A possible God's possible purpose and nature (The nature of a \'Creator\')

by David Turell , Thursday, June 17, 2021, 18:55 (1253 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: Dodge, dodge, dodge. I have to remind you that if you believe in common descent, ALL life forms were once new “stages” built from the old, but 99% of the stages had no connection with humans. You have said yourself that brontos had no direct connection to humans. They were a “stage” on a different branch of the bush.

I know. But all branches go back to Archaea. You lack any concept of continuity. Each stage must have branches of food supply. Brontos are now birds and lizards, here with us and supplying food. Back in bronto's time we were mouse sized, but on the way. That was our stage at the time.

DAVID: That is not what I have proposed above. Of course there is no direct connection with stages that are far apart in time.

dhw: And there is no connection between branches. There is in fact no connection at all, apart from common descent from the first cells, which is why it is patently absurd to claim that all extinct life forms were “part of the goal to evolve [design] humans” plus lunch.

Again slicing and dicing.

DAVID: I won't deny my vision of a very purposeful God who knows exactly what He is doing on the way to His goals.

dhw: […] Why do you believe that a God whose goal is to create a free-for-all is not purposeful and does not know what he is doing on the way to fulfilling his goal of a free-for-all?

DAVID: Free-for-alls by definition have no specific goal in sight. You are not logical.

dhw: You’re fond of the phrase “slicing and dicing”, and that is precisely what you are doing. The subject is God’s goal. His goal would be the joy/excitement/pleasure of watching what the free-for-all will lead to. You accidentally hit on it when you drew the analogy with my own creative processes.

DAVID: Again a very humanized God who MUST have human pleasures to watch an uncontrolled developing melee with an unknown but potentially exciting outcome. Like a cricket match.

dhw: As usual, you shift your ground when cornered.

Never shifting from my fixed positions. God does not have human desires, which below you supply again:

dhw: The history of evolution’s comings and goings, with 99% of life forms etc. having no connection with humans, suggests a free-for-all, and so maybe that’s what God wanted – i.e. it was his purpose. THAT is logical, and so back you go to your silly “humanized” argument. Why does it never occur to you that if your God created us, WE may have inherited some of HIS characteristics? Yes, the excitement of not knowing the outcome would be excellent motivation for him to create a free-for-all. This time, you have bravely made your own guess as to his purpose in creating us:

DAVID: Our giant brains allow us to decide to study God's works. Perhaps it is a way He allows us the challenge of figuring His methods of creation. Only a guess!!!

dhw: Do tell us your guess as to why he might want us to study his works and figure out his methods.

He might have wanted to create creatures who would try to figure out how He did it. Just more guessing. He certainly doesn't want us to have that ability for His own self-gratification from recognition of Him by us, recognizing His greatness.