Return to David's theory of evolution PART ONE (Evolution)

by dhw, Friday, June 02, 2023, 08:41 (538 days ago) @ David Turell

PART ONE

DAVID: For His own reasons He had to include viruses and bacteria, some of which go bad. Again theodicy. He gave us free will obviously realizing some of us would create evil. I accept that He did all that. Are you inferring your unknown stupe of a God didn't realize what would happen. […]

dhw: You might as well say that for his own reasons he created all the ”evils” I’ve listed. Not much of an explanation, is it? (See below for my “inferences”.)(dhw’s bold)

DAVID: A non-answer. I asked you to discuss your God and evil, bad viruses.

I asked you to see below. You should read the whole post before you tell me I have not answered. But perhaps you are only trying to divert attention away from your non-explanation of your God’s creation of evil (he did so for his own reasons). Please note that under “evil” I subsumed “every disease, sin, evil act, disaster etc.”

DAVID: No one would listen to your distortion of my God.

dhw: Once again, as above: You believe your God is all-powerful and all-knowing. As first cause, he created everything that exists, and you say he created what he wanted to create. He created “evil”. Therefore he wanted to create evil, and knew from the very beginning all the evil that would result from his creations. Now please tell me what I have distorted.

DAVID: When will we hear about your God and theodicy? My God expected evil when He gave us free will.

Once more: see below. Meanwhile, you have accused me of distortion, and I have reproduced your beliefs and asked what I have distorted. Please answer.

dhw: There is no “correctness” if he began his experiments as a voyage of discovery, learning, inventing new things. The “voyage” would have been what he wanted. When you learn something new, is that synonymous with losing some of your mental ability? (See “Neanderthal experimentation” in “Miscellany PART TWO”.)

DAVID: Again a purely humanized God, with a purpose to enjoy Himself.

dhw: Please tell us what you regard as his purpose for the creation of humans and every other life form that ever existed.

Not answered.

dhw: And please tell us why a God who, in your own words, enjoys creating and is interested in his creations, could not set out with the purpose of enjoying creating things that he would find interesting.

DAVID: My God does not need to create for self-interest.

We are not talking of “need”. Since you are sure he enjoys creating and is interested in his creations, what is wrong with him wanting to enjoy creating things he will find interesting? Is it even reasonable to suppose that he enjoys doing something but DOESN’T actually want to do it? Please answer my now bolded question above.

DAVID: See Wiki on the subject:
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_paradox

QUOTE: "The conclusion is that the statement "God can do anything" needs to be qualified. By this logic God cannot do both of two things that are mutually contradictory. C. S. Lewis says that logical contradictions are not a "thing". Rather they are nonsense. […]

dhw: A good description of your non-sense theory:[I gave two examples.] Now please tell me what "mutually contradictory" things you have found in my alternatives.

DAVID: I have never heard how your God handles bad bacteria, viruses, evil, molecular mistakes, etc.

Once again, you refuse to respond. I had already told you I would tackle the theodicy problem “below”, and I will now repeat my answer in Part Two.