Theodicy: solution lies in definition of God (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 16:47 (1128 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: Since your faith in God’s limited powers is unshakable, let us reach a compromise. In the context of this particular example of “bad”, let us say that he wanted to have this system, in spite of its uncontrollable errors. And so we agree: he designed what he wanted to design. You have him showing his very “humanized” good intentions (your idea) and trying to make up for the “errors” by correcting those he could, whereas I have him – to use your own expression – watching with interest. Which of these would you say was more human?

DAVID: Watching or designing something for interest is not something my God would do or need to do, as your human God seems to need.

dhw: How very strange. Quotes:
“I’m sure he likes what he creates, and that He is satisfied in His results as an inventor.”
“I’m sure He sees what is going on with His own level of interest.”
“His concern for us like our concern for others.”
“God did not create a Garden of Eden for us, as dull.”

My later explanations are, as usual, ignored by you. Only you have the ability to find quotes and then place them out of context. All those quotes are guesses I make and I recognize I am guessing. They may be true

dhw: And I remember but sadly did not record your comment that he enjoys creation much like a painter enjoying his paintings. Your God seems to change his nature whenever I like your suggestions, the most glaring example being your agreement that he probably/possibly has thought patterns and emotions and logic similar to ours, and we mimic him – but then you disagree with yourself, because that might give credence to my “humanizations” as opposed to your own.

All true. I am sure we mimic Him is many unknown ways, unknown only because God is mystery to us.

dhw: You have again totally missed the point of the problem of theodicy, which is not solved by ignoring the bad. And how comforting would your estimate of the error percentage have been to all your patients?

DAVID: God's genetic errors would be hard to find in my compliment of patients. I do remember delivering a newborn with no cranium. I had a teenager with a Meckel's diverticulum that required surgery. I have known Down's syndrome folks. Nothing more.

dhw: What a pity you never knew about the other patients. See above.

I know of other patients not in my practice, showing the rarity.

God’s editing systems
QUOTE: The team studied membrane attack complexes (MACs) – components of our immune system that punch minute holes in the membrane of invading bacteria. If enough holes are punched, the bacteria will pop and die.

DAVID: All the editing systems show God knew what systems to edit for errors.

dhw: And his reason for creating the invading bacteria in the first place was…?

Everyone has to eat. All bacteria serve good purposes in the right places and as the start of life. Still asking, is life a glass half full or half empty?