A malevolent Deity

[Vivid]

God isn't just All-Loving, God is also The Just, The Punisher, etc. many people want to believe God is The All Merciful, so they can do whatever they want, commit as many sins as they want but then believe that since God is so Merciful and Loving, that they will enter Heaven.

 

[idav]

God isn't just All-Loving, God is also The Just, The Punisher, etc. many people want to believe God is The All Merciful, so they can do whatever they want, commit as many sins as they want but then believe that since God is so Merciful and Loving, that they will enter Heaven. They are fooling no one but themselves.

With a being with great power its a matter of how they use it. Too much power would have god countering himself.

 

[idav]

I would think it impossible to understand the concept of a all-powerful God and that includes what would be benevolent or malevolent in regards to an all powerful God.

We should be able to pick up a few clues. We are the image of god and I don't think it is just the good. Power gives the potential for harm which is engrained in this system that creates and destroys itself. Really life is living for fleeting moments at a time but we see a continuum.

 

[nazz]

Often times people say how good God is and that he is perfect and awesome etc. Why wouldn't an all powerful being be malevolent, it would seem to logically follow a super powerful being. That being said, such a being would be in it for himself, as is it's right. What could any creation say but, "well your in charge so...." Does it make sense for such a being to really care about anything it creates or destroys? Even if such a being did care and love unconditionally, ultimately the deity is still doing whatever for its own reasons and its creations are subject to the whims of such a deity.

I believe omnipotence is a logical impossibility. So your question for me is like asking what is the shape of a square circle.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The idea that an all-powerful being would even notice, or care, about one species of animal on a tiny speck in the universe, is a result of man's arrogance and extremely limited perspective. The microbes living in our gut would be infinitely more like us, than we would be like a god.

 

[idav]

I believe omnipotence is a logical impossibility. So your question for me is like asking what is the shape of a square circle.

I'm talking any power at all. It doesn't need to be omnipotence, could just be very very powerful at which point malevolence is a strong possibility.

 

[idav]

The idea that an all-powerful being would even notice, or care, about one species of animal on a tiny speck in the universe, is a result of man's arrogance and extremely limited perspective. The microbes living in our gut would be infinitely more like us, than we would be like a god.

Depends on the purpose of the creation on whether such a being would care one way or another. If super powerful being with certain intentions did create us I'm sort of leaning towards, "we're on our own".

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Depends on the purpose of the creation on whether such a being would care one way or another. If super powerful being with certain intentions did create us I'm sort of leaning towards, "we're on our own".

Even a cursory analysis of the human condition and human history pretty clearly indicates that we are very much on our own.

 

[nazz]

I'm talking any power at all. It doesn't need to be omnipotence, could just be very very powerful at which point malevolence is a strong possibility.

Indeed. And I believe such deities do in fact exist at least as subjective realities.

 

[nazz]

Even a cursory analysis of the human condition and human history pretty clearly indicates that we are very much on our own.

Speak for yourself. Don't include me in your tragically hopeless situation.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Speak for yourself. Don't include me in your tragically hopeless situation.

My apologies. Go back to sleep and enjoy your deluded fantasies about yourself and reality.

 

[nazz]

My apologies. Go back to sleep and enjoy your deluded fantasies about yourself and reality.

ah the irony

 

[Poeticus]

Even a cursory analysis of the human condition and human history pretty clearly indicates that we are very much on our own.

Speak for yourself. Don't include me in your tragically hopeless situation.

How in the world is that tragically a hopeless situation?

 

[nazz]

How in the world is that tragically a hopeless situation?

Just my opinion. I'd rather not be totally on my own and trapped in a endless cycle of suffering that only increases in intensity.

 

[George-ananda]

Often times people say how good God is and that he is perfect and awesome etc. Why wouldn't an all powerful being be malevolent, it would seem to logically follow a super powerful being. That being said, such a being would be in it for himself, as is it's right. What could any creation say but, "well your in charge so...." Does it make sense for such a being to really care about anything it creates or destroys? Even if such a being did care and love unconditionally, ultimately the deity is still doing whatever for its own reasons and its creations are subject to the whims of such a deity.

My opinion? This is all just morbid speculation on the part of someone favoring, for some psychological reason, the presentation of a morbid view of our existence.

With that quantity of speculation, another can present a loving view of a deity with a positive view of our existence.

It just shows the psychology of the speaker, that's all.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

ah the irony

Indeed, it is quite rich when you're around.

Sweet dreams.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

How in the world is that tragically a hopeless situation?

Reality is too much to handle for many people. Especially those without the drive and ability to improve it on their own. Hence, the propensity of many to regress into pleasant fantasies.

 

[nazz]

Indeed, it is quite rich when you're around.

Sweet dreams.

Nitey-nite. Want me to tuck you in?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Nitey-nite. Want me to tuck you in?

I see the originality of your wit is only matched by your ability to drown yourself in fantasy.

 

[ruffen]

Interesting question, But I suppose as humans how are we really expected to understand the 'mind' if you will, Of an all powerful being?

We call him Father, 'Cause we're his children and he loves us. So I suppose if you want a better understanding, Just think of it as a relationship between a father and his son.

As a father I would NEVER let my child suffer if i could prevent it. I would never let my child have a horrible physical disease or mental illness that was no fault of her own. If she was going to do a bad mistake I would guide her and help her the best I could.

If God has the same relationship with all of us, that must necessarily mean that he is not omnipotent, just as a father is not omnipotent to prevent his child from suffering. I would prevent it if I could - so if it still happens it means I can't prevent it, so that means I'm not all-powerful.


Oh, and as a father, I wouldn't hide from my children. I make my existence known to my child. God does not.