Is God good? Is God loving?

[Trailblazer]

I would say, if we consider the average living being with a nervous system that lives, or lived, that God, assuming He exists, is definitely evil.

What is that 'belief' based upon?

 

[Trailblazer]

I am aware that would immediately raise the problem of Good. Ergo, why an evil God would allow some instances of Good, but I am sure that there are answers to that, too.

or why would a Good God allow evil to exist.... there are answers. God does not cause any evil but God allows free will and tat is why there is evil in the world because humans cause evil by the free will decisions that they make to disobey the Law of God....

“God hath in that Book, and by His behest, decreed as lawful whatsoever He hath pleased to decree, and hath, through the power of His sovereign might, forbidden whatsoever He elected to forbid. To this testifieth the text of that Book. Will ye not bear witness? Men, however, have wittingly broken His law. Is such a behavior to be attributed to God, or to their proper selves? Be fair in your judgment. Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is from yourselves. Will ye not comprehend? This same truth hath been revealed in all the Scriptures, if ye be of them that understand.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 149-150

Suffering is another subject altogether, God is responsible for some of that.

 

[Trailblazer]

If my ego were a barrier to my seeing any deity existed, then any deity that created me would be culpable for that, obviously.

Why would the deity be culpable for people who have a big ego?

What is ego of a person?

Your ego is your conscious mind, the part of your identity that you consider your "self." If you say someone has "a big ego," then you are saying he is too full of himself.

ego - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

 

[Nakosis]

If God is good and God is loving what is the evidence? This is all about evidence. I don’t want to see any scriptures because they are not evidence.

Look around you in this world. What evidence do you see that would indicate that a good/loving God exists? I am trying to be objective about this rather than being influenced by my own feelings and life experiences which do not constitute evidence.

I doubt God can experience love.
We human's experience love because we humans are physical beings.
Love is a physical process.

If God is not physical then I don't see how it would be possible for God to feel love. Certainly not what we humans call love.
No, I doubt God feels anything at all. Maybe that's what we are here for. To do all the loving/hating feeling stuff.

Does it even matter if God can feel love? You can. That's pretty crazy. Somehow you came out of the universe with the ability to feel and give love.

 

[Trailblazer]

I doubt God can experience love.
We human's experience love because we humans are physical beings.
Love is a physical process.

If God is not physical then I don't see how it would be possible for God to feel love.

Why do you think that love can only be a physical process?

 

[Nakosis]

Why do you think that love can only be a physical process?

Because our feelings, emotions especially is a biological process.
The inability to experience emotions is the result of a physical brain disorder.
Alexithymia - Wikipedia

If we could feel love without a brain then nobody would not be able to feel it.

 

[rational experiences]

No. In the referred post, I mean all things in the universe, living and non-living, without any exception, including a dead body, when I said 'we'. That is the standard Advaita non-dual Hinduism statement.
Yes, what constitutes me started 13.78 billion years ago (the molecules) and will last till the end of universe.

Seeing the human consciousness life lives expresses within the heavens we means brothers as the men agreement rationally.

As first the self looks assesses itself o man plus men before you begin to theory cosmic.

Remove our heavens consciousness isn't there.

Consciousness was taught as a meaningful versus theist status.

 

[Trailblazer]

Because our feelings, emotions especially is a biological process.
The inability to experience emotions is the result of a physical brain disorder.
Alexithymia - Wikipedia

If we could feel love without a brain then nobody would not be able to feel it.

All that is true, but that does not mean that the brain is the only way to feel love. Of course this is a faith-based belief, but Baha'is believe that God has a Mind, although it is unlike the mind of humans.

Personal God

While the Baháʼí writings teach of a personal god who is a being with a personality (including the capacity to reason and to feel love), they clearly state that this does not imply a human or physical form.[2] Shoghi Effendi writes:

What is meant by personal God is a God Who is conscious of His creation, Who has a Mind, a Will, a Purpose, and not, as many scientists and materialists believe, an unconscious and determined force operating in the universe. Such conception of the Divine Being, as the Supreme and ever present Reality in the world, is not anthropomorphic, for it transcends all human limitations and forms, and does by no means attempt to define the essence of Divinity which is obviously beyond any human comprehension. To say that God is a personal Reality does not mean that He has a physical form, or does in any way resemble a human being. To entertain such belief would be sheer blasphemy.[15][16]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_the_Bahai Faith

 

[Aupmanyav]

The proof is in our ability to implement those teachings in our own lives.
I watched a lot of Untold Stories the last few weeks, a lot are on India and the issues faced by many. One of the greatest proofs of Baha’u’llah to me is the ability to change hearts away from the Caste System and allow a global vision free of predudices.

Then there are the polluted rivers and towns because of mining. There is a lot the Message of Baha’u’llah could do in India, you should look up the Baha'i and see what they are tying to do about these issues.

Are these teachings anything new? Advaita also does not recognize any kind of differentiation. It does not recognize even the differentiation between humans and animals. It does not even recognize any differentiation between the living and non-living. Caste system is a social malady. It has nothing to do with Hindu religion. It is present even in other religions of India including Islam, Sikhism and Christianity. These are the major religions of India. The other religions are demographically insignificant, Bahais being one of them. As you say, the problem is with implementation of teachings. Why blame religions?

No one can do better than Bishnois about environment. Check about that here:
"The Khejarli massacre was an event in September 1730 in which 363 Bishnois were killed while trying to peacefully protect a grove of Khejri trees. The soldiers were sent by the Maharaja of Marwar, Abhai Singh to cut the trees in the village of Khejarli village to provide wood for a new palace."

Bishnoi guru, Jambheshwar, was born in 1451. Bishnois do not allow any killing of animals or cutting of wood in their villages. Black bucks roam freely in their villages and are loved by the villagers like their children. And you talk as if Bahaollah had done something unprecedented!

