Watching asteroids: a close one is coming (Introduction)

by dhw, Monday, April 17, 2017, 13:02 (2778 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: Please do not assign me with any firm beliefs about God's possible human characteristics. Those are discussion points only. As I look at reality I see purpose, and certainly that is a human attribute, but beyond that point I find no evidence of anything else. God's love is a religious proposition as an example.

But the only purpose you see is the production of humans, and then you refuse to ask why he would want to produce humans, which I would have expected to be a pretty important question!

dhw: Now please tell me why we should not argue that if God created the universe, life and humans, he had a reason for doing so and the reason may well be in terms perfectly comprehensible to ourselves, including those you yourself have suggested, e.g. loneliness, boredom, wanting a relationship, delighting in the pleasures of own work, enjoying watching us solve the problems he has set us. We can’t KNOW, of course, but then we can’t even KNOW if God exists. That is why we discuss these matters.

DAVID: As you stated, we cannot KNOW if any of this applies. Back to angels on the head of a pin. I view God as an eternal consciousness with no need for the companionship your list implies. It is reasonable to assume He is pleased with his creations. As a mind, a consciousness, He will be introspective. All conscious minds are.

If it is reasonable to assume he is pleased with his creations, then why is it unreasonable to suggest that he created them in order to derive pleasure from them – and what is the difference between deriving pleasure and enjoying?