Must God be good?

raw_thought · Post by **raw_thought** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:54 am

Why must God be good? Why must he care about us? I dont care about ants.
Perhaps we were created to create and teach God about morality etc.
An omniscient, omnipotent being cannot know anything about risk and so cannot be brave.

Dalek Prime · Post by **Dalek Prime** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:10 am

As you may know, I'm a dystheist, meaning I don't think God is good. It easily explains evil and suffering in the world, and why I am at odds with his plans, and creation.

raw_thought · Post by **raw_thought** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:16 am

I think that if (and that is a big "IF") God exists he doesnt give a damn about us. He does not love us or hate us. If I see an ant being devoured by a spider I do not rush over to save him. I also do not go out of my way to step on him.
I use a word to describe my feelings when my wife asks me if I like a particular food. "watermelon ". I do not hate watermelon and I do not like it. I really do not care one way or the other if a piece of watermelon is in my mouth. To God we are "watermelon "!

Dalek Prime · Post by **Dalek Prime** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:05 am

raw_thought wrote:I think that if (and that is a big "IF") God exists he doesnt give a damn about us. He does not love us or hate us. If I see an ant being devoured by a spider I do not rush over to save him. I also do not go out of my way to step on him.
I use a word to describe my feelings when my wife asks me if I like a particular food. "watermelon ". I do not hate watermelon and I do not like it. I really do not care one way or the other if a piece of watermelon is in my mouth. To God we are "watermelon "!

Sounds similar to deism, if the person believes. I'm not entrenched in my belief, and do move a notch or so, one way or another. I share somewhat equal time between dystheism, which I usually identify, with deism, agnosticism, and ocasionally misotheism, as the thoughts change. Free-flowing, yet similar aspects. Funny thing is, once my antinatalism became entrenched, the question of God became less important to me. I do feel very lucky that, since I exist, I exist at a point in time that I can be a practicing antinatalist without forgoing sex.

Dubious · Post by **Dubious** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 3:27 am

He's leaving that to us. So far we haven't exactly succeeded.

Greatest I am · Post by **Greatest I am** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:15 am

To subordinate God to the principal of goodness would mean that he cannot be omnipotent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMnu3qDvGq8

Many say that God is all powerful yet say that he is only able to do and be good. Just as William Lane Craig stated.

How can God be omnipotent if he is restricted to only doing and being good and not able to do or be evil?

He can either do evil or he is not omnipotent.

Regards
DL

Greatest I am · Post by **Greatest I am** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:16 am

Dalek Prime wrote:As you may know, I'm a dystheist, meaning I don't think God is good. It easily explains evil and suffering in the world, and why I am at odds with his plans, and creation.

How do you easily explain evil?

Regards
DL

artisticsolution · Post by **artisticsolution** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 3:41 am

Dalek Prime wrote:As you may know, I'm a dystheist, meaning I don't think God is good. It easily explains evil and suffering in the world, and why I am at odds with his plans, and creation.

You believe in God only an evil God? Do you believe in a Devil? Do you believe in good an any shape or form or is all evil to you?

It just seems to me, that if there is Bad then there has to be 'good'. Or else there would be nothing to judge 'bad' by. So, who takes the place of Good in your eyes? Anyone or thing? Or there is no good?

attofishpi · Post by **attofishpi** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:08 am

artisticsolution wrote:
Dalek Prime wrote:As you may know, I'm a dystheist, meaning I don't think God is good. It easily explains evil and suffering in the world, and why I am at odds with his plans, and creation.
You believe in God only an evil God? Do you believe in a Devil? Do you believe in good an any shape or form or is all evil to you?

It just seems to me, that if there is Bad then there has to be 'good'. Or else there would be nothing to judge 'bad' by. So, who takes the place of Good in your eyes? Anyone or thing? Or there is no good?

These are good points raised by both of you. As one that has experienced both sides of God, in fact as a 'christian' that would have preferred to have been nailed to a crucifix than have continued the suffering this 'God' inflicted upon me for my past indiscretions, i need to suggest that God is ALL, both good things and bad things can come of it.
A God that formed our existence under the laws of thermodynamics where entropy is at play, has GREAT reason to be evil to those that are on the border of having any right to reincarnate as man\wo.man.

Dalek Prime · Post by **Dalek Prime** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:15 am

artisticsolution wrote:
Dalek Prime wrote:As you may know, I'm a dystheist, meaning I don't think God is good. It easily explains evil and suffering in the world, and why I am at odds with his plans, and creation.
You believe in God only an evil God? Do you believe in a Devil? Do you believe in good an any shape or form or is all evil to you?

It just seems to me, that if there is Bad then there has to be 'good'. Or else there would be nothing to judge 'bad' by. So, who takes the place of Good in your eyes? Anyone or thing? Or there is no good?

In the Abrahamic sense, the God they figure good still contains all. They just emphasize the good. I take the opposite approach, and emphasize the other. Is that clearer?

Hobbes' Choice · Post by **Hobbes' Choice** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:59 am

raw_thought wrote:Why must God be good? Why must he care about us? I dont care about ants.
Perhaps we were created to create and teach God about morality etc.
An omniscient, omnipotent being cannot know anything about risk and so cannot be brave.

Great headline question, except you could just as well shorten it by one word. "must god be ...?"

attofishpi · Post by **attofishpi** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 11:06 am

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
raw_thought wrote:Why must God be good? Why must he care about us? I dont care about ants.
Perhaps we were created to create and teach God about morality etc.
An omniscient, omnipotent being cannot know anything about risk and so cannot be brave.
Great headline question, except you could just as well shorten it by one word. "must god be ...?"

Perhaps a result of entropy is the answer to that...YES.

Hobbes' Choice · Post by **Hobbes' Choice** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:42 pm

attofishpi wrote:
Hobbes' Choice wrote:
raw_thought wrote:Why must God be good? Why must he care about us? I dont care about ants.
Perhaps we were created to create and teach God about morality etc.
An omniscient, omnipotent being cannot know anything about risk and so cannot be brave.
Great headline question, except you could just as well shorten it by one word. "must god be ...?"
Perhaps a result of entropy is the answer to that...YES.

On the contrary, you have offered a great reason why the answer is no.

attofishpi · Post by **attofishpi** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:56 pm

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
attofishpi wrote:
Hobbes' Choice wrote:Great headline question, except you could just as well shorten it by one word. "must god be ...?"
Perhaps a result of entropy is the answer to that...YES.
On the contrary, you have offered a great reason why the answer is no.

Please, do extrapolate your reasoning.

Hobbes' Choice · Post by **Hobbes' Choice** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:18 pm

attofishpi wrote:
Hobbes' Choice wrote:
attofishpi wrote: Perhaps a result of entropy is the answer to that...YES.
On the contrary, you have offered a great reason why the answer is no.
Please, do extrapolate your reasoning.

Haha. No, no one should ever do that. Not on a philosophy web site!!

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