@sonship saidFor a Christian, you seem to have a peculiar understanding of altruism.
It is good that you can be altruistic. It is good that you are concerned about this suffering matter. So take some time to congratulate yourself that you are altruistic.
Why would an act of altruism lead to self-congratulation? Think about that.
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For a Christian, you seem to have a peculiar understanding of altruism.
I went to the nearest secular dictionary online to check on the definition.
Why would an act of altruism lead to self-congratulation? Think about that.
What makes you think I didn't "think about that"? You find it "rather curious" that I appear to be underappreciating your altruism.
And I think the 'outcome' of ending the suffering of an innocent is self evident, and I find it rather curious that you would seek to diminish my altruistic concern for the suffering of others.
The concern that your altruism is being "diminished" indicates that you wear it as a badge to be proud of.
Otherwise you would not be concerned that it was being diminished.
@sonship saidTo congratulate oneself on being altruistic is an oxymoron.
@Ghost-of-a-DukeFor a Christian, you seem to have a peculiar understanding of altruism.
I went to the nearest secular dictionary online to check on the definition.
Why would an act of altruism lead to self-congratulation? Think about that.
What makes you think I didn't "think about that"? You find it "rather curious" that I appea ...[text shortened]... s a badge to be proud of.
Otherwise you would not be concerned that it was being diminished.
I don't require any self-congratulation for being concerned about the suffering of someone else, especially an innocent.
Perhaps it's an athiest thing?
@ghost-of-a-duke saidDon’t be obtuse! You have elevated human suffering even with the additional qualifications of innocence to be above all other concerns or considerations an eternal God must have in His universe. To the point you reject the idea that God could possibly be real. I have asked you repeatedly why? What elevates that above everything else?
Suffering of an innocent? Or indigestion?
You think God sees all things the same way we do when His perspective is from all He sees, and you have the limitations you do? You believe God should follow our ways, your advice is that important?
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To congratulate oneself on being altruistic is an oxymoron.
I see no reason why that should be the case.
I don't require any self-congratulation for being concerned about the suffering of someone else, especially an innocent.
But you found it "rather curious" that it such a worthy human virtue from you would be diminished. So in this discussion it is a card you are playing in the "I have reasons to disbelieve in God" discussion.
Perhaps it's an athiest thing?
It is an atheist dilemma I think.
Your complaint is concerning the evilness of God not eliminating suffering.
Of course that requires that you have a law by which you can compare good to evil.
That requires that there be some kind of law giver.
But the law giver ultimately discriminating good from evil is God who is the very Person you are trying to prove doesn't exist.
C.S. Lewis gives the example of the naughty child who wants to slap his father in the face. But he cannot reach his father's face unless he sits on his lap.
You have to borrow from a God centered worldview in order to use it to criticize God for being less good then you think God should be.
I am pretty sure that if I press you as to who is the source of this ultimate standard of goodness, your answers will amount to you saying that REALLY goodness and evilness don't exist.
@kellyjay saidYou asked, 'Why would you think suffering should be avoided above all other considerations?'
Don’t be obtuse! You have elevated human suffering even with the additional qualifications of innocence to be above all other concerns or considerations an eternal God must have in His universe. To the point you reject the idea that God could possibly be real. I have asked you repeatedly why? What elevates that above everything else?
You think God sees all things the same ...[text shortened]... have the limitations you do? You believe God should follow our ways, your advice is that important?
My reply is pertinent. Are we talking about the suffering of a child or self-inflicted suffering? (such as indigestion). - And can't an omnipresent deity multi-task?!
@sonship saidYou don't think an egoistic self-congratulation negates an altruistic act?
@Ghost-of-a-DukeTo congratulate oneself on being altruistic is an oxymoron.
I see no reason why that should be the case.
@sonship saidThere are countless God- and gods-centred worldviews. This fact does not mean there is a supernatural being actually underpinning any of these worldviews. These worldviews are ideologies. Ghost of a Duke isn't actually "criticizing God". He's telling you that he finds your ideology to be not coherent and not credible.
You have to borrow from a God centered worldview in order to use it to criticize God for being less good then you think God should be.
@sonship saidDoes this cousin-of-circular-logic-type prattle that C.S.Lewis used to trot out actually work for you or for any adults you've ever tried it on?
C.S. Lewis gives the example of the naughty child who wants to slap his father in the face. But he cannot reach his father's face unless he sits on his lap.
@ghost-of-a-duke saidOkay we have been talking about a child suffering this whole time, NOW you are concern about indigestion, pardon me for taking you seriously.
You asked, 'Why would you think suffering should be avoided above all other considerations?'
My reply is pertinent. Are we talking about the suffering of a child or self-inflicted suffering? (such as indigestion). - And can't an omnipresent deity multi-task?!