Did god create evil?

[SoyLeche]

If you are talking about a Biblical God, which verse are you talking about?

It's a lost cause. You are going to get some tripe about the Bible being translated and needing to experience it instead of reading it.....

I've come to the conclusion that he has never actually read the Bible - so he is unable to back up what he thinks it says.

 

[Quiddity]

I disagree. That's dualistic thinking. One cannot have light without darkness? Darkness is the absence of light. Darkness cannot exist where there is light.

I agree with this. If God can be blamed for anything, let it be for creating a person with an "ability". If man never sinned or committed any evil, would God still be blamed for creating evil?

 

[sojourner]

But God put us in this Evil world to begin with.

That’s like me filling a pool up with acid and then throwing my child in, telling him that he will have to swim to the edge and pull himself out. I know it will hurt him greatly, but if he reaches the side he'll be better because of the suffering. And hey, just to show that I care I'll throw him one of those buoy things so it'll be a little easier for him to stay afloat.

Sorry, thats pretty sadistic in my book.

God's creation was good.

 

[sojourner]

Ummm maybe for christianity...
Judaism's focus is on THIS life and THIS world...
no one's quite sure what's coming next...



G-d instructs the Jewish people to "Be Holy for I, HaShem, am Holy"
i do not think of it as appeasing my G-d, but rather as living up to a higher potential that He has engrained in myself, as well as all mankind.


says who? can't He choose to make something imperfect for the purposes of our betterment? Do you do EVERYTHING for your children or do you expect them to do for themselves and learn and grow on their own at some point??

I agree with your first statement wholeheartedly. Too many Christians live for the promise of the afterlife. What they don't realize is that the promise is good for now, as well.

Second statement: I agree here, too.

Third statement I'll have to think about. Frubals!

 

[Carlos Andres Restrepo]

What Does "evil" Means To You?

 

[Rejected]

OK,

This isn't going anywhere and neither of us are going to relent, so you can have it.

No, I don’t shelter my children. I want them to learn to live life without fear and to question things. I do intervene from time to time. If I see them doing something that I’ve learned from experience is a danger I will stop them until they understand that danger and are wise enough to make the decision for themselves. I want them to think for themselves and determine what they believe to be the truth based upon their own experiences.

The difference here is that I do not put the dangers on their way intentionally, or place them in potentially harmful situations, hoping that they'll make the right decisions.

 

[Quiddity]

OK,

This isn't going anywhere and neither of us are going to relent, so you can have it.

No, I don’t shelter my children. I want them to learn to live life without fear and to question things. I do intervene from time to time. If I see them doing something that I’ve learned from experience is a danger I will stop them until they understand that danger and are wise enough to make the decision for themselves. I want them to think for themselves and determine what they believe to be the truth based upon their own experiences.

The difference here is that I do not put the dangers on their way intentionally, or place them in potentially harmful situations, hoping that they'll make the right decisions.

Rejected, try answering my question (above) and you can perhaps head in a different direction to understanding.

 

[uumckk16]

God's creation was good.

Agreed.

The way I see it...nothing in the natural world is "evil". An owl that kills a mouse isn't evil, it's surviving. A virus that kills a person isn't evil, it's surviving. A fire that destroys a forest isn't evil, it's allowing the forest to replenish itself.

Evil only enters in when a creature makes a concious decision to do something evil. Evil comes from free will, but so does good. We cannot commit good acts if we're not given the choice between good and evil...without the choice, everything is neutral. Does that make sense? So I suppose I believe that God gave us free will so that we can choose to do good.

 

[Brothergood]

Yes, I believe God created evil.

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:17

He created it and warned man to leave it alone. However; woman who is the weaker sex did eat of the tree, and so man and woman were doomed to live in good and evil forever.

Subsequently, through the words of Jesus we hear...

"Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

His message (IMHO) is to be strong and resist the inherent weakness in all men to do things which are evil.

