Question for the thinkers or people who believe in religion!
By coolsid2007
@coolsid2007 (1030)
India
July 16, 2009 11:50am CST
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
7 responses
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
16 Jul 09
The greatest gift God gave us is free will. Evil is the embodiment of the dark side of ourselves. It is on us to overcome evil.
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
16 Jul 09
Freewill, what about the my freewill to not to be born? I know it was not my will to be born on this earth made by god, didn't have much choice did i?
It was not my will to be born in the family that i belong to (not that i don't like it)or my country (not that i don't like it).
When God created Humans, humans did not have freewill to be created, how then does he possess a freewill.
I own a pet, I want her to follow the rules of the house and Everyday I provide her the food to eat. To eat or not to eat is her freewill but what i give her to eat is not her freewill, instead it is my freewill, so similarly we do not have a freewill without your God's will, and if his will is not to confront the evil and abolish it, then what freewill do we have but to live with the evil and either be the part of it and/or suffer from it?
It might be a freewill of a murderer to kill, but its not a freewill of the person being murdered.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Coolsid,
You have given me quite a lot to think about. You make a lot of sense. If I can figure out where I stand on all this, I'll let you know. or now, I just have a whole lot of questions to mull over.
Thanks. It'a invigorating, to say the least!
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
17 Jul 09
Hey cobrateacher, thanks for your comments. It is always nice to make people think of what was not thought previously, also it is nice to see people open to think beyond what they know already.
Happy mylotting.
@Sandra_Hatfield (175)
• United States
16 Jul 09
God is definitly able to end evil and that will come just wait and see. When God created people He gave us freewill. That is why Adam and Eve had sinned. You have to understand God created time for us. So to got our year could be a second to Him. He already new that Adam and Eve was going to sin. He new you and I were going to have this converstation. I dont know why He lets the world continue wiht so much corruption. However the end is comming and I have been seeing the signs growning and comming fast. God is definitly able to do what ever he wants. After all how else do you think the universe and our planet was created. Scientists said that there was a "BIG BANG" well I believe that happened but I also believe that the Big Bang was when God Spoke to create the universe.
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
16 Jul 09
I Wonder, if you remember going to God and asking for a life that you are living right now?
When your God created Humans, humans did not have freewill to be created, how then does us humans today possess a freewill. I wonder if your God consulted humans before creating us in masses.
It might be a freewill of a murderer to kill, but its not a freewill of the person being murdered.
If he did not intend to monitor the evil or protect the humans from the evil (SATAN AS YOU CALL) what was his right to create life?
What freewill does a person possess when he is in the middle of the Sea and does not know how to swim or fight sharks?
What about the people those who have suffered the tyranny of other freewilled people on this earth,,, do you not think your god is taking a little too much of a time to prepare himself.
@clutterbug (1051)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Hi Sandra, you took the words right out of my mouth, and you explained it very well. The day of the Lord is coming, and he will clean up the evil and make things right in the end. He delays His coming back, because He doesn't want anyone to perish, but for all to come to Him for forgiveness and salvation.. Thanks...
@urbandekay (18278)
•
14 Feb 10
Think about it, God could prevent evil in a world where we have free will but he could not prevent evil and give us free will in a world which retained logical consistency.
all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
•
14 Feb 10
Please stick to the discussion as posted which is; "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"
And to which I have given a satisfactory answer.
"If" God exists and it created us, how do we have a freewill, because being created was not part of that freewill.... rather was a part of its freewill"
This argument is not logically cogent, there is no reason why God could not give us free will.
all the best urban
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
14 Feb 10
First things first....
Who created God?... "If" God exists and it created us, Why did it create us?
"If" God exists and it created us, how do we have a freewill, because being created was not part of that freewill.... rather was a part of its freewill
"If" God exists and it created us, and we have freewill, then why is there heaven and hell, it cannot judge us for it, as freewill was part of its plan, but embedding us with the understanding of Evil and It was not your God's plan....
"If" God exists and evil exists, what are we, just a pawn who can either be on God's side or on Evil's side thats it... our existence has no better thing to do... is this the reason why god create us, to compete with Evil... and feel more powerful?
