# Does God write ALL books **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 23, 2015, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526 "2015-10-23T12:03:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/21 "2015-10-23T16:26:45Z")
If God is the author of everything, then it means that He is responsible not only for good stuff, but for the awful writing as well. God, by that logic, is not only behind Shakespeare and Homer and Coleridge and Melville, but he’s behind Dan Brown, James Patterson (and his minions), Clive Cussler (and his), and Lionel Fanthorpe \*. He’s responsible for all the terrible manuscripts in the slush piles of the world, for all the fanfic on the internet, and every bit of porn (including **SSR** ’s fetish porn). If you’re comfortable with dumping all that on God, fine. But it’s a ne facet of the Problem of Evil – it’s the Problem of Bad Writing. If God exists, and is all-powerful, why does he allow Bad Writing to exist? And don’t tell me it’s so we’ll know Good Writing by contrast. As with the classic Problem of Evil, I don’t need True Evil to Exist so that I know True Good by comparison. Good (and Good Writing) is sufficiently contrasted with mediocrity that we know what it is. We don’t need Pel Torro around to throw it into High Relief. \*Who, come to think of it, is a minister these days. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/22 "2015-10-23T16:36:59Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That includes statements like 2+2=5. Well, for very large values of 2. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/23 "2015-10-23T17:01:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Yes, they’re Holy Ghost written. > > 😃 This deserves positive reinforcement. _upnod_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/24 "2015-10-23T17:02:50Z")
> [@MrQwertyasd](#): > > If God is the creator and is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, doesn’t that mean all books are the word of god, rather than just handful of rather long winded, contradictory and outdated tracts that the religions use ? > > Isn’t god writing these very words, in fact, and all the words that may be used to reply ? Of course Pallas Athena does not write all books. She’d have nothing to read herself in that case. Sheesh. Nor does She claim to be omniscient or omnipotent. She’s just better than you (but also hopes you will will improve.) ETA: And for damn sure She ain’t omnibenevolent. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/25 "2015-10-23T17:33:52Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > … > If you’re comfortable with dumping all that on God, fine. But it’s a ne facet of the Problem of Evil – it’s the Problem of Bad Writing. If God exists, and is all-powerful, why does he allow Bad Writing to exist? > … > . Why wouldn’t God allow bad writing to exist? All God every does with everything is use it to instruct us for our betterment. In that all things, including sucky writing, is working towards the good. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/26 "2015-10-23T17:36:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If everything that is written is written by God and everything God writes is infallible then everything written is infallible. > > That includes statements like 2+2=5. It includes all works of fiction. It includes the Quran. It includes the works of atheists like Madalyn Murray O’Hair, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens. All of these are the infallible and true word of God. They are infallible for their purpose, which is our instruction, our guidance and growth, that does not mean everything is ‘correct’ as that is not it’s purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/27 "2015-10-23T17:37:52Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Why wouldn’t God allow bad writing to exist? All God every does with everything is use it to instruct us for our betterment. In that all things, including sucky writing, is working towards the good. That is exactly why the previous God created the Taye-Sachs gene, and said gene is why Athena finally said, “That punk-ass bitch has gotta go.” ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/28 "2015-10-23T17:39:42Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > They are infallible for their purpose, which is our instruction, our guidance and growth, that does not mean everything is ‘correct’ as that is not it’s purpose. So it’s okay for soldiers in an invading army to kill every woman who has known a man, rape the virgins, and, if they (the soldiers) desire any particular rape victim, force her to marry him? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/29 "2015-10-23T17:45:15Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > They are infallible for their purpose, which is our instruction, our guidance and growth, that does not mean everything is ‘correct’ as that is not it’s purpose. So then, you’re saying that not only does god write all the books, but the pamphlets also? Cause _that’s_ where my suspension of disbelief gets shaky. Man, all those pamphlets. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/30 "2015-10-23T17:57:28Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > So it’s okay for soldiers in an invading army to kill every woman who has known a man, rape the virgins, and, if they (the soldiers) desire any particular rape victim, force her to marry him? Well lets see. That seems something bad, though the religious leaders seem to say it’s wants God wants. Hmmm, doesn’t God need to be good, then the only way is the religion is wrong about that interpretation that this is what God wants. Lets throw out the religion, because they obviously got it wrong. Seems useful for instruction, for learning to think for oneself. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/31 "2015-10-23T17:58:53Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Well lets see. > > That seems something bad _Seems_? