Humanity and God

[srosenb1]

I used to believe in God. Then I went through some really tough times, saw my family go through some tough things, without reason. Ten years later, we have not fully recovered. I refuse to believe that God would intentionally cause his creations pain and suffering, simply for the pleasure of watching them fall apart. I understand that there are those who say that God tests us and our faith in him, but to be honest, it's a really shitty thing for him to do. It would be like having a husband/wife who cheats on you, flaunts it around to see your reaction, and then when you get angry, says, "Oh, I was just trying to see if you love me enough to try to make it work after this." =/

Also: If God is omnipotent and all good, why does so much bad happen? I refuse to believe that God would create humans, knowing that they would oppress, persecute, and kill each other. For if each person is made in the image of God, wouldn't he take great offense to it? God would not condone such behavior, as it would be systematically killing part of God himself.
And why would God create a being that would ultimately end up destroying his other creations? Humans were (supposedly) created on the Sixth Day; we were the last. It is incomprehensible to me that God would knowingly put a being on his beautiful planet and then tell them to destroy it ("have dominion over nature and subdue it"), everything he made before us (well, besides the sun and moon). If it was not God's intention for humanity to destroy the planet and pollute the skies, then obviously he is not omnipotent; if he were, he would have known that it would happen.

Thoughts?

[Peter]

I used to believe in God. Then I went through some really tough times, saw my family go through some tough things, without reason. Ten years later, we have not fully recovered. I refuse to believe that God would intentionally cause his creations pain and suffering, simply for the pleasure of watching them fall apart. I understand that there are those who say that God tests us and our faith in him, but to be honest, it's a really shitty thing for him to do. It would be like having a husband/wife who cheats on you, flaunts it around to see your reaction, and then when you get angry, says, "Oh, I was just trying to see if you love me enough to try to make it work after this." =/

Also: If God is omnipotent and all good, why does so much bad happen? I refuse to believe that God would create humans, knowing that they would oppress, persecute, and kill each other. For if each person is made in the image of God, wouldn't he take great offense to it? God would not condone such behavior, as it would be systematically killing part of God himself.
And why would God create a being that would ultimately end up destroying his other creations? Humans were (supposedly) created on the Sixth Day; we were the last. It is incomprehensible to me that God would knowingly put a being on his beautiful planet and then tell them to destroy it ("have dominion over nature and subdue it"), everything he made before us (well, besides the sun and moon). If it was not God's intention for humanity to destroy the planet and pollute the skies, then obviously he is not omnipotent; if he were, he would have known that it would happen.

Thoughts?

Good questions and the answers are...

Our Freewill
The Devil
Our Sinful nature

Easy answers huh.

[truthreality]

Our Freewill

Freewill was created by God.

The Devil

The devil was created by God.

Our Sinful nature

God created the tree of knowledge.

Even with these evasion tactics God is still responsible.

[Angry Citizen]

I used to believe in God. Then I went through some really tough times, saw my family go through some tough things, without reason. Ten years later, we have not fully recovered. I refuse to believe that God would intentionally cause his creations pain and suffering, simply for the pleasure of watching them fall apart. I understand that there are those who say that God tests us and our faith in him, but to be honest, it's a really shitty thing for him to do. It would be like having a husband/wife who cheats on you, flaunts it around to see your reaction, and then when you get angry, says, "Oh, I was just trying to see if you love me enough to try to make it work after this." =/

Also: If God is omnipotent and all good, why does so much bad happen? I refuse to believe that God would create humans, knowing that they would oppress, persecute, and kill each other. For if each person is made in the image of God, wouldn't he take great offense to it? God would not condone such behavior, as it would be systematically killing part of God himself.
And why would God create a being that would ultimately end up destroying his other creations? Humans were (supposedly) created on the Sixth Day; we were the last. It is incomprehensible to me that God would knowingly put a being on his beautiful planet and then tell them to destroy it ("have dominion over nature and subdue it"), everything he made before us (well, besides the sun and moon). If it was not God's intention for humanity to destroy the planet and pollute the skies, then obviously he is not omnipotent; if he were, he would have known that it would happen.