 

[Rejected]

Rejected, try answering my question (above) and you can perhaps head in a different direction to understanding.

You mean this question:

If man never sinned or committed any evil, would God still be blamed for creating evil?

Do you mean man as in Adam? Well, according to Christian Mythology since the Adversary, commonly known as Satan, was around before the creation of Adam then I would have to say yes, God is still responsible for creating evil, since the angels are one of his creations as well.

What am I supposed to understand here? The concept of God's love? That as harsh as the world is at times it is for a reason? I understand that fully, I used to subscribe to the Christian faith. I know that through hardship and pain the human will and spirit grow stronger. I know first hand. I simply no longer choose to attribute it to a deity that is logically inconsistent.

Don't get me wrong, I’m not knocking Christians, and it wasn't my intention to step on any toes or ruffle any feathers. I think the Christian religion has the potential to do wonderful things, but won't hold my breath.

I just feel that the concept of an infinitely benevolent, omniscient, omnipotent being that is responsible for the creation of the entire universe is self-contradictory.

 

[Mike182]

very true

i think what i was trying to point out was the fact that HaShem creates things, sometimes, that seem to contrast one another, and they are designed that way for a higher purpose. The conflict of the two can be a source for both refinement and destruction, depending on which way you go w/ it.

Huff, if i might expand here, and i suspect you may agree with me, but without knowledge of what is bad, we can't gain a propper understanding of what is good - although the properties of light and darkness are mutually exclusive, if darkness did not exist, light would be a neutral property

if evil did not exist, we would not have a valued understanding of what good is, and arguably, this would restrict genuine human growth

 

[Mystic-als]

if evil did not exist, we would not have a valued understanding of what good is, and arguably, this would restrict genuine human growth

Agreed!

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

Yes, 'evil' is part of the design. Part of this 'earth' experience. Evil is not necessarily a 'bad' thing. It is merely the absence of good. Like darkness is the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat.

 

[Super Universe]

You mean this question:

Do you mean man as in Adam? Well, according to Christian Mythology since the Adversary, commonly known as Satan, was around before the creation of Adam then I would have to say yes, God is still responsible for creating evil, since the angels are one of his creations as well.

What am I supposed to understand here? The concept of God's love? That as harsh as the world is at times it is for a reason? I understand that fully, I used to subscribe to the Christian faith. I know that through hardship and pain the human will and spirit grow stronger. I know first hand. I simply no longer choose to attribute it to a deity that is logically inconsistent.

Don't get me wrong, I’m not knocking Christians, and it wasn't my intention to step on any toes or ruffle any feathers. I think the Christian religion has the potential to do wonderful things, but won't hold my breath.

I just feel that the concept of an infinitely benevolent, omniscient, omnipotent being that is responsible for the creation of the entire universe is self-contradictory.

God did not create evil and He does not put you to any test. And God is not inconsistent. Nothing from Him has changed. The truth today is the same truth of 3,000 years ago. Only human interpretation and our ability to understand the universe truly as it is has changed.

God selected this universe to be a free will universe. God does not make a law then violate it.

Lucifer was not created evil. He chose his path.

You blame God for what others choose to do. Do you also blame God for your own poor choices?

People today refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. "It's someone elses fault!"

Christianity HAS ALREADY done wonderful things for millions of people throughout history yet you are only concerned with yourself.

Do you only see the bad things? Do you walk by the flowers and ignore the birds singing?

What kind of life is that and why did you choose it to be this way?

 

[BucephalusBB]

God did not create evil and He does not put you to any test. And God is not inconsistent. Nothing from Him has changed. The truth today is the same truth of 3,000 years ago. Only human interpretation has changed.

like that this world was flat? and that the whoppper is better than the big mac?

God selected this universe to be a free will universe. God does not make a law then violate it.

I disagree

Lucifer was not created evil. He chose his path.

So God created something to become evil?