Now you think about it....
Cheers
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
20 Feb 10
Ah,,,, I thought about it much more times than you think I did...
First of all, I do not understand where you ask questions and where you exclaim...
plus, your statement is contradicting, unless you forgot to put a full stop or comma in between.
Let me try, If i understood it the way you meant.... it means Logical consistency is far more important than Free will and Evil.... and seems as if God's most important objective is to maintain logical consistency only... after all it created humanity and Evil to balance the logical world, am i right?
So the way i see it, God cannot prevent Evil, let us freewill and maintain logical consistency at the same time.... poor fellow, looks like he chewed more than he could swallow.
Cheers...
@Rtlsnk316 (1197)
• Mexico
16 Jul 09
I really can't get what you're trying to say but I understand something about you believing that God should be either good with everybody because if he isn't, then he's evil, that's my perpective of what you're trying to say.
We, the people, were made independent, with freedom of will and belief, not having to rely on what God has done for me or not, it is up to me to believe that things happen for a reason and always look at the good side of those things.
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
16 Jul 09
It is a quote from Epicurus. Looking at the good side of things or looking for a reason for things to happen cannot be explained to people who have lost their families or bodies or essential organs to even live.
How can someone rely on someone who has actually not done anything and actually does not even exist?
@Rtlsnk316 (1197)
• Mexico
18 Jul 09
Maybe Epicurus should've asked himself why he was here on this Earth, where he came from, what for?
Again, asking for someone, anyone, human or "not" to do something for us and blaming them if we don't get it, that's just being selfish.
I'm speaking for myself, I was created, I'm here, without attachments to no one, therefor I'm independent, free, I decide ... that's it.
Some superior force made me, wheter I came from cavemen, monkeys, bacteria, past life, you name it ... Someone, Something, somehow made me.
@Sandra_Hatfield (175)
• United States
17 Jul 09
Coolsid2007 I would like you to try and prove to me that God doesnt exist. Find me some kind of proof that shows that God doesn't exist with doubt. If God doesnt exist then how did the universe be created? Some would say atoms that came togeather to form planets and so on. Well who or what created those atoms? I would like someone to try and find a way to prove without a doubt that God doesnt exist.
@clutterbug (1051)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Hi coolsid, there is so much more to life than just our short lifespan on this earth. God asks us to trust Him. The devil is in charge right now on earth because of the fall of man long ago, but eventually the devil and his dirty deeds will be thrown into the lake of fire. God doesn't always take away our trials, because he wants to bear them with us. He rarely empties our lives of trouble, if He did, our dependence on Him would fade. I remember reading that God sometimes takes some people out (to heaven), so that evil things might not touch them.
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
16 Jul 09
God asks us to trust him, is it? The devil is incharge right now on earth, Who or what created devil? .... Fall of man long ago? ... Why did not God who created human beings, stop men from falling?
Eventually the devil and his dirty deeds will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Eventually? Do you mean he keeps track of number of people dying every days and has a figure in mind on attainment of which he will come to the earth to show what a big hero he is?
He rarely empties our lives out of trouble, if he did, our dependence on him would fade.
Sounds like Capitalist. Looks like God is more dependent on us to be dependent on him. Also, I wonder if there was any meeting with humans before he created one, so eventually it is his choice to create us, let us suffer and then when he finds some time come to save us. Is it so?
@clutterbug (1051)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Yes, you are absolutely right about the spiritual war that's going on. I don't doubt at all the claw marks and such that are left on people, because the devil prowls around, and he's very real. I wish, like you, that more blinders would be lifted from people's eyes. So many people don't believe in the devil, let alone that God is real. It's very sad. But their eyes will open on judgment day when it's too late for them, and we all will bow before God Almighty. I can't wait for Jesus to return, the signs are around us now. I also heard on Christian radio that all the prophesies have been fulfilled, and all that is left is the waiting for Jesus' return. God Bless You!
