Epicurus on God

[Ricter]

Quote from Gabfly1:

That doesn't bode well for heaven, does it?

Why not? The heaven believers I've read imagine a hell.

 

[Gabfly1]

Quote from Ricter:

Why not? The heaven believers I've read imagine a hell.

So then merely imagining a hell is a sufficient counterbalance to make up the other side of the coin? However, the evil that exists in the here and now is real and not only imagined. Why does a god allow the perpetration of actual evil on real lives, when the mere imagining of it apparently suffices? Seems rather over the top, wouldn't you say? Unnecessarily heavy-handed on the ever merciful god's part.

 

[Ricter]

Quote from Gabfly1:

So then merely imagining a hell is a sufficient counterbalance to make up the other side of the coin? However, the evil that exists in the here and now is real and not only imagined. Why does a god allow the perpetration of actual evil on real lives, when the mere imagining of it apparently suffices? Seems rather over the top, wouldn't you say? Unnecessarily heavy-handed on the ever merciful god's part.

The coin is an analogy of course, I didn't mean to get hung up on it. My question and point is, can good exist without evil? How would we know what it is?

In my experience, as I remove "evils" from my life, other evils soon take their place. I take it for granted that this is partly a function of my human power of discrimination and judgement. They may be lesser evils, but I can only know that in reference to my memories of the past evils.

 

[Gabfly1]

And whom do we thank for the evil we have been blessed with to give us context?

Speaking of context:

Quote from Gabfly1:

...if there must be hell to appreciate heaven, then how can a mere human lifetime of hell be sufficient to fully and properly appreciate an eternity of heaven. Seems rather asymmetric, don't you think?

 

[Ricter]

Quote from Gabfly1:

And whom do we thank for the evil we have been blessed with to give us context?

Speaking of context:

If we believe in God, we would have to thank Him for evil (and good) if we want to retain our ability to judge; the ability to give thanks (or criticism), of course.

I'm borrowing here, but someone said that to ask why God would create a universe with evil in it is about the same as asking why He would create a universe with length, width, or height.

 

[Gabfly1]

Quote from Ricter:

1. If we believe in God, we would have to thank Him for evil (and good) if we want to retain our ability to judge; the ability to give thanks (or criticism), of course.

2. I'm borrowing here, but someone said that to ask why God would create a universe with evil in it is about the same as asking why He would create a universe with length, width, or height.

1. That's a rather hefty price to pay for the privilege of having judgment, wouldn't you say?

2. I think the three dimensions are required for us to inhabit our little rock of the universe. I'm not sure I need evil in my life in order to sustain it.

Oh, and speaking of the ability to judge and be critical, remember our earlier exchange in another thread?

Quote from Gabfly1:

And yet he [god] couldn't be bothered to make himself definitively known to everyone in no uncertain terms, so that there could be no possible room for any other interpretation. Instead, he reportedly requires his followers to exercise unyielding faith, thereby suspending logic and critical thinking. Meanwhile, what separates us from all other living creatures on this planet is the disproportionate size of our prefrontal cortex, which gives us our ability to think critically and logically. So, god, in his infinite wisdom, supposedly wants us to suspend and abandon the very thing that defines us as a species in order to secure salvation. My only question is: what was he smoking when he came up with this sitcom premise?

Round and round we go...

 

[CaptainObvious]

Quote from Gabfly1:

Epicurus: 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?

And yet even the great Epicurus did not deny the existance of God(s).
Instead, he stated that what gods there may be do not concern themselves with us, and thus would not seek to punish us either in this or any other life.

 

[Lucrum]

Quote from Gabfly1:

And whom do we thank for the evil we have been blessed with to give us context?

A) Satan/Lucifer

B) That dumb bitch Eve

C) Liberals

D) Natural selection

E) All of the above

 

[Free Thinker]

Quote from Ricter:

If we believe in God, we would have to thank Him for evil (and good) if we want to retain our ability to judge; the ability to give thanks (or criticism), of course.

I'm borrowing here, but someone said that to ask why God would create a universe with evil in it is about the same as asking why He would create a universe with length, width, or height.

dont forget. he is supposed to be a loving god who is all powerful,perfectly capable of stopping evil acts. so when he stands by while innocent children are raped by his so called servents on earth is he demonstrating love?

 

[Gabfly1]

Quote from CaptainObvious:

And yet even the great Epicurus did not deny the existance of God(s).
Instead, he stated that what gods there may be do not concern themselves with us, and thus would not seek to punish us either in this or any other life.