Subject:
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Re: The Problem of Evil
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 2 Dec 2000 08:14:31 GMT
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Viewed:
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294 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:
> Flawed. God is good and gives us free will to choose evil. Respecting this
> choice is a part of honoring our autonomy.
Flawed. Prove free will rather than determinism. Prove to me that your
actions are not determined by your nervous system, learned behavior,
socialization skills, etc.
Free will is an idea I tend to agree with because I find it aesthetically
far more pleasing than determinism -- but then again, I couldn't prove the
existence of free will beyond my own doubts about the idea.
But, let's say Free Will exists and this Christian god is testing us. What
gives him the right to judge? I don't even let my own father tell me what's
what. See if you can guess how much I care about the judgment of this
mythical Christian god?
Moreover, Free Will presupposes choices. So basically, a Christian god
needs his devil, doesn't he? I guess that puts them pretty much on the same
team. Ever read the Book of Job? See what I mean?
> Flawed. Explain how to quantify evil.
No, you explain it. I don't believe in it. You are asking me to prove a
negative. The ideas of good and evil are great for the sake of dramatic
effect, but in the real world they don't amount to squat.
> Maybe not for non sentient beings and things, but it is different for us. We
> have free will. What about morality?
Why is it different for us? Prove that animals are non-sentient. Prove
that we are not just animals. And again, prove the existence of free will.
What about morality? Right! What about it? I don't believe in that
either. I act only in my own self-interest -- precisely controlled by what
I think I can get away with, and by the sorts of activities that otherwise
prove advantageous in terms of my overall goals.
I swings me fists right up to the tips of my neighbors' noses. And I do not
unto others as I would have others not do unto me...let's call it morality
"lite," eh?
-- Richard (ape #5)
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: The Problem of Evil
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| (...) Tough proof I agree. (...) I agree. It is better to presuppose that we are acting freely. (...) Stop right there. God isn't "testing" us. God created us and gave us life to do with it what we will. (...) Well, other than the fact that God is (...) (24 years ago, 2-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: The Problem of Evil
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| (...) Flawed. God is good and gives us free will to choose evil. Respecting this choice is a part of honoring our autonomy. (...) If God wanted to. See above. (...) Flawed. Explain how to quantify evil. (...) This goes without saying. (...) Maybe (...) (24 years ago, 2-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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