@Sandra_Hatfield (175)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Wow Great Response. I truely believe what you have said. I believe however that hell is not lake of fire. Hell is just a place where there is no God and nothing but Evil. Here those who chose to fall to hell will suffer because there will be no God to save them anymore. I agree taht God gives us trials or as i call tests becasue he wants to grow our faith in Him. My faith is growing everyday. I dont have a single day where there is not test or evil. As a matter of fact have you heard that there is a spiritual war? Well I feel it. When I am on here i feel other spirits trying to attack mine. I had a dream last night of being attacked by something evil and didnt know why. I felt the fear from it and then I remembered the blood of Christ protects me and i used it to fight it off. When I woke up I felt more exausted then before. I am still feeling like my spirit is having hard time catching its breath, if this makes sense. I have seen people being attacked through dreams and then I find out that they had become deathly ill just over night. I know someone who got attacked by a demond and woke up with a perminant paw print with the claw marks on her back. i saw it myself. It is a scary place out there and people dont realize that there are two wars going on. One of which they just cannot see and only Christains and those who follow Christ can feel and sometimes see. As I am typing this I feel like something wants to attack me spiritually because i am typing this. Anyways I hope people will open their eyes before it is too late for them. Happy Mylotting!
@meganlynn425 (27)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Its not a matter of will or able, its a matter of freewill. God is able to do anything that he desires but what would life be if he never gave us freewill. All humans would then be robots, and there would be no pleasure in worship. God wants us to be near him, and he wants us to want to be near him as well. God wont force us to do anything without our own choice.
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
16 Jul 09
Freewill, what about the my freewill to not to be born? I know it was not my will to be born on this earth made by god, didn't have much choice did i?
It was not my will to be born in the family that i belong to right now (not that i don't like it) or my country (not that i don't like it).
When God created Humans, humans did not have freewill to be created, how then does us humans today possess a freewill.
It might be a freewill of a murderer to kill, but its not a freewill of the person being murdered.
God created Humans on his freewill, and left us to rot on our freewill is it so?
If he did not intend to monitor the evil or protect the humans from the evil (SATAN AS YOU CALL) what was his right to create us?
What freewill does a person possess when he is in the middle of the Sea and does not know how to swim or fight sharks?
@livewyre (2450)
•
20 Feb 10
Bearing in mind that it is not possible to know the mind of God.. I can give a Christian apologists view which may open up your discussion a little. The assumption of your statement as I see it is that God is either impotent (as apposed to omnipotent...), and therefore isn't God, or he allows a lot of evil to happen...
The Christian viewpoint is that God allows man to choose his own actions be they for good or bad. It is clear that God does not cause murder, yet murder happens caused by men who choose to do evil - there is nothing stopping me from going out right now and doing something evil other than my conscience and values. If I do good, it is my choice, if I do evil, that too is my choice.
So is God is in control?
Ultimately yes, He could step in much more as He was wont to do before Christ came to earth eg. the many instances of the intervention of God in the Old Testament - these are noticeably less common since... We are not left entirely to fend for ourselves since Christians believe that the Holy Spirit was sent down to earth when Jesus went back to Heaven - it is the influence of the Holy Spirit through the prayers of men and the will of God, that is God's influence on earth in this current time.
I know that if you don't have the same faith, you cannot really accept this viewpoint, however I offer it as an explanation that goes at least some way to address what Christians believe about the nature of God's influence on earth today. I feel like I have left massive gaps in the short explanation, so please respond and point out the obvious things I have missed out...
@coolsid2007 (1030)
• India
20 Feb 10
Thanks for your answer...
Bearing in mind that it is not possible to know the mind of God....
for me, it is not even possible to know the God, lucky you. ...let alone its thoughts....
On a serious note
How can you believe everything thats been told to you or written in some book?
Ultimately yes, Why Ultimately?... why wait till then?
It is clear that God does not cause murder...
It is also clear that God does not prevent murder...
Murder happens caused by men who choose to do evil....
Murder happens caused by men who were created by God....
The Christian viewpoint is that God allows man to choose his own actions be they for good or bad.
Of course, because its man in the end who suffers, not God.