Sally Redux

It is a real millstone - or should I say they are

Retired in Euskadi

Trivial? If the God Creator told the "people of God" to do something (through prophets like Moses, & they said no thanks, we'll go our own way, then after repeated warnings, punishment was meted out.
You can hardly blame Him, cruel though it might have been to us today.

Sally Redux

Someone who thinks the Bible is literally true, except that he doesn't.

SultanOfSwing

Don't you think that presents a picture of god as a rather callous bastard, though?

He supposedly created us in his image, but then we, as one part of his 'perfect creation' were misled by the snake, another part of his 'perfect creation' (for if he made everything did he not make the devil as well) and thusly we were punished eternally for a mistake we didn't even know we made?

I'm sorry, but the idea that a so-called infallible creator can make a flawed design and then slap the idea of 'free will' on it as a get out of jail free card to allow the suffering of billions is illogic the likes of which I have never seen. Of biblical proportions, if you will excuse the pun.

I just can't reconcile that kind of thinking, it doesn't logically come from a 'loving god' at all. It comes from some kind of twisted, man-made god invented to strike fear into those which were desired to be controlled.

kimilseung

Yes we can blame him. a c&#t is a C%$t, and needs to be called out on it.

For it to be any other way, we can not argue with religious terrorists who follow a similar path or even mafia enforcers. (He even has capos/prophets to pass the messages on)

Sally Redux

I have 'gone my own way', presumably punishment will be 'meted out', or has God gone soft?*

*If this is my last post, you will know it's all true.

SultanOfSwing

The punishment doesn't fit the crime though. Eternal damnation for not listening? When my son doesn't listen I take away his playstation, I don't throw him in the fire.

Sally Redux

The way I feel about all this is, "I have no time for you, Sir!"

kimilseung

Nuts, its just nuts. I can not understand the cognitive dissonance, and how people live their lives and square those circles. When you can see on his face that it causes him discomfort.

SultanOfSwing

Yeah, I tend to agree.

Retired in Euskadi

We can never equate God with our own human thinking or thought processes.
If a parent of a young child warns it not to do something repeatedly, but the child persists, action has to be taken.
If a child abuser is caught, punishment is given out.
Our societies have rules & laws. Some we disagree with, but that's tough.
If a couple allow their unruly son or daughter to do what he/she likes, buy them what the youngsters want, we tend to see the consequences of that "responsibility" all too often later on. It's not really a loving, caring responsible attitude by the parents.

Every action has its consequence. I'll trust God's.
For me, where knowledge ends, faith begins.

Charismatic

Interesting idea…maybe god was just tired of the Japanese on morning and thought he should drown 15-17k people. See everyone loves the New Testament god but the Old Testament god had no qualms about heavy handed tactics or standing back while innocent people were killed.

As discomforting as it is perhaps there is a god but god is pernicious and spiteful or just completely indifferent in human affairs. After all if locals decide to string up a few girls from a tree or kill their child by pouring acid in her eyes perhaps it’s all part of some greater plan beyond human contemplation.

A lot of atheists arguments rest on a few central tenants:
1. The love of a god is often not readily observable.
2. It appears very unlikely that many biblical stories are rooted in fact.
3. God does not appear to play dice with the universe, it appears largely deterministic.

However if you see the bible as a text based on Judaeo-Christian mythology and god as indifferent to human affairs then actually it’s pretty difficult to argue one way or another. You might have to accept prayer as futile but your god can exist concurrently with modern science.

It's the appeal of a sugar coated god that can be a personal special invisible helper who is always there for you that many people find attractive about religion. Remove this and mythology, god actually appears plausible really.

Tell me I’m wrong? Put up a good argument against the existence of god if you are willing to dispense with the niceties religion promises.

kimilseung

It is far to close to the language of abusive relationships. Love me or I'll kill you.

SultanOfSwing

The thing is, society's rules are tangible constructs set forth by real, living people, or at least people who were living at the time they were set forth. They are not pie-in-the-sky notions garbled in translation and taken out of context by men who presume to be channeling the words of whatever deity of the hour they are representing.

The whole 'it doesn't make sense, therefore god' argument is illogical.

Well, yes, that's usually how it works. Emphasis on the absence of knowledge.

kimilseung

It is no ones job to do this.