Posted: Oct 01, 2010 5:02 am
I'm going to agree to disagree on the athiest (belief or not belief) / faith (always blind or just belief lacking certainty) aspects of the discussion, and hope to read Greene again sooner than later. Y'all like to get scrappy, don't you?
Hm. What do you think of hotshoe's latest reply, wherein he says there is no evil? Evil does exist--it is a clue to God's existence (a clue to the existence of a real good--of which evil is a real privation...not opposite, just to be clear). The evil dictator part had only to do w/ the sort of God (unworthy of the title) who would not allow free will. Free will makes choosing love possible, but also its alternative...evil...and without the possibility of that alternative, there really isn't a choice...and love is not 'really' love unless it is chosen. In order to prevent all evil choices, or all pain (not just "physical" pain), the consequence ultimately would prevent love as well. Many leaders history deems evil dictators in hind-sight, start out w/ what they feel are good intentions. Preventing all evil choices at first blush looks like a good intention, but only an evil dictator would actually do it. The happy ending (despite circumstances that others may label "evil"...think Job) actually starts the moment you choose it here and now (your kingdom come...on earth...it is within you).
This conversation has hit so many different topics...
OldskepticIf God does not exist then evil does not exist? God is an evil dictator that allows us to choose to follow the “Golden rule” so that there can be a happy ending?
Hm. What do you think of hotshoe's latest reply, wherein he says there is no evil? Evil does exist--it is a clue to God's existence (a clue to the existence of a real good--of which evil is a real privation...not opposite, just to be clear). The evil dictator part had only to do w/ the sort of God (unworthy of the title) who would not allow free will. Free will makes choosing love possible, but also its alternative...evil...and without the possibility of that alternative, there really isn't a choice...and love is not 'really' love unless it is chosen. In order to prevent all evil choices, or all pain (not just "physical" pain), the consequence ultimately would prevent love as well. Many leaders history deems evil dictators in hind-sight, start out w/ what they feel are good intentions. Preventing all evil choices at first blush looks like a good intention, but only an evil dictator would actually do it. The happy ending (despite circumstances that others may label "evil"...think Job) actually starts the moment you choose it here and now (your kingdom come...on earth...it is within you).
This conversation has hit so many different topics...