After all, there are plenty of natural evils (Tempests, drought, floods, etc). Those of you who have been unfortunate enough to read my previous threads will know I am keen on philosophy of religion, ethics and political philosophy. If someone is good and omnipotent, I do not think it unreasonable to expect them to act in a good way.
I am currently reading a book called
Believing Bull**** by Stephen Law. Quite early on in the book, he wants to know the reason why we believe God to be good, when all the theodicies can be inverted to show God to be bad. For instance, one reason we can explain the evil in the world is that it is a benevolent God's way to teach us the difference between good and evil. But the same could be said of an Evil God.
So maybe God is not good. Maybe He is evil, and takes satisfaction in our misplaced belief as to His goodness. Maybe He laughs in the face of our optimistic assessment of Evil God's nature. Maybe this earth is a vale, not of soul-making, but of soul-destruction. Maybe this Evil God wants us to suffer, do evil, and despair. Why would such a God create natural beauty? Maybe simply to provide contrast: if most of the world is ugly, it seems more ugly because it contains aspects that are beautiful. Similarly with riches; if some have the opportunity to live lavish lifestyles, that tends to make the rest of us suffer from resentment, frustration and above all envy.
Law gives plenty of other examples to show how theodicies can be subverted to prove God is maybe not quite so benevolent as the theistic religions would have us believe. If you are interested I commend his accessible book to you. It will certainly provide food for thought.
Best wishes, 2RM.
'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.'
(2 Tim 3:1)
Hello
@2ndRateMind,
Reading your OP, the words,
'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God', were coming into my mind, and the question:-
'Who can know God's glory? or understand how we fall short of it? Surely the measure whereby we can know this is in His hands, and only He can know what it is. I feel that the same thing is true of goodness. What is good as we perceive it, may not be God's perception of it.
People have a form of godliness today, as they have had throughout history, there are those who act benevolently, perform feats of endurance, in various fields in order to raise money for this charity or that, and sometimes get rewarded by dignities, in the form of a knighthood or such in recognition of their efforts. Others are prepared to donate a kidney, their blood marrow or part of their liver to save a life, which is what is perceived to be very good indeed. Others sell all that they have and give to the poor. Loving their neighbour, not only in word, but in deed. Yet how many love their neighbour not only in word but in deed and in
TRUTH (1 John 3:18). How many do all this and more in Jesus name, that He be glorified in the eyes of those who observe and commend these good deeds done?
Where I live, if you do not sign a form to say otherwise, then the organs of your body are automatically used for organ transplantation, for that is perceived to be good. Consent is presumed. Is this good by God's standard?
There are those who leave the warmth and comfort of their homes to raise awareness of the needs of refugees, those dying of starvation in famine torn lands, or in the path of fire and flood, raise money for those who have lost their homes. All of these things we applaud as good, but is this the standard by which God judges?
What is good in His eyes? How is it expressed?
God has warned us that in the latter days, there will be famine, flood and pestilence (Matthew 34:6), as well as geological change taking place, and yet we appear to be surprised that this is happening, and put it down to evil, and blame God for it. Yet, when we place our feet upon the ground, one after the other, we do not consider the insect life beneath our feet, whose life force is snuffed out by what we do naturally day by day. Fire and flood follows it's path without consideration of those caught up in it. God's creation is groaning under the weight of the substances we have invented, and we question God's goodness!!!!
I hope this makes sense,
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
