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Original poster

If there is a God...why is there...

487 replies

sentinent · 03/08/2023 00:14

As advised by another poster, this post deserves a pot of its own. Something that's been niggling at me for a while now; for those who believe (or even not believe) in the existence of God/a higher power, (I firmly do believe btw), how do we explain children in pain, suffering, getting terminal diseases or being killed??

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Psyclops · 03/08/2023 00:17

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off · 03/08/2023 00:18

Probably useful to post these as a quick common reference to prevent rehashing ancient arguments.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_responses_to_the_problem_of_evil
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy

off · 03/08/2023 00:19

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Hi Epicurus!

HaroldMeaker · 03/08/2023 00:24

what is God for exactly I'm confused? Does God fix bad things?

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:25

I don't think God sits there and thinks Roger down the road should win the lottery and Jane next door needs to get cancer

If there is a God I think God created it all then leaves humans to it and what happens I don't think God controls things actually happening

Not sure I personally believe in God though, I can't prove either way

Hawkins009 · 03/08/2023 00:26

To be god was or is from outa space

Basically any religious beliefs that are written, translated, edited (if it's all gods words and philosophical beliefs etc for humans then why are humans editing it.)
By human's is basically human thoughts for controlling other humans.

Basically god would be an advanced older civilisations.

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:27

People blame God for bad things but are not as quick to thank God for good

Psyclops · 03/08/2023 00:29

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Ponderingwindow · 03/08/2023 00:33

I’ve long held that if any god does exist, it’s time for a revolution. Doing a horrible job. If any of the major world religions are to be believed also doesn’t truly care about people being good, but instead cares about people flattering his ego.

smooththecat · 03/08/2023 00:36

The idea that god is benevolent is a fairly recent idea, the ancients believed that gods were vengeful, dangerous, unpredictable etc.

smooththecat · 03/08/2023 00:36

Ponderingwindow · 03/08/2023 00:33

I’ve long held that if any god does exist, it’s time for a revolution. Doing a horrible job. If any of the major world religions are to be believed also doesn’t truly care about people being good, but instead cares about people flattering his ego.

‘Doing a horrible job’, love it. Final written warning for god.

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:38

Ponderingwindow · 03/08/2023 00:33

I’ve long held that if any god does exist, it’s time for a revolution. Doing a horrible job. If any of the major world religions are to be believed also doesn’t truly care about people being good, but instead cares about people flattering his ego.

I put all that down to humans

Annaishere · 03/08/2023 00:40

Because we ate the apple

Hawkins009 · 03/08/2023 00:41

Religion, basically it could be debated that back in the early days of humans it was one method of control for the population.

off · 03/08/2023 00:41

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:27

People blame God for bad things but are not as quick to thank God for good

You're shitting me, right?

Person gets in car accident on unexpectedly icy road, and thanks to decades of human effort in car safety improvements, doesn't die instantly. A passerby recognises a person in need and calls for help using a telecoms system invented, set up by and run by human beings. An ambulance funded by taxpayers arrives, dispatched from a system set up by human beings to provide emergency assistance to others in need wherever they are. Police officers prevent further incident, firefighters extract the patient, EMTs/paramedics treat them and rush then to hospital. Then the entire healthcare system swings into action, and people who've dedicated their lives to helping others in their time of need rush to assist, drawing on their own years of education and hard work on top of centuries of human research into treatments, medicines, and human health all over the world — again within a system set up by and paid for by other people who think it a worthwhile use of money and effort. The person's life is saved.

And who gets the thanks? God. "By the grace of God I survived." "I prayed to God to let my relative live, and my prayers were answered." "Someone must've been watching over me that night." God gets plenty of credit!

CallieQ · 03/08/2023 00:42

There is no god

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:45

off · 03/08/2023 00:41

You're shitting me, right?

Person gets in car accident on unexpectedly icy road, and thanks to decades of human effort in car safety improvements, doesn't die instantly. A passerby recognises a person in need and calls for help using a telecoms system invented, set up by and run by human beings. An ambulance funded by taxpayers arrives, dispatched from a system set up by human beings to provide emergency assistance to others in need wherever they are. Police officers prevent further incident, firefighters extract the patient, EMTs/paramedics treat them and rush then to hospital. Then the entire healthcare system swings into action, and people who've dedicated their lives to helping others in their time of need rush to assist, drawing on their own years of education and hard work on top of centuries of human research into treatments, medicines, and human health all over the world — again within a system set up by and paid for by other people who think it a worthwhile use of money and effort. The person's life is saved.

And who gets the thanks? God. "By the grace of God I survived." "I prayed to God to let my relative live, and my prayers were answered." "Someone must've been watching over me that night." God gets plenty of credit!

Show quote history

I didn't think it was such a wacky idea, people say 'why does god allow famines, disease etc' but I don't notice as many say 'why does god allow promotions, finding money on the ground, seeing a nice view etc'.

Hawkins009 · 03/08/2023 00:45

if a person was preaching they were talking to god, we would think they needed help, so why do we hold so much belief for texts written by human's as if they are the words of devine beings

off · 03/08/2023 00:48

Oh I meant to include, the car accident survivor also receives donations of blood from other human beings, given selflessly, unconditionally, and without reward (except maybe a biscuit or two), for no other reason than because they want to help others.

I don't see God giving blood.

fullbloom87 · 03/08/2023 00:49

For it's that everything bad happens for a good reason.
For example my nephew died of SIds at 4 weeks old, his brother was born 12 months later and now his brother is training to be a doctor.
His brother would not have been born if hie hadn't died of Sid's and if he hadn't of been born he wouldn't be training to be a doctor who could potentially save a life or cure cancer or do something amazing .
Without evil or bad in the world, we wouldn't know what was pure or good. We need unhappiness to know what happiness is. Dark to know what light is etc.

Hawkins009 · 03/08/2023 00:50

fullbloom87 · 03/08/2023 00:49

For it's that everything bad happens for a good reason.
For example my nephew died of SIds at 4 weeks old, his brother was born 12 months later and now his brother is training to be a doctor.
His brother would not have been born if hie hadn't died of Sid's and if he hadn't of been born he wouldn't be training to be a doctor who could potentially save a life or cure cancer or do something amazing .
Without evil or bad in the world, we wouldn't know what was pure or good. We need unhappiness to know what happiness is. Dark to know what light is etc.

True but all that can be learned without any god or religion

off · 03/08/2023 00:50

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:45

I didn't think it was such a wacky idea, people say 'why does god allow famines, disease etc' but I don't notice as many say 'why does god allow promotions, finding money on the ground, seeing a nice view etc'.

Show quote history

Plenty of people thank God for those things, or are moved to consider God's majesty/bounty/whatever on seeing some natural beauty.

fullbloom87 · 03/08/2023 00:51

For the record I was raised a Christian but i don't call my self a Christian these days, however I do believe in a higher power and I've had too many experiences to think death is just the end.

HaroldMeaker · 03/08/2023 00:53

WandaWonder · 03/08/2023 00:27

People blame God for bad things but are not as quick to thank God for good

which bits ? How and why ? I’m genuinely interested.

fullbloom87 · 03/08/2023 00:54

@Hawkins009 I believe in a higher power. I don't think we are just meat and bones we die and that's that. I believe we live in a very complex type of 'matrix' (for want of a better word) that is meticulously planned out for us like a story book. Whether that's the Christian god that overseas that I don't know but I definitely believe that there is more to life then what we see.