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Original poster

How can you possibly believe in a benevolent God

886 replies

partialderivative · 30/04/2015 23:01

Once more, acts of 'god' have left communities blown apart.

Does any one really feel these vilages deserved it?

God's a bit of a cunt at times.

OP posts:
DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:04

So, what do you call an archbishop who abuses boys? Someone who just looks a bit like a Christian?

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:08

someone who has pretended to be a Christian and to be a good person

and someone who has committed the most atrocious awful crimes and deserves to go to prison for the rest of their life

he may still believe in god, he may through guilt do great work for others in society but he has still our of choice caused awful pain and distress to the most vulnerable

but he has not lead a Christian life and will live in fear of facing god (if he truly believes in god)

Whowouldfardelsbear · 01/05/2015 11:11

One thing that always bothered me, is the idea some christians lead good moral lives, so they can be rewarded by admittance to heaven. But an athiest can lead a good, moral life, and not expect any reward. Surely it's better to do good things for the sake of it, than to do good things for personal gain?

Absolutely - I believe societies (almost universally) developed morals based upon the golden rule of 'do to others, as you would have done to you'. This is how humans evolved as a altruistic species (at least in part, and much much more so than any other species).

I behave well and do good deeds because I think it is a nice thing to do, not because I am saving up brownie points for a reward in heaven. Surely that makes me a better person than somebody doing it with the rewards of the after life in mind?

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:11

I could call him many names, that is a title

he would be someone who has pretended to be a good Christian and to be a good person

and someone who has committed the most atrocious awful crimes and deserves to go to prison for the rest of their life

he may still believe in god, he may through guilt do great work for others in society but he has still made a choice that caused awful pain and distress to the most vulnerable

but he has not lead a Christian life and will live in fear of facing god (if he truly believes in god)

that maybe his biggest punishment (not suggesting for one minute that if this was the case he should not go to prison)

Idocrazythings · 01/05/2015 11:11

I think "god" is out of the grasp of our way of thinking, that we can't fully understand the universe because we are not meant to. Kind of how we don't see the full ultraviolet spectrum or hear every sound range on the plant, only what is suitably adapted to the human mind. I do believe in a balanced universe, like a Mother Nature sort of thing, but not one man ruling, overseeing and controlling everything.

I recently read the book "many lives many masters" by Brian Weiss, and really liked that way of thinking, it gave me some comfort about the bad things that happen in life.

Tequilashotsfor1 · 01/05/2015 11:11

Agreed

How can you possibly believe in a benevolent God
Whowouldfardelsbear · 01/05/2015 11:13

he has still our of choice caused awful pain and distress to the most vulnerable

as has the omnipotent God you believe in

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:14

And so too the nuns who managed draconian/criminal homes for unwed mothers. No, they're Christians alright. I think the reality is that Christians are normal people. There are good ones and bad ones.

ouryve · 01/05/2015 11:17

Somehow, I find the concept of plate tectonics, the effects of which are beyond out control, for the most part, rather more reassuring than the idea of a "god" (of any flavour) who does horrid things to keep us on our toes.

Blaming a deity rather than a natural phenomenon that we have a good understanding of is all rather mediaeval, really.

JassyRadlett · 01/05/2015 11:18

But I am not understanding how calling something that you have no belief in a cunt it makes no sense in the same way as an atheist calling god evil

The idea of God, as set up by Christian scripture and the Christian church(es) is well documented and fairly ingrained in our society. On that basis, it is entirely logical to say 'a god who existed in that conception would be a bit of an arse.'

Why is that difficult to grasp? The idea of a Christian god doesn't sinply disappear if one doesn't believe in that deity, and therefore one can have a view on the nature of that deity (and others). This is enhanced by the pervasiveness of Christianity in our society.

CupidStuntSurvivor · 01/05/2015 11:19

This is a silly argument. It always has been.

I'm an atheist. I am also a good person. I respect other people's right to worship whichever gods they choose and abhor those who commit heinous crimes in the name of religion.

If I had the ability to eradicate cancer, to wipe paedophiles off the planet, to give mankind a cure for aids, to stop the kind of twisted mentality that causes school shootings, I would. In a fucking heartbeat. I'd give my own life for any one of these causes, without so much as a second thought. I'd feel intense hatred towards anyone who had the ability to do any of the above and chose not to.

In the extreme unlikelihood that god exists, he certainly wouldn't be getting my worship. I'm an atheist because there's not enough time in the day to hate him to the extent he'd deserve.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:20

we all have the power to do good and bad we make a choice being in a position of religious hierarchy does not take that away

Idocrazythings · 01/05/2015 11:21

Spooky! I am in a different timezone and my comment posted at 11:11. I keep seeing the 11's everywhere! Coincidence or something else at work?? Shock

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:23

I suppose it depends on the definition of a silly argument. But, if you believe only one god exists, why then he permits natural disasters is an obvious question.

Latara · 01/05/2015 11:24

If there is a God, I think he's an Old Testament style mean God - how could he not be with all the shit he creates? (Same reason I think God must be male!)

I'm annoyed with seeing FB statuses praising God for the saving of babies from the Earthquake when, if you believe in God, didn't God actually cause the Earthquake in the first place and kill all the other people?

Also I work in a hospital and I find it very hard to understand how the hospital Chaplains (who do a lot of good work) still manage to believe in a benevolent God with all the horror & sadness they see at work.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:26

as has the omnipotent God you believe in

I do not believe in God never stated I have

I am an atheist I have no fear of God or the Devil or facing either as I simply do not believe

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:27

Believing that the world is chance and random is an invitation to madness for some people (me, for instance).

Mermaidhair · 01/05/2015 11:28

If someone calls themself a Christian, but does not live a Christian life, is not a Christian. So any so called Christians who have done terrible things are not Christian. It's very easy to understand. I am a Christian, I attend church twice a week, I read my bible daily, I pray multiple times a day, a meditate on his word daily, I talk to him like a father daily, I listen to him and follow his guidance. I am kind to people, I feed the homeless weekly, i minister to the sick, monthly, I do children's ministry weekly. I am always becoming a better person, which in turn means I can call myself a Christian.

Whowouldfardelsbear · 01/05/2015 11:28

Sorry Freudian Poor comprehension and a bit mixed up between posters on my part! Tis late in my timezone and I need sleep.

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:31

The problem that I have with that, definition of Christian, Mermaid, is that the nonChristians are only the ones who've been found out.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:36

no worries go to bed :)

Inkanta · 01/05/2015 11:38

Not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is a good one, in fact in experience some church goers who go to church on Sunday can be not so nice Christians the rest of the week.

As for God. My God for whatever reason, I don't understand, seems to have no powers to prevent either illness or natural disasters. I think He is still benevolent and feels everyone's suffering but for some reason is powerless to stop this process.

Mermaidhair · 01/05/2015 11:41

Sorry Dora, I don't understand ?

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 11:46

I think it's pretty likely that somewhere a minister of the church is abusing a boy in his professional care. That man is a Christian. There is no mechanism with which we can unChristianise people because of their behaviour. All we can do is disown them once their behaviour has been publicised.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 11:52

he may call himself a Christian, others may call him a Christian

but he has not lead a Christian life and if he truly believes in god he will be aware of that

do you judge someone by their religious claim or by their actions