Tony\'s God (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Saturday, November 19, 2011, 19:56 (4731 days ago) @ dhw
edited by unknown, Saturday, November 19, 2011, 20:02

What is there, then, to counter the argument that the human world is a reflection of its creator, with the same homeostatic mixture of good and evil that he himself created in Eden? .. However, if one discounts the man-made stories of the Bible, and simply observes the sheer beauty balanced by the sheer horror of our world, one might well conclude that it has been left entirely to itself. If God exists, he and humans may well share their capacity for good and evil, along with an equal capacity for indifference.

Of course we share the same capacity. The difference between humans and God is described quite succinctly in Genesis' story of the two trees. What he has that we don't is perfect knowledge and immorality. (We must not let them eat of the tree of life or they will become like gods...)

I do not see it as a capacity for indifference though. And ultimately, I think this is one of the key points of disagreement between you and I. You think that because he doesn't step in and make things right, like magic, that he doesn't care. I see it from the perspective of a parent. Sometimes when my children are especially insistent on doing something their own way, especially if I have warned my kids over and over about something and of all the dangers involved, I will let them do it and reap the consequences of their actions. It breaks my heart. It hurts to see them hurt. It pains me to see their tears and scraped knees or broken arms or busted lips. However, as much as it may pain me, I understand that in order for them to learn, and since the are not willing to listen to my counsel, then they must learn the hard way. Humanity is learning the hard way that we are incapable of ruling ourselves in a manner that is good. We have had no truly successful government. Our ecological projects backfire the majority of the time. Our industrial aspirations destroy as much or more than they produce. Our greatest creative efforts go into creating ways to kill each other. God is letting humanity skin it's knees and break its arms, so that when we are done being mule headed we will be ready to listen and learn. You can not teach someone that already knows everything. You can not fill a cup that is already overflowing.

Or, to flash back to my earlier analogy. The Grand Designer is letting us build our Pimped-out Cadillac, complete with amped up stereo, lift kits, hydraulics, low profile tires, and gold dangling from the rear view mirror. He hates what we have done to his car, but we wouldn't listen, so we have forced him to stand back and watch us make an ass of ourselves. After we have gone deaf and vibrated out all the connections in the car with the stereo, and after we have beat ourselves to death with the hydraulics, and after we have killed the axles and struts with the low profile tires, and after we have slapped ourselves repeatedly with the gold chains dangling from the review mirror, and basically after we have completely demolished his perfectly designed car with our ludicrous ideas, we will be ready to listen to the old man teach us how to build a car the right way.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.