God vs Satan

Two words for you all...

Free will.

This answers alot of the questions here.

Originally posted by Checkmate187
Two words for you all...

Free will.

This answers alot of the questions here.

There may have been free will ten thousand years ago but the
multinationals and media have conspired to drive free will into the
ground.

Originally posted by Checkmate187
Two words for you all...

Free will.

This answers alot of the questions here.

No, I'm afraid it doesn't. That would only account for manmade evils (although that could be debated). It utterly fails to account for natural evils. Free will is just a copout that theist's use to try to shift the blame for the existence of evil from god to man.

Originally posted by rwingett
No, I'm afraid it doesn't. That would only account for manmade evils (although that could be debated). It utterly fails to account for natural evils. Free will is just a copout that theist's use to try to shift the blame for the existence of evil from god to man.

What would be your definition of evil?

Originally posted by checkbaiter
What would be your definition of evil?

A typhoon that wipes out tens of thousands of people would be one example.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
What would be your definition of evil?

e·vil
adj., e·vil·er, e·vil·est.
Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant.
Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
n.
The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
An evil force, power, or personification.
Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction: the social evils of poverty and injustice.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
What would be your definition of evil?

Sir Simon Milligan: Hecubus, have you seen the movie "Presumed Innocent?"

Hecubus: Yes I have, Master, and his wife killed her.

Sir Simon Milligan: But Hecubus, I haven't seen the movie yet... Evil! Evil!

Originally posted by rwingett
A typhoon that wipes out tens of thousands of people would be one example.

Well one of the thoughts I have had is this...
example #1....A raging madman kills a child for no apparent reason than that the child was a nuisance....evil?

example #2...The raging madman is apprehended before the murder...justice?

The child grows up to become Adolph Hitler.

We really can't always define evil/good without more information. God has this info....and we cannot be capable judges of God when we don't have His wisdom....just something to ponder ....

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Well one of the thoughts I have had is this...
example #1....A raging madman kills a child for no apparent reason than that the child was a nuisance....evil?

example #2...The raging madman is apprehended before the murder...justice?

The child grows up to become Adolph Hitler.

We really can't always define evil/good without more information. Go ...[text shortened]... cannot be capable judges of God when we don't have His wisdom....just something to ponder ....

If you cannot know or judge if god is committing evil, then you are likewise incapable of knowing or judging whether he is doing good. If god's morality is incomprehensible to mere humans, then you have no way of knowing if he is good or evil. What you are saying, in effect, is that god is unknowable to humans. You become incapable of saying anything about this god except to claim that he exists. What you are left with is a deistic god, and not the traditional christian god.

Or are you claiming that god is a utilitarian?

Originally posted by David C
Well, if God is omnipotent, surely he has the Power to prevent Satan's evil from occuring, no?

[b]whose minds the god of this age(world) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Holy cr*p! Mind if I use that line in the Astrotheology thread?[/b]

Well, if God is omnipotent, surely he has the Power to prevent Satan's evil from occuring, no?

Do you think God should have stopped him by not giving Satan
the ability to do evil, by limiting the will? Did you have something
else in mind?
Kelly

Originally posted by rwingett
A typhoon that wipes out tens of thousands of people would be one example.

Typhoons are natural, what makes you call that evil?
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
Typhoons are natural, what makes you call that evil?
Kelly

Typhoons are not evil in a purely naturalistic world. They just happen. But in a world that was created by a god, everything becomes an instrument of his will. God could have created a world where people were not wiped out by typhoons, but apparently he wanted things to be this way. An omniscient god would know that typhoons would occur. He would know in advance of each separate typhoon that would occur. One can only conclude that when typhoons kill tens of thousands of people, that is exactly what he wanted to happen and that he is pleased by it.

Originally posted by rwingett
If you cannot know or judge if god is committing evil, then you are likewise incapable of knowing or judging whether he is doing good. If god's morality is incomprehensible to mere humans, then you have no way of knowing if he is good or evil. What you are saying, in effect, is that god is unknowable to humans. You become incapable of saying anything about ...[text shortened]... c god, and not the traditional christian god.

Or are you claiming that god is a utilitarian?

No...I simply believe God's Word, since He is all wise and knowing...what He says is good is good, what He says is evil is evil. I simply trust Him since He is the creator of life and my understanding is limited.
What I can say, is that since becoming a Christian, I have more peace, joy and confidence. I don't even fear death like I used to, even though I am not ready to die, because I have learned that I can't be of service to Him when dead.

Originally posted by rwingett
Typhoons are not evil in a purely naturalistic world. They just happen. But in a world that was created by a god, everything becomes an instrument of his will. God could have created a world where people were not wiped out by typhoons, but apparently he wanted things to be this way. An omniscient god would know that typhoons would occur. He would know in ad ...[text shortened]... s of thousands of people, that is exactly what he wanted to happen and that he is pleased by it.

I don't understand, you are saying that God must do something to
protect us from the natural world? Why, if we are all part of the natural
world why would God be required to do that? As far as being pleased
about it, I'm not sure I understand where you get that information
either.
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
I don't understand, you are saying that God must do something to
protect us from the natural world? Why, if we are all part of the natural
world why would God be required to do that? As far as being pleased
about it, I'm not sure I understand where you get that information
either.
Kelly

God created the natural world, including the conditions which spawn typhoons. Yes or no.
Could god have created a world in which people did not die in typhoons? Yes or no.
When people die in typhoons, god knew it was coming. Yes or no.