Epicurus' riddle

[prometheus11]

I don't want God to do things my way. I want God to act on the behalf of the powerless. Instead, he lets those with the must power have free reign.

 

[sojourner]

I don't want God to do things my way. I want God to act on the behalf of the powerless. Instead, he lets those with the must power have free reign.

That's "your way." Because God does act on behalf of the powerless. Just not in ways you either acknowledge or celebrate.

 

[prometheus11]

No, not consistently. Frankly, a two year old could tell God it's not right to take free will away from children when a molester has a gun and gets the free will

There's ZERO evidence of God. None. And the universe runs like it. No mercy. Power reigns.

 

[prometheus11]

The universe is God's body. Therefore, if God is disgusting, so is the universe.

No. The STORIES about God show him as a petulant brat of a child who enjoys killing and torture.

Our godless universe is amazingly indifferent. If there is a god, and the universe shows his nature, then he is indifferent.

 

[sojourner]

No, not consistently. Frankly, a two year old could tell God it's not right to take free will away from children when a molester has a gun and gets the free will

There's ZERO evidence of God. None. And the universe runs like it. No mercy. Power reigns.

You don't get it. Everyone always has free will, because free will is the freedom to choose. One can choose wwithout necessarily having the power to act on the choice made. I may choose to want a Tesla over a Chevy. That's my free will. I may not have enough money to buy a Tesla. That has nothing to do with free will. It has everything to do with economics.

The universe is God's body. And it is merciful. It has the power to provide for our every need: Light, heat, food, medicine, shelter, etc.

 

[sojourner]

No. The STORIES about God show him as a petulant brat of a child who enjoys killing and torture.

Our godless universe is amazingly indifferent. If there is a god, and the universe shows his nature, then he is indifferent.

I suppose it depends on how you CHOOSE to see it.

Some stories can appear to be that way, but you have to realize when they were written, in what culture, and by whom. When the religious tenets are parsed out, though, it turns out that God is kind, merciful, forbearing, good, and just.

Snce those things are also shown forth in the woeld, I'd say the story that it telss does a decent job of showing a good God.

 

[prometheus11]

Free will isn't a "thing" it can't be proved to exist. But I am sick of but being used to explain away bad stuff. It's preposterous excuse that doesn't work.

 

[prometheus11]

I suppose it depends on how you CHOOSE to see it.

Some stories can appear to be that way, but you have to realize when they were written, in what culture, and by whom. When the religious tenets are parsed out, though, it turns out that God is kind, merciful, forbearing, good, and just.

Snce those things are also shown forth in the woeld, I'd say the story that it telss does a decent job of showing a good God.

Hell, their gods stories!! He can't even keep HIS OWN WORD straight?! Puh lease.

 

[sojourner]

Free will isn't a "thing" it can't be proved to exist. But I am sick of but being used to explain away bad stuff. It's preposterous excuse that doesn't work.

It certainly can, because we make our own choices and are self-determined.

 

[prometheus11]

No, if you didn't already believe, and the bible was new to you. And it was some guy named Bob commands murder and genocide and taking land from people's, you'd acknowledge Bobs disgusting torturous behavior.

 

[prometheus11]

It certainly can, because we make our own choices and are self-determined.

Prove it. You can't.

 

[sojourner]

Hell, their gods stories!! He can't even keep HIS OWN WORD straight?! Puh lease.

No they're not. They're the stories of several groups of people who have believed in God, told across culture and across periods of time, collected, redacted, embellished, and translated. God didn't write the collection, and God's not responsible for "keeping it straight." Puhleeze!

 

[prometheus11]

Stop using something as an excuse that can't be proved.

 

[prometheus11]

No they're not. They're the stories of several groups of people who have believed in God, told across culture and across periods of time, collected, redacted, embellished, and translated. God didn't write the collection, and God's not responsible for "keeping it straight." Puhleeze!

What a failure your god is.

 

[sojourner]

No, if you didn't already believe, and the bible was new to you. And it was some guy named Bob commands murder and genocide and taking land from people's, you'd acknowledge Bobs disgusting torturous behavior.

Prove it. You can't.

I made the choice to buy this computer, subscribe to this internet service, and join this forum. No one made that decision for me.

 

[sojourner]

No, if you didn't already believe, and the bible was new to you. And it was some guy named Bob commands murder and genocide and taking land from people's, you'd acknowledge Bobs disgusting torturous behavior.

You realize that those stories are HIGHLY mythic, right? In a world where the people were continually the whipping boys of the world powers, God would necessarily be a bad***.

 

[sojourner]

Stop using something as an excuse that can't be proved.

No. I CHOOSE not to stop.

 

[sojourner]

What a failure your god is.

What a failure your argument is.

 

[prometheus11]

You can't prove you're not being controlled completely by a higher power.

Which of my excellent arguments aren't you understanding properly?

 

[sojourner]

You can't prove you're not being controlled completely by a higher power.

Which of my excellent arguments aren't you understanding properly?

You can't prove that I am, either. So we go with what's most evident. The most evident choice is that I'm self-determined individual who makes choices contingent upon life-circumstances.