Go to first unread
Back
to top
Why does God have to be all-powerful and all-loving to exist?
Watch this threadThis discussion is closed.
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#1
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
any thoughts??
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#2
Report
#2
(Original post by TheDuo)
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
What people want to know is if an all-powerful and all-loving God can exist with evil?
This is argued to be possible in the Free Will defence comprised by many different modern philosophers and theologians such as Richard Swinburne and Alvin Platinga and classic ones such as Augustine and Iraenaeus. They believe that God allows moral evil because a world where people have the free will to act immorally is intrinsically more valuable and loving than a world where we a mere robots who can only make good moral choices. Natural evil is allowed in the world because it supports the existence of free will, for example, God remains epistemically distant behind natural evil as in a world where we know of God's presence who doesn't allow for natural evil would mean that we feel we are under constant CCTV supervision thus only acting morally good, which people argue is not true free will.
There are many other arguments these are just a couple. But your answer to your question is that the Problem of evil is solved by denying God's power and is love but it's still an issue for many as many hold strong the idea that God is all-loving and all-powerful as in the bible it makes clear on multiple occasions that God is these things and for many a God who is not the God of Classical Theism seems unworthy of worship.
1
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#3
(Original post by iwatkins151209)
Your idea is similar to that of David Griffin's Process thought which denies the existence of God's omnipotence and that he had a more persuasive power over creation, explaining why evil exists. This is a valid argument to satisfy me as an atheist but most Christians believe in a God of Classical Theism, so denying God's omnipotence seems to merely skip around the issue for them.
What people want to know is if an all-powerful and all-loving God can exist with evil?
This is argued to be possible in the Free Will defence comprised by many different modern philosophers and theologians such as Richard Swinburne and Alvin Platinga and classic ones such as Augustine and Iraenaeus. They believe that God allows moral evil because a world where people have the free will to act immorally is intrinsically more valuable and loving than a world where we a mere robots who can only make good moral choices. Natural evil is allowed in the world because it supports the existence of free will, for example, God remains epistemically distant behind natural evil as in a world where we know of God's presence who doesn't allow for natural evil would mean that we feel we are under constant CCTV supervision thus only acting morally good, which people argue is not true free will.
There are many other arguments these are just a couple. But your answer to your question is that the Problem of evil is solved by denying God's power and is love but it's still an issue for many as many hold strong the idea that God is all-loving and all-powerful as in the bible it makes clear on multiple occasions that God is these things and for many a God who is not the God of Classical Theism seems unworthy of worship.
Your idea is similar to that of David Griffin's Process thought which denies the existence of God's omnipotence and that he had a more persuasive power over creation, explaining why evil exists. This is a valid argument to satisfy me as an atheist but most Christians believe in a God of Classical Theism, so denying God's omnipotence seems to merely skip around the issue for them.
What people want to know is if an all-powerful and all-loving God can exist with evil?
This is argued to be possible in the Free Will defence comprised by many different modern philosophers and theologians such as Richard Swinburne and Alvin Platinga and classic ones such as Augustine and Iraenaeus. They believe that God allows moral evil because a world where people have the free will to act immorally is intrinsically more valuable and loving than a world where we a mere robots who can only make good moral choices. Natural evil is allowed in the world because it supports the existence of free will, for example, God remains epistemically distant behind natural evil as in a world where we know of God's presence who doesn't allow for natural evil would mean that we feel we are under constant CCTV supervision thus only acting morally good, which people argue is not true free will.
There are many other arguments these are just a couple. But your answer to your question is that the Problem of evil is solved by denying God's power and is love but it's still an issue for many as many hold strong the idea that God is all-loving and all-powerful as in the bible it makes clear on multiple occasions that God is these things and for many a God who is not the God of Classical Theism seems unworthy of worship.
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#4
Report
#4
(Original post by TheDuo)
exactly, the idea of an Omni-everything God is so isolating to me. I always imagined powerful and advanced extra-terrestrial or inter-dimensional beings advanced enough to engineer life and gave their creatures some form of 'souls'. I find it quite satisfying but mysterious.
exactly, the idea of an Omni-everything God is so isolating to me. I always imagined powerful and advanced extra-terrestrial or inter-dimensional beings advanced enough to engineer life and gave their creatures some form of 'souls'. I find it quite satisfying but mysterious.
0
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#6
(Original post by iwatkins151209)
Yeah that's an interesting concept, but after learning about all different theories I'm still an atheist as I think the evidential problem of evil (the extent and amont of unsesscary evil) will never be solved and science is enough explanation for me. But I'm always open to new ideas
Yeah that's an interesting concept, but after learning about all different theories I'm still an atheist as I think the evidential problem of evil (the extent and amont of unsesscary evil) will never be solved and science is enough explanation for me. But I'm always open to new ideas
0
Rooster11366
Badges:
10
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#7
Report
#7
(Original post by throwaway1298563)
Why does God have to exist at all
Why does God have to exist at all
0
throwaway1298563
Badges:
0
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#8
Report
#8
(Original post by Anonymous)
Why do you?
Why do you?
0
nutsfornuttall
Badges:
0
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#9
Report
#9
(Original post by TheDuo)
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
0
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#10
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#11
Report
#11
(Original post by throwaway1298563)
Why does God have to exist at all
Why does God have to exist at all
0
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#12
(Original post by Rooster11366)
Can anyone confirm he ever did exist.
Can anyone confirm he ever did exist.
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#13
Report
#13
(Original post by throwaway1298563)
I don't have to exist. I cant even prove I exist because I might not.
I don't have to exist. I cant even prove I exist because I might not.
0
Rooster11366
Badges:
10
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#14
Report
#14
(Original post by TheDuo)
no one can confirm he never existed either.
no one can confirm he never existed either.
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#15
Report
#15
(Original post by Rooster11366)
That does not answer my question. Someone's belief does not mean he does exist.
That does not answer my question. Someone's belief does not mean he does exist.
God may or may not exist, that's all.
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#16
Report
#16
(Original post by iwatkins151209)
Your existence cannot be doubted.
God may or may not exist, that's all.
Your existence cannot be doubted.
God may or may not exist, that's all.
0
Rooster11366
Badges:
10
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#17
Report
#17
(Original post by iwatkins151209)
Someone's lack of belief equally doesn't mean He does not exist.
Someone's lack of belief equally doesn't mean He does not exist.
I do find some times when you ask this question. Some people take this question to heart. I do not understand why that is
0
iwatkins151209
Badges:
4
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#18
Report
#18
(Original post by Rooster11366)
This is a chicken and egg type question.
I do find some times when you ask this question. Some people take this question to heart. I do not understand why that is
This is a chicken and egg type question.
I do find some times when you ask this question. Some people take this question to heart. I do not understand why that is
0
Elastichedgehog
Badges:
20
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#19
Report
#19
(Original post by TheDuo)
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
when people think of God they often think of an absolute and all powerful being, but a creator doesn't have to be an absolute being, just one who is just quite powerful like the Engineers in the Alien franchise or the Celestials from Marvel comics. I think this is quite good as it would explain why they allow the suffering in the world.
any thoughts??
I suppose you could put forward an argument in regards to the existence of a non-theistic god though.
0
TheDuo
Badges:
13
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#20
(Original post by Elastichedgehog)
Well within the very limited amount of philosophy I've done on the subject, it's because these are necessary properties of a "theistic god".
I suppose you could put forward an argument in regards to the existence of a non-theistic god though.
Well within the very limited amount of philosophy I've done on the subject, it's because these are necessary properties of a "theistic god".
I suppose you could put forward an argument in regards to the existence of a non-theistic god though.
0
X
new posts
