Natural evil

[Sanzbir]

As long as he gives us his definition of "natural evil" by using the examples, what is your problem? Oh I know, pedantry.

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Prove it is evil. Why is a thing that protects a spider evil?? It's up to him to prove it. Then I will believe it is evil. Until you or he proves it is "evil" I refuse to believe it.

Currently this looks to me to be something like the following:

OP: "This person is evil!!"
Me: "I don't think that person is evil."
You: "But he defined that person is evil, therefore he IS EVIL!! To deny this is pedantry!!"

Or how about...
OP: "The sky is yellow!!"
Me: "I don't think the sky is yellow."
You: "But he defined yellow as the color of the sky, therefore the sky is yellow!! To deny this is pedantry!!"

Linguistic subjectivity is dumb. And that is what you seem to be advocating here. Prove your adjectives fit the nouns, don't just declare that your adjectives are defined as being the nouns.

So spider venom is evil?? Prove it. Otherwise just be quiet, don't assert I should blindly accept your definitions of words with no evidence.

 

[MonkeyFire]

Which creator is responsible for natural evil, God or Devil?

Evil isn't a real thing, the same as the devil.

 

[idav]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

I don't think we ought to take what nature does to us too personally.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

What if, and I'm just throwing this out there, the benevolent creator did it all for the sharks. Anyone care to explain why sharks never have to go to an evil dentist.

 

[BSM1]

See opening post.

How can you any of these natural phenomena is "evil".

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

It's as if the creator is trying to convince us that he doesn't exist!!!

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

How can you any of these natural phenomena is "evil".

If I pushed a button causing a volcano to erupt, which smothered a city killing all the inhabitants, would you regard me as evil?

 

[Skwim]

Prove it is evil. Why is a thing that protects a spider evil?? It's up to him to prove it. Then I will believe it is evil. Until you or he proves it is "evil" I refuse to believe it.

Obviously I wasted my time.

Have a good day.

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[Sanzbir]

Obviously I wasted my time.

Have a good day.

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You too, assuming you are using a standard definition of "have a good day" which I guess isn't a thing we're allowed to do anymore.

 

[shunyadragon]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

Yes it disproves an anthropomorphic benevolent Biblical Creator, but that is an ancient human view of the 'Source' some call God(s), Ancient world views cannot define God based on mythology.

I believe that If God exists, God is an apophatic 'Source' where the nature of our existence reflects the attributes God in Creation. The spiritual evolution is a parallel cyclic process that does not necessarily reflect the suffering of natural disasters and other unpleasant things that offend our sensibilities.

I believe in God, and do not put human expectations on the nature of God. The nature of our physical existence is not good nor evil it simple exists as it is.

 

[ChristineM]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

They are natural for sure but evil? I think not.

Maybe a pain in the *** especially if you get bit on the rump by a black widow but a black widow is simply acting instinctively, it has no malice against humans, none against its prey, like you, it just wants to protect itself.


Texas is having it bad, but evil? Weather patterns are not evil, not immortal or wicked, they are just variations in air pressure.

Earthquakes evil? Nope, nothing evil about tectonic movement, here on earth (and some other planets) tectonic movement is just natural and has been around far longer than humans who invented the word evil

 

[BSM1]

If I pushed a button causing a volcano to erupt, which smothered a city killing all the inhabitants, would you regard me as evil?

But supposing that volcano never erupts but just keeps building pressure underneath the surface. Then suppose that subsurface pressure finally reaches the point where it could no longer be retained. Now instead of the possible loss of a few lives (those that did not heed to warnings) you have the loss of countless lives because there was no where to escape. Evil, like good, is highly subjective.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

See opening post.

I think the question was posed more because none of the things you listed (literally none of them) can be considered "evil." It is nonsensical to consider anything naturally occurring as "evil." And yes, this includes all the creepy crawlies, viruses, bacteria, flesh-eating fungus, etc.

Just ask yourself - what OBJECTIVELY makes a puppy more "good" than a rattlesnake? What OBJECTIVELY makes a human more "good" than flesh-eating fungus? There are no acceptable answers to those questions without appealing to SUBJECTIVE opinions based on your own needs and wants.

 

[BSM1]

It depends on whose instruction manual you are using, according to one of the Hebrews many books Isaiah 45:7 kind of covers it.
KJV: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."
WEB: "I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create calamity. I am Yahweh, who does all these things."
YLT: "Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I am Jehovah, doing all these things."

I have use this verse often to watch Fundamental Evangelicals' head explode.

 

[Kemosloby]

Adam and Eve were immune to it all, up until they sinned.

 

[ThePainefulTruth]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

it disproves the existence of a Creator who rewards good and punishes evil, which covers all the revealed religions. And those are natural disasters, as is the fact that everybody dies--deal with it.
So, you may ask, why does an omnipotent God allow disasters and evil (human violation of the rights of other humans) to exist? Because this, if God exists, is all a test to see who, given free will, chooses to do evil and who doesn't. And in the big scheme of Eternity, this is all but a blink, deal with that.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

Not really. While, these phenomena appear to be malevolent on the surface, deeper consideration may indicate otherwise. There is a finite amount of food at any given time on this planet. Is it at all possible that these phenomena may be designed to control population by eliminating the few for the survival of the many?

In attempting to identify man's natural predators, natural disaster and genocide are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Spiderman]

Surely preternatural agency would be literally inconceivable.

I like your post. However, doesn't God in the end decide what the preternatural forces can get away with?

 

[Spiderman]

Obviously I wasted my time.

Have a good day.

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LMAO!

It was just funny the post that generated that response

 

[soulsurvivor]

Natural evil : e.g. Tsunamis, poisoness spiders, earthquakes, famines, etc.

Surely this disproves the existence of a benevolent creator?

All natural 'evil' or disasters are the result of karma (someone got fired today for saying that, but a region's bad karma can cause a disaster) or of human error - for instance famine caused by relying on only one type of seed, which can wipe out the whole crop because of some plant disease, it is safer to plant variety of seeds.

This does not reflect on the creator, who will not interfere with the working of karma or the exercise of human freewill.

 

[idav]

Natural evil does not exist. Evil itself doesn't exist, but staying on topic:

One example you put forward is "poisonous spiders". Why is that evil?? To the spider, it has been given a great gift, a means of hunting and feeding, and protecting itself from those who would do it harm. Surely, venom is a mark of benevolence!!

With black widows only the female would be considered evil since the male black widow is not considered dangerous. Almost scriptural.