed when he prayed like that - I mean, 'Our Father, which art in heaven' is pretty obviously a 'sky daddy', isn't he?

Oh Chap, you're so literal! It's not like anyone claimed that JC actually walked on water and raised the dead.