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/32 "2015-10-23T18:00:41Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Well lets see. > > That seems something bad, though the religious leaders seem to say it’s wants God wants. Hmmm, doesn’t God need to be good, then the only way is the religion is wrong about that interpretation that this is what God wants. Lets throw out the religion, because they obviously got it wrong. > > Seems useful for instruction, for learning to think for oneself. Then why did God write both the Geneva Conventions AND the “thou shalt rape all those women in war” doctrine? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/33 "2015-10-23T18:05:12Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Then why did God write both the Geneva Conventions AND the “thou shalt rape all those women in war” doctrine? It was the previous god. Athena does not sanction that shit. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/34 "2015-10-23T18:07:48Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It was the previous god. Athena does not sanction that shit. You have made a very clever comment… Oh wait, God made it. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/35 "2015-10-23T18:26:21Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Didn’t books write God? In Soviet Russia… ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/36 "2015-10-23T18:45:35Z")
I don’t subscribe to bible literalism, or even a Christian for that matter, but I find the OP to be a pretty crappy argument, and since I doubt that an actual bible literalist is going to respond I’ll do my best to channel their likely response. God for the most part leaves humans open to write what they want via free will. But sometimes when its important, such as when he wants to get his key message to humanity, he’ll take an active role to make sure it gets done right. Most days, a few loves and fishes feed 5-6 people tops. But when he wants to make a point then he goes ahead and feeds the five thousand. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/37 "2015-10-23T18:52:18Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Then why did God write both the Geneva Conventions AND the “thou shalt rape all those women in war” doctrine? What’s your question here that I have not answered? All is for our instruction and learning and ultimately our good. That has not changed. If it is to break free of religion and start questioning and defining stuff for ourselves, or set into place humanitarian rules that are far from perfect and ponder how they can be better, or would give insight into our spiritual condition (the porn fetishes writings usually go very deeply into our spiritual condition), or to view our lives from a different perspective (such as in parables, and movies we like to watch) to guiding the human race into the future (such as sci-fi). ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/38 "2015-10-23T19:07:50Z")
I’m not sure what point the OP thinks he is making, but I would seriously argue that the answer is yes. The technical name for this doctrine is “panentheism”. Do not think of God “creating” the universe in the sense of an artist “creating” a painting, which is an entirely separate entity from the artist himself. Think rather of the ocean “creating” waves. A wave is clearly a real physical entity with a definable location, size, shape, history, and so forth; yet on the other hand there is no clear boundary between the wave and the ocean from whence it came. Such is the relationship between God and all of the observable physical phenomena of the universe. So, yes, from a certain point of view all writing of books, as well as anything else that is done anywhere in the universe, is done by God. Of course, this has nothing to do with the assertions by fundamentalists that their particular Scripture has some supernatural origin not shared by others. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/39 "2015-10-23T19:22:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > So it’s okay for soldiers in an invading army to kill every woman who has known a man, rape the virgins, and, if they (the soldiers) desire any particular rape victim, force her to marry him? Of course not. I assume you are referring to the relevant passages of Torah while completely missing the point. The difference between Torah law and the laws of the neighboring countries isn’t that rape of captives was acceptable; that was universally practiced at that time and place. The difference is that Torah imposed some obligations on the rapist, to assume financial responsibility for the woman for the rest of her life rather than just kick her out the door when he was done. The point is that we are shown the direction in which to move toward God – the direction of respecting the humanity of those who are disadvantaged and unable to protect themselves. Each generation must figure out how to apply these principles in their own unique situation. Thankfully, enough progress has been made that the Torah laws now themselves now seem horrifying cruel and archaic, but the point behind the laws remains valid as ever. ---
**Author:** ![IDtenT\_Error](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@IDtenT\_Error](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IDtenT_Error)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526/40 "2015-10-23T19:58:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > So then, you’re saying that not only does god write all the books, but the pamphlets also? Cause _that’s_ where my suspension of disbelief gets shaky. Man, all those pamphlets. Personally, he lost me at [“Fun with Dick and Jane”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_and_Jane) in elementary school. I mean, come on! How often do I have to look, look, look at Dick, Jane, or Spot running? Run, run, run. Run, Dick, run. Although as a first-grader, I didn’t make the connection, as an adult, that last one kinda makes me think of Gonorrhea. Another of God’s inventions to teach us useful shit. Shit like “Don’t stick your dick in the Crazy”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-write-all-books/735526.md?page=3)