That is so ‘out there’. I assume you are saying this because of your personal observations, and that’s fine…but have you considered that your views might be somewhat jaundiced and/or incomplete?malkie wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:52 pmJohn, I wasn't thinking of that trichotomy at all.JohnW wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:03 am
I don't think we can say that. I thought that was the three-pronged argument. We can certainly have a god who is benevolent or a race of alien overlords which is benevolent as long as they are relatively powerless to stop evil. The existence of evil doesn't preclude benevolence, just benevolence while at the same time having the capacity to stop evil. Of course, most people will say God, by definition, must have the power to stop evil in the world, but the God of LDS theology may not have that power, depending on how you define it. It isn't as simple as that, but I'll have to start another thread sometime on this topic, if people aren't already bored of the problem of evil here. It seems like it has come up quite a few times.
It was simply an observation that, for all we know, even the Mormon god, if he exists, is not necessarily a good person(age). I can easily imagine circumstances under which that god is actually not doing what is best for us, his children, although he has fooled us into thinking that he is.
I wouldn’t recommend judging the “Mormon God” based upon not knowing all the facts. You do agree that as humans we see through a glass darkly, yes?
How could our creator be anything but a loving and compassionate God?
I agree with John W that God may not have the power to stop evil in the world. I’ve given some of my reasons for why I believe this to be so earlier on this thread.
Regards,
MG