Poe’s Law.
Isn’t it odd that the only gods left are the ones who prefer faith over just showing themselves?
Maybe faith is more potent sustinance than terror and burnt offerings? Maybe the ones that show themselves expose weaknesses (to the ever ambitious humans) and get bumped off? I dunno, man.
I’m not a worshipper myself, but I find it hard to blame someone for looking for solace in dreams when reality is at least as bereft of it. Ideally, in addition to prayer, the believers will also make a casserole for the bereaved and reach out to the weird, troubled kids in their communities before they spray bullets at blameless innocents–which is what we should all do. Cook and reach out, I mean. Probably not such a good idea to spray bullets.
Whatever. IMHO there are plenty of reasons to pit believers, but the “where is your god now” spiel isn’t one of 'em. But maybe doing so is easier than pitting the source of evil itself. Evil’s funny because the closer you look for its source the more elusive it is, and that’s damned frustrating.
I appologize for interrupting–I should get back to my wall-sitting now.
Cool. Here is a smattering of smilies for your amusement.
Whee!
You mentioned that God care more about faith than proof. Got a Biblical cite for this? Or is it something you heard from believers who are trying to explain why God hasn’t himself for a while. After all, in the Exodus story God was pretty prevalent, and Jesus did his tricks.
In the movie, George Burns showed up in court, even. In real life, not so much.
Good point.
Is there a place in the Bible where God basically says,“I know that I’ve directly and constantly intervened in your affairs since the beginning of time, but that all stops now! From this point onward y’all are just going to go on faith that I exist, and the only way I’m goint to speak to you is second-hand through your fellow man, so do try to pick the right ones to listen to, o.k.? Byeee!”
You have to figure the Bible is like a highlights reel. It may seem like God was constantly dropping in but the divine interventions it recounted were spread out over a couple of thousand years.
And that’s a fuckin’ scary thought considering that if that pattern holds up, we’re probably due, and it’s never ever a good thing when DAD finally shows up.
I believe the OP is a recent “convert” to atheism. (I don’t know what other word to use). Converts to any belief or movement tend to be a wee over zealous when they start out.
I think its the “simple” matter that the concept of an all-powerful AND benevolent god is a contradiction given the events of history.
If there was some reason he’d allow these evil events to happen then there would be a way to achieve the same ends without those events since he’s all-powerful.
Am I wrong?
Sorry I didn’t show the restraint that The Pit is otherwise known for.
:rolleyes:
Does anyone have any fucking idea how much bad shit happens in the world?
I seriously think the mourning reaction I’ve seen over this one incident would barely be justified if a large city got nuked and a million people died.
Holy fuck, 20 dead kids is proof that god doesn’t care? Not the fucking millions of things that have happened in your lifetime that are as bad or worse?
Am I the only fucking person in the world that doesn’t think this is the biggest event of our fucking lifetimes? 50 children have probably been brutally gang raped to death in the days we’ve been freaking out over this shit. Do you all really not comprehend that horrible shit is happening constantly? Do you think that only things that are immediately in front of your face actually exist?
Taking a break from all your selfless charitable works to craft this driveby, Guin?
How much evil would be acceptable so as to not disprove the existence of God?
Also, I completely agree with Senor Beef; if evil was going to make me doubt God, it’d be the constant and much greater one you can see every day, not the statisitcal blip of 30 gunned to death in a country where that’s the daily average.
I’m not sure that reducing the recent kiddie massacre to “one of God’s lesser evils” is doing your side any favors.
Every generation fights this battle.
But in Alexader the Great’s era, one in four died by violence.
In this era, even with War and Holocaust, one in one hundred do.
Read this book-
Joseph Smith took care of that a hundred and and some years ago with his gold plates and magic translation rocks. God’s done his scheduled intervention for the next few hundred years. We’re fine… for now!
It doesn’t disprove the existence of God. It merely disproves a specific type of God. Others might still exist.
nm
In a way it does. It means that if evil is the problem, this specific action should be insignificant towards your deciding that it’s impossible to reconcile with your beliefs.
I’ll restate. How much evil would not disprove an omnipotent, benevolent god.