Bishnoi woman breast-feeding a fawn, Bishnoi village, Khejarli Monument

 

[Trailblazer]

Advaita also does not recognize any kind of differentiation. It does not recognize even the differentiation between humans and animals.

I consider a real plus and a minus for the Abrahamic religions.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Strawberries….
Chocolate…..
The smell of Roses….
Cooking with cinnamon….
Majestic mountain ranges….
Awesome waterfalls….
My son’s and wife’s laughter…
Elvis Presley’s singing….
The French horn…

All of this would be worthless, if we had not been given the senses coupled with the conscious ability to appreciate them.

Our senses, and ability of awareness, are not necessary for life.

 

[We Never Know]

Strawberries….
Chocolate…..
The smell of Roses….
Cooking with cinnamon….
Majestic mountain ranges….
Awesome waterfalls….
My son’s and wife’s laughter…
Elvis Presley’s singing….
The French horn…

All of this would be worthless, if we had not been given the senses and the conscious ability to appreciate them.

Our senses, and ability of awareness, are not necessary for life.

I would somewhat disagree on senses. Being able to see, hear, smell, etc its how many survive longer than they would without them.

 

[rational experiences]

I ask the messenger. Is your message only good and positive?

The truthful answer human. No because it is about God being changed.

So truthful messenger human advised are you good?

Yes by human definition. Living. Loving. Kind. Caring. Mutual for life continuance in nature and human life first.

Was is the difference between a loving human messenger about God to a satanic radiation cosmic theist?

Just a human.

The teaching is the human motivation. To be a loving human with God or gods destroyer the challenge

Why scientists who convert don't like to hear the truth.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

I would somewhat disagree on senses. Being able to see, hear, smell, etc its how many survive longer than they would without them.

Yes, I follow your reasoning. You’re right, about survival. I wasn’t thinking about that, my bad.
Use of senses in that way, is pretty much based on fear.

But I was expressing our abilities that serve to highlight / enhance our enjoyment of life.

Strawberries didn't have to be tasty…. the Earth’s topography didn’t have to be beautiful…. and sounds didn’t have to be relaxing / inspiring / pleasing…
Etc.

 

[Truthseeker]

I do not agree that it is is the ego of atheists that prevents them from seeing the glory of God although it might be their ego that prevents them from even looking at the evidence.

The ego leads to selfishness and by definition is self inflation. Religion, including the Baha'i Faith calls the person to sacrifice which is contrary to selfishness. Self inflation is tantamount to replacing God with yourself. Ego needs to be reduced to recognize the Messenger, and there is no greater proof of God than the Messenger:

O people, if ye deny these verses, by what proof have ye believed in God? Produce it, O assemblage of false ones.

Nay, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, they are not, and never shall be able to do this, even should they combine to assist one another.

(Bahá’í Prayers)
www.bahai.org/r/174210857

 

[Truthseeker]

What makes you think I want an infinite life? What makes you think anyone except believers want one? Most atheists tell me that living forever would be the worst kind of hell. I cannot say I disagree with them.

You and they do not want it, but you and they are ignorant of what life is like in the next world, as am I. But I am assured from the Writings, which you want to ignore in this thread, that hat life is much better than this one. I dare say it is better for atheists, too, in my opinion.

I understand why you don't want it, you are anxious about something you can't understand. You understand this world, bad as it is.

 

[Trailblazer]

I understand why you don't want it, you are anxious about something you can't understand. You understand this world, bad as it is.

That is a pretty accurate depiction of how I feel and why I feel that way and I think it applies to those atheists too, but at least I know something about the next life even if I don't understand it!

“O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 329

Still, the many Worlds of God sounds very daunting. The other problem of course is living forever.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What Baha'u'llah has offered becomes the highest standard we can aspire to in this age.
Baha'u'llah said this is a great objective evidence, though is is easier to see it in hindsight, than it is to see the potential.
.. receptive hearts .. etc etc.
That is why the holy books say God gives a new heaven and a new earth and makes all things new.
Every word they utter from God is the creative force of our potential. This would be a big explanation, I will put one smaller quote under a spoiler.

Bahaollah did not ever say anything new. Actually, it seems that Allah really did not even have a new message for humanity. Evidence does not mean the rants of an uneducated person. Do not say receptive hearts, say gullible hearts who believe in existence of a sky-daddy and think that the only way God can communicate with humanity is through a messenger. You are, in fact, limiting the prowess of your own God and making him sound silly.
The value of a book is by the truthfulness of its contents. The so-called 'Holy' books fall greatly short on that measure. A 'word from God' is a scam, since there is no evidence of existence of any such entity.
And God can talk to people. Did not he talk with Cain about the whereabouts of Abel? Cain was neither an angel nor a messenger.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Whereas I believe that all the above is true I do not see the problem with wanting objective evidence that shows that God is good and loving, if we are being told that is true.

Can I mention a Scripture? I hope you don’t mind.
Remember Matthew 6:9-10, where Jesus gave the Model Prayer?
One thing He said to pray for, is that God’s “Will be done on Earth, as it is Heaven.”

So, if we are to “pray” for it, then that means it isn’t being done now ….not on Earth.

Conditions on Earth are pretty awful, right now. But it won’t always be.

Imagine when Isaiah 11:6-9 gets fulfilled!
Notice vs.9 …”the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah…”
Future tense. It certainly isn’t ’filling the Earth’, at the present!

Take care, my kind friend!

 

[Aupmanyav]

Strawberries didn't have to be tasty…

Strawberries had to be tasty to make other life interested in them, eat them, and then spread the seeds; otherwise strawberries would not have existed. Biology was perhaps not your strong subject in school.