You blame God for what others choose to do. Do you also blame God for your own poor choices?

Why are you saying his choices are poor?

Christianity HAS ALREADY done wonderful things for millions of people throughout history.

that I agree with, however..

Do you walk by the flowers and ignore the birds singing?

I know I don't, why are you asuming he ignores that?

What kind of life is that and why did you choose it to be this way?

You appear to be asuming his life sucks?

 

[BucephalusBB]

Yes, 'evil' is part of the design. Part of this 'earth' experience. Evil is not necessarily a 'bad' thing. It is merely the absence on good. Like darkness is the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat.

So killing an innocent child is just because the killers contains to little "good"?

 

[Super Universe]

like that this world was flat? and that the whoppper is better than the big mac?


I disagree


So God created something to become evil?


Why are you saying his choices are poor?


that I agree with, however..


I know I don't, why are you asuming he ignores that?


You appear to be asuming his life sucks?

It is your choice to disagree. Your God given right.

God did not create Lucifer to become evil.

Why do I assume Rejected has made poor choices? Unless he can walk on water it's inevitable that he has made some poor choices in life. The better question is whether he takes responsibility for them and has truly learned a thing or two.

I am not assuming he ignores flowers and birds. It's a question not a statement.

Again, it's a question. I am not assuming his life sucks. You are.

 

[Rejected]

God did not create evil and He does not put you to any test. And God is not inconsistent. Nothing from Him has changed. The truth today is the same truth of 3,000 years ago. Only human interpretation and our ability to understand the universe truly as it is has changed.

Actually God didn't create anything, but that’s just my belief.
And yes the concept of God is logically inconsistent, as I have pointed out. Review my posts for my arguments; I get tired of repeating myself.

God selected this universe to be a free will universe. God does not make a law then violate it.

Lucifer was not created evil. He chose his path.

But if God know everything then he knew that Lucifer would choose evil, and since he is responsible for the creation of Lucifer he is also responsible for the creation of evil.

You blame God for what others choose to do. Do you also blame God for your own poor choices?

Uh, you can't blame something you don't believe in.
I hold everyone responsible for their own actions, including myself. Yes I have made some poor choices, but the lessons I’ve learned as a result of those choices have enriched my life that much more.

People today refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. "It's someone elses fault!"

Most people do, yes. But like I said, I’m willing to admit when I am wrong and pay the piper when I have too.

Christianity HAS ALREADY done wonderful things for millions of people throughout history yet you are only concerned with yourself.

Like what?

Like Mother Theresa allowing millions of Indians to suffer and die while she redirected donations which were intended to build medical facilities in Calcutta to other church projects?

Like the countless numbers of Christians, Muslims, and Jews that dies during the Crusades?

Does the Spanish Inquisition ring any bells?

How about the Westboro Baptist church, are they doing good things?

I am not only concerned with myself, I’m concerned with the whole human race, and from what I can see organized religion has done more harm than good.

Do you only see the bad things? Do you walk by the flowers and ignore the birds singing?

No I don't only see bad things. The world is full of beauty, but I will not shut my eyes to and pretend that everything is all right.

Popular culture idolizes sex and money.
We are wastefully flaunting our precious natural resources.
My government regularly disregards the separation of church and state, forcing religious practices and ideas upon an unwilling populous.
Trillions of dollars each year are spent on national debt which could be used to actually do some good for humanity, like feeding and clothing the impoverished.

Is the only thing you do see are flowers and birds?

What kind of life is that and why did you choose it to be this way?

My life is very content and fulfilling, thanks. And I choose to live this way because I choose to educate myself about everything I can. I choose to live with the facts of reality and constantly keep those things that bother me about the world in my thoughts so that I do not fall into them myself. I choose to live this way because it is the intelligent, responsible, way to live.

 

[lightbearer]

Evil is not necessarily a 'bad' thing

That is soo true.

 

[lightbearer]

oh and yes God did make evil.