Masquerouge
Deity
God and gods exist just like unicorns and dragons exist.
god: malevolent, powerless or non-existant?
- Thread starter Guangxi
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Nylan
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To see if we have the desire and the strength to continue to progress and grow as beings, rather than be the same for time and eternity (which would be horribly boring). If we have not the strength for it, then we won't be able to handle increased ability and power. We would literally have wished we had not been allowed to progress.
Guangxi
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assuming we are given this increase ability and power [for what reason, and what is it to be used for?]
what do we do? there is only this universe, so we just start our own little religion on a sentient species, or something?
Nylan
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Our goal is to become like our heavenly father, to grow in wisdom and to experience unlimited joy, joy being a happiness and a bliss that lasts, rather than the very short term pleasures of the world that all too often have negative repercussions.
I honestly don't know if there is only one universe, or if somehow at some point we would create our own. That is beyond my mortal comprehension...a perfect example of progress. Some day I hope to understand such mystifying things, but in my current mortal state I cannot. Does that make sense?
I honestly don't know if there is only one universe, or if somehow at some point we would create our own. That is beyond my mortal comprehension...a perfect example of progress. Some day I hope to understand such mystifying things, but in my current mortal state I cannot. Does that make sense?
And why does God have to be either omnipotent or completely powerless? In my view God is extremely powerful but not omnipotent; He has the power to prevent evil, but He doesn't have the power to either provide the benefits of free will without free will, or prevent evil without preventing free will. So allowing evil is the . . . lesser of two evils.
By the way, I am very familiar with the Argument from Evil; and no, I don't think that an omnipotent and omnibenevolent being would allow evil, as I state every few eeks or so when one of these threads come up, I don't believe in an "omnipotent" God either.
Nylan
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That's not necessarily a lack of omnipotence so much as God either cannot or will not break physical laws (as in making 2+2=5), but I suppose that depends on your definition of omnipotent, and the context.
Pretty much. Both the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants (that's LDS scripture for those who don't know) make explicit mention of laws by which God is governed, which implies that He can't do anything He wants.
Guangxi
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well, there is only so much knowl-
ach, forget it. suffice it to say i am a materialist atheist and this is incomprehensible to me.
considering this god chap apparently created everything that exists, surely he would have power over all that exists? or at least be able to manage it all in a week.Eran said:
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
That's not an argument! It's just contradiction!
No it isn't!
PrincepsAmerica
Nothingness made flesh
This is, actually, basically in line with the traditional Christian view anyway, you just a state it in a more extreme way. The traditional belief being that God is capable of all that is logically possible, a world where people are free and yet evil does not exist being logically impossible.
Nylan
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Exactly. They both also mention his omnipotence and omniscience, therefore meaning that the definition of omnipotent is not what most assume it to be
@Guangxi
That's understandable. It is a little hard to grasp, especially if it isn't something you've spent a lot of time thinking or learning about (not saying you haven't, I wouldn't know)
These are merely my beliefs, and why it makes sense to me. Eveyone is entitled to their own belief...hence free agency
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Or "evil" is a human construct.
But why should human be allowed to construct evil in the first place?
@nylan: "omnipotence" as such is not actually an LDS attribute of God. God can do anything that can be done, but that is not the traditional definition of omnipotence.
@nylan: "omnipotence" as such is not actually an LDS attribute of God. God can do anything that can be done, but that is not the traditional definition of omnipotence.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
I don't think you understand the noun "construct"
I do, but if evil is a human construct then either God is also (which of course a lot of us here believe) or else He/She/it/They permitted humans to create, or experience, or perceive evil in the first place.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Constructs don't actually exist. It's our invention.
Nylan
Characters Welcome
in the same sense that China hasn't existed because you haven't been there
reality check
literally
reality check
literally
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