Thoughts?

Maybe God is not omnipotent. No one ever questions God's omnipotence, it is merely assumed.

[SoylentGreen]

I used to believe in God.

Thoughts?

You obviously still do believe in him. Otherwise why criticise a bit of fiction ?

[BlackSheep]

I used to believe in God. Then I went through some really tough times, saw my family go through some tough things, without reason. Ten years later, we have not fully recovered. I refuse to believe that God would intentionally cause his creations pain and suffering, simply for the pleasure of watching them fall apart. I understand that there are those who say that God tests us and our faith in him, but to be honest, it's a really shitty thing for him to do. It would be like having a husband/wife who cheats on you, flaunts it around to see your reaction, and then when you get angry, says, "Oh, I was just trying to see if you love me enough to try to make it work after this." =/

Also: If God is omnipotent and all good, why does so much bad happen? I refuse to believe that God would create humans, knowing that they would oppress, persecute, and kill each other. For if each person is made in the image of God, wouldn't he take great offense to it? God would not condone such behavior, as it would be systematically killing part of God himself.
And why would God create a being that would ultimately end up destroying his other creations? Humans were (supposedly) created on the Sixth Day; we were the last. It is incomprehensible to me that God would knowingly put a being on his beautiful planet and then tell them to destroy it ("have dominion over nature and subdue it"), everything he made before us (well, besides the sun and moon). If it was not God's intention for humanity to destroy the planet and pollute the skies, then obviously he is not omnipotent; if he were, he would have known that it would happen.

Thoughts?

Read the book of Job. Yahweh kills lots of people and animals just to test one person's faith. Then there was the flood.

[BlackSheep]

You obviously still do believe in him. Otherwise why criticise a bit of fiction ?

That is a silly assumption. He is simply being wise by asking peoples opinions on his potentially faulty thoughts. I do the same thing all the time.

[Jack]

You obviously still do believe in him. Otherwise why criticise a bit of fiction ?

I don't believe Batman really exists but I still criticize him for never showing his true affection for Robin. I think he's a dick for bat-caving into the pressures from the Gotham bigots.

[SoylentGreen]

That is a silly assumption. He is simply being wise by asking peoples opinions on his potentially faulty thoughts. I do the same thing all the time.

But the trouble is that his potentially faulty thoughts still acknowledge the existence of a god. To use jack's analogy would you bother to blame batman for not showing up if you got robbed? Would you talk about batman as if he was real if you got robbed?

Except for his first six words there is nothing there that tells me he is an atheist only that he questions the purpose / doings of a god. Perhaps he is just new to atheist style thinking and not quite got the hang of it yet.

[SoylentGreen]

I don't believe Batman really exists but I still criticize him for never showing his true affection for Robin. I think he's a dick for bat-caving into the pressures from the Gotham bigots.

Same with me I question why batman keep an obviously peadophile butler around and when will superman learn that proper dress etiquette requires him to wear his underwear on the inside of his pants. But the difference is that these are fictional questions relating to fictional people. While the OP is real life problems blamed on a fictional creature.

[truthreality]

Same with me I question why batman keep an obviously peadophile butler around and when will superman learn that proper dress etiquette requires him to wear his underwear on the inside of his pants. But the difference is that these are fictional questions relating to fictional people. While the OP is real life problems blamed on a fictional creature.

First Alfred is not a peadophile. Bruce Wayne would be nothing without Alfred. Second the OP is not blaming real life problems on a fictional creature. The OP is questioning real life problems in the context of a creator.

Edit: I know you are going to come back with the same old "But a creator doesn't exist and is just as likely as flying unicorns" but we all know that the issues raised in the OP are legitimate.

[truthreality]

Maybe God is not omnipotent. No one ever questions God's omnipotence, it is merely assumed.

Or the creator is not omnibenevolent. I think the latter is more likely in light of the world we live in.