Theodicy: solution lies in definition of God (Introduction)

by dhw, Sunday, September 26, 2021, 11:18 (944 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: Your view of God is that he has a brilliant mind, has specific purposes, knows what he intends to do, and does it. So is mine. And all my alternative views of his intentions and methods explain those parts of his work which your own views cannot explain.

DAVID: Still avoiding the obvious differences in purpose and methods.

The differences in purpose and methods are what I have listed for you in my alternative proposals, all of which confirm the characteristics of “brilliant mind” etc.

DAVID:I believe God evolved us which makes us His goal.

dhw: But you believe your God also evolved [= designed] every other life form and food supply, including all those that had no connection with humans and their food, and so they must also have been his goal! Why would a purposeful God design them if he had no purpose for designing them?

DAVID: Same confusion over what my theory really says: […] God had humans as His ultimate goal. We were not 'his only want'. Everything He produced from our BB onward was part of His overall plan.

According to you, all life forms were “part of the goal of evolving [=designing] humans” and their food. If we were not his only want or goal, then what other goals did he have? When challenged to explain why he designed all the other unconnected life forms, your response has been that I should go and ask God! If he exists, I have no doubt that whatever life forms existed/exist are the result of his overall plan. And I have offered you several versions of the plan, all of which explain the great variety of life forms that have come and gone, and all of which you agree are logical, while you go on dodging the challenge bolded above.

DAVID: I don't dodge. You persist in a strange misinterpretation of my interpretation of God's decision to produce us.

God’s decision to produce us (and our food) does not explain why he produced all the life forms and foods that had no connection with us. Once more: please tell us what you think might have been his other goals or “wants”.