Epicurus on the question of God

[userque]

In my opinions:

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus asks:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Yes. He is willing and 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?

Free will.

Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Discuss.

 

[marketsurfer]

My belief of a creator does not portend the creator meddles in the affairs of men. Either you believe he does or you don't. That can be nothing more than faith. That's not what I argue.


The above does not affect my 100% belief that a creator created the universe.

I guess i lean toward deism in the spirit of America's founding fathers.

surf

 

[CaptainObvious]

People underestimate the power of negative forces in the universe. There is a dark side to creation, and this is as it must be. There is no existence without negative and positive forces colliding. All life is the result of this constant collision. There is no saving because there is no need. Hell doesn't exist. There is only the evolution of all life. Does the butterfly remember it's life prior to the metamorphosis? You will move to another plane after this. To where? Is the selection random? It is not for us to know. In this life suffering is our destiny. It is our preoccupation with self which does us in. We are given an out. Be of service to others. The darkness of serving one self is much more seductive.

 

[MrScalper]

One day you will know, that is for sure

For me, I currently have 2 Gods, one is 11 months old and the other is 9 months old.

They look very alike, but one has a snout a little bit longer.

I would do anything for them, as they for me.

Heaven, is indeed, a place on Earth

 

[fordewind]

Heaven, is indeed, a place on Earth

Eternal life would be a real punishment.God is great!

 

[stu]

For whatever reason, the omnipotent creator choose to create and work within a framework of natural law--

Then Epicurus was right.
If there were a God then it is malevolent if it chose to work within a framework that is "red in tooth and claw".
If it couldn't create an alternative framework, for instance one where you knew good without needing to know evil, then it is not omnipotent, so not a God at all.

Why don't you explain how good could be recognized without there being evil.

Even as a child you fathom the concept of existence without ever having to come into contact with anything non-existent.
The same instinctive knowledge of good without needing to know evil should not be outside the purview of any God..
Unless of course a person is conditioned to believe you can't understand one without the other.

The point is as Epicurus noted, your God couldn't or wouldn't have good without evil.

-- but my perspective is very narrow as we can't see the entire picture.

Religious faith has a tendency to encourage that.

 

[stu]

You will move to another plane after this. To where? Is the selection random? It is not for us to know.

Yet there's nothing but ego to say you go somewhere other than the oblivion you came from.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

It can seem to a casual observer that God doesn't exist.

I'm nothing if not casual.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

My belief of a creator does not portend the creator meddles in the affairs of men.

I'm okay with that belief even if I don't share it, because it also precludes the need for religion and blind faith in the invariable misinterpretation, intentional or otherwise, of the musings of goat herders from the Bronze Age scrapped together into a book.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

People underestimate the power of negative forces in the universe. There is a dark side to creation, and this is as it must be. There is no existence without negative and positive forces colliding. All life is the result of this constant collision. There is no saving because there is no need. Hell doesn't exist. There is only the evolution of all life. Does the butterfly remember it's life prior to the metamorphosis? You will move to another plane after this. To where? Is the selection random? It is not for us to know. In this life suffering is our destiny. It is our preoccupation with self which does us in. We are given an out. Be of service to others. The darkness of serving one self is much more seductive.

Captain, put that "incense" away and turn off the black light.