Stephen T-B

a question for theists:
How do you know god is good?

K

Because He said so. And someone who is good wouldn't lie. And we know this because He said so. And we have every reason to believe it because He is good. Because He said so...

Starboy

Okay, lets assume god is good. That leads to the next question: good for what?

Walter_Mitty

Good for about 3,000 years of religious wars?

Quoting Russell quoting the poet:

“It is good to know that God is on our side, but a little confusing when you find the enemy equally convinced of the opposite.

To quote the immortal lines of the poet during the first World War:

‘Gott strafe England, and God save the King.

God this, and God that, and God the other thing.

'Good God,' said God, 'I've got my work cut out.'”

[ October 28, 2002: Message edited by: Bibliophile ]</p>

Perchance

Maybe good to give a name to the unknowable? At least, a lot of theists seem to use God as an extra name for love, or goodness, or "a plan to the universe," or something else that gives them comfort. I suppose it gives a high-sounding name; it would seem rather silly to say, "I live for love," and would probably give people ideas that "I live for God" doesn't.

I would tentatively add "good for giving comfort," but I'm not sure that God is actually supposed to give comfort. Many theists seem to draw comfort from being with other theists, from rituals or prayers or traditions, from the idea of an afterlife, from imposing order on the universe, or from ideas like the "saving grace" of Jesus. Perhaps there is a function of God in here, and I'm not getting it.

From a lot of testimonies I've read, however, it seems as though one could replace "God" with "love" and have it make as much sense. I think the "omnibenevolent" thing is a big draw for a lot of people.

-Perchance.

[ October 28, 2002: Message edited by: Perchance ]</p>

James AD

By counting the contributions to their ministries.

Thank you, Lord! <img src="graemlins/notworthy.gif" border="0" alt="[Not Worthy]" />