The problem of evil

[William]

Q: Is the statement "Then there is "The problem of evil"" one of fact or conjecture? [science or opinion] In realty, does such a problem actually exist?

The problem of evil refers to the challenge of reconciling belief in an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God, with the existence of evil and suffering in the world. eta:{SOURCE}

[christian001]

Much of the suffering in this world is caused by evil men and not God. God giving freedom to men is a good thing but this may also result in men making sinful decisions that result in suffering. https://www.explainchristianity.com/if- ... -and-evil/

[JoeyKnothead]

Much of the suffering in this world is caused by evil men and not God.

Just like if there wasn't a god at all.

God giving freedom to men is a good thing but this may also result in men making sinful decisions that result in suffering. https://www.explainchristianity.com/if- ... -and-evil/

I've yet to find me the first person who can show they know the thoughts of a god they can't even show exists.

Might as well just set it all at the feet of Mother Goose.

[TRANSPONDER]

Much of the suffering in this world is caused by evil men and not God. God giving freedom to men is a good thing but this may also result in men making sinful decisions that result in suffering. https://www.explainchristianity.com/if- ... -and-evil/

Much of the suffering of the world is indeed cause by humans, and not always by evil ones. Good intentions can go wrong. And indeed, not by God, we agree on that. We only disagree on why. You put it down to God giving us 'Freedom' (though there wasn't much sign of that in the OT) while I say 'we're on our own'. There is (on all the evidence) no god to ether intervene or decline to do so...The upshot is, that you have your explanation, but it is a claim not a fact. And there is no reason whatsoever that anyone should take it as a fact.

[William]

[Replying to JoeyKnothead in post #82]

Might as well just set it all at the feet of Mother Goose.

Act With The Situation Rather Than Against It

[oldbadger]

Much of the suffering in this world is caused by evil men and not God. God giving freedom to men is a good thing but this may also result in men making sinful decisions that result in suffering. https://www.explainchristianity.com/if- ... -and-evil/

Hello Christian001,
I've got this idea that literal-evil does not exist.
Obviously, nothing in the animal or plant of material world can be evil, for instance bacteria just want to survive and make babies, etc.
The simple person cannot be evil, nor the child, nor the mentally nor neurologically disabled.
So that just leaves bright folks which gets me clear of any hellish place.

But, No again...... in the bible you can read how God told the Israelites just how nasty he can be to folks, and it was him who caused all that suffering to Job because he ordered the devil to do all that stuff, you know. And the devil obeyed god's every order.....

The only guv'nor that we have in this world is Mother Nature, Christian, and every day we all have to bend down to her every wish and command.

[TRANSPONDER]

[Replying to oldbadger in post #85]

That may be post of the year. It points up another thing - which I touched on in the thread on when the sun was created - Bible apologists so often disregard what the Bible actually says and prefer what I call 'the ghost Bible' - a mental version of the Bible that says what they prefer. When one points out 'The Bible does not say that' we get 'interpretation'. Which can be anything from translation -shopping to 'metaphorically true'.

[oldbadger]

[Replying to oldbadger in post #85]

That may be post of the year. It points up another thing - which I touched on in the thread on when the sun was created - Bible apologists so often disregard what the Bible actually says and prefer what I call 'the ghost Bible' - a mental version of the Bible that says what they prefer. When one points out 'The Bible does not say that' we get 'interpretation'. Which can be anything from translation -shopping to 'metaphorically true'.

Ah, yes. And many Christians do that with their laws. I love the way that they will cling to that gorgeous word 'abomination' when they put on their self-righteous hats, but then totally dismiss and ignore many of the other twenty odd abominations in the Torah.

Dodging from metaphor to the literal, and cherry picking from the gospels, a kind of bespoke faith.
Good Morning Sir, and how might we be able to help you?
'Yes.... 'morning, what? I'm looking for Sunday feel-good-factor with Monday feeling.... hah ha!.... you know?'
'Absolutely sir! Norman! Norman! Bring the gentleman a Sunday G-John with Monday G-string package please, size XL!'

[JoeyKnothead]

[Replying to oldbadger in post #85]

That may be post of the year. It points up another thing - which I touched on in the thread on when the sun was created - Bible apologists so often disregard what the Bible actually says and prefer what I call 'the ghost Bible' - a mental version of the Bible that says what they prefer. When one points out 'The Bible does not say that' we get 'interpretation'. Which can be anything from translation -shopping to 'metaphorically true'.

Preachers're God's lawyers - paid to paint their client in the best light, regardless of his guilt or innocence.

A flooding of the planet gets sugar coated with, "But he had ol' Noah there build that boat."

[oldbadger]

Preachers're God's lawyers - paid to paint their client in the best light, regardless of his guilt or innocence.

I don't mind that... what would worry me would any Preachers being God's Judges. Now that's scary stuff. There's a bible movement in the US that promotes a Theonomy (Theocracy) with a King, Judges ruling the land and OT laws and punishments, a whole list of public executions and floggings up to 40 lashes. Real happy days stuff.

[TRANSPONDER]

[Replying to oldbadger in post #85]

That may be post of the year. It points up another thing - which I touched on in the thread on when the sun was created - Bible apologists so often disregard what the Bible actually says and prefer what I call 'the ghost Bible' - a mental version of the Bible that says what they prefer. When one points out 'The Bible does not say that' we get 'interpretation'. Which can be anything from translation -shopping to 'metaphorically true'.

Ah, yes. And many Christians do that with their laws. I love the way that they will cling to that gorgeous word 'abomination' when they put on their self-righteous hats, but then totally dismiss and ignore many of the other twenty odd abominations in the Torah.

Dodging from metaphor to the literal, and cherry picking from the gospels, a kind of bespoke faith.
Good Morning Sir, and how might we be able to help you?
'Yes.... 'morning, what? I'm looking for Sunday feel-good-factor with Monday feeling.... hah ha!.... you know?'
'Absolutely sir! Norman! Norman! Bring the gentleman a Sunday G-John with Monday G-string package please, size XL!'

I almost hate to do this, because the socio -political aspect is a real Twiitterban subject, but I see after science -denial, the Ghost Bible, translation - shopping, and Biblical cherry picking, fiddled logic, pushiness while playing the victim every time they don't get their own way, bad morals and ethics, a nasty and hypocritical elitism that goes along with cult -think and any unrestricted authority (which is the thing we get - grab money, sex and power) and its' elite is privileged and the laws do not apply to them (1). Which results in a self- justified secrecy using religious untouchability, to denouncing anyone else but citing forgiveness for any of their own crowd that gets rumbled. The rule is, if you believe right, you are forgiven and the others are not. A perfect recipe for an instinct for the tribe leader and his cronies to get the best of everything and help themselves to whatever their followers have. Power, money, women. It was the same from the start and is the same now and I won't labour the point when the nasty link between fundamentalist religion and would be authoritarian politics is becoming daily more evident (including the immoderate and fanatically jihaddist reaction of the denialist Faithful), and I may have said too much, but remember when you vote, folks.

(!) "To Hell with man -made law!" Placard of a bunch of protesting religious fanatics. What I hate most is that it brings out the worst in me - a desire to reach for heavy weaponry. "The don't respect man -made law? Very well, they are not protected by it."