Freethought & Rationalism Archive

ex-preacher · 05-16-2002, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RJS:

It would be eternal life on Earth, without the possiblity of dying and without any of the blessings God has bestowed upon the earth - mostly emanating from the existence of Love. Populate the earth with 20 billion of the most depressed nihilists you can think of and then make them exist forever - and then remove every single ounce of brotherly love. That is my belief, which is what you asked for.

If God would also take his nasty diseases and critters, it might not be that bad. You may not be able to accept this, but I know that love can and does exist apart from God.

RJS · 05-16-2002, 11:49 AM

Quote:

When you equate happiness to loving and knowing god, do you do so with the assumption that people who don't know or love god (like me and other atheists) really aren't happy? Or are you simply stating that you're happiness is dependent on knowing and loving god? This is my first question.

If I could be so bold, I would suggest that people that don't know God are in fact not happy in the most joyous sense.

Quote:

I have another question for you. If you can, try and answer it as detailed as possible. What does god have control over and what does he not have control over? If he has control over everything, what does he choose to control and what does he choose to let "be". I ask this to get back to the original question at hand. Did god cause this heatwave and did he have a purpose for it? If the purpose was to serve as a form of punishment, do you find this fair? If you find this fair, how do you find it different than what Hitler did to the jews. They both persecuted people for not believing in what they believed in. Or, you could choose to reason with some who argued that Hitler was the work of the devil, and then we still have the question "What does God have control over and what does he choose to control"?

God controls everything, or can control everything. God has chosen to create us separate and apart from Him, and he gave us free wills. If He controlled everything we did, we would not be free. I do believe that God has a will (which I do not have knowledge of) and he may choose to control things within our existence. He may choose to let others play out without direct intervention. I put slighly more comfort in God's will (including things that may seem, to me, cruel, bad, unjust, etc.) than that of a human who has rejected the loving God and chosen to slaughter other humans (Hitler).

ex-preacher · 05-16-2002, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RJS:

I put slighly more comfort in God's will (including things that may seem, to me, cruel, bad, unjust, etc.) than that of a human who has rejected the loving God and chosen to slaughter other humans (Hitler).

Headline: Christian rates God "slightly" above Hitler.

Actually God would have to rank a little lower since he knew the outcome of the Holocaust and could have prevented it at any point. But it was his will that the slaughter continue. Maybe so that those Jews could fill his own ovens in hell.

RJS · 05-16-2002, 11:57 AM

Quote:

You may not be able to accept this, but I know that love can and does exist apart from God.

Can you prove this?

MrDarwin - I'm still thinking about your question - not ignoring you.

RJS · 05-16-2002, 12:02 PM

Headline: Atheist praises Hitler as more loving than God.

RJS · 05-16-2002, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Is it possible for God to do anything that has unintended consequences?

I'll play by your rules, and go down this path - NO

ex-preacher · 05-16-2002, 12:22 PM

Newsflash for RJS: Atheists don't believe in God.

RJS · 05-16-2002, 12:26 PM

Is an atheist that claims "God could have prevented the Holocaust" really an atheist?

MrDarwin · 05-16-2002, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RJS:


I'll play by your rules, and go down this path - NO

Thank you for answering, you deserve some kind of prize for being the first theist to actually answer that question (and I appreciate the fact that you gave the question some thought before doing so).

But I'm not sure what "rules" you're referring to. I made no rules, I simply asked a question in order to find out what you believe about this deity you would have us worship.

Philosoft · 05-16-2002, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RJS:
Is an atheist that claims "God could have prevented the Holocaust" really an atheist?

<img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

Yes, he just doesn't feel like saying, "Your concept of God..." before every statment.

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05-16-2002, 12:02 PM	#115
RJS Regular Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 303	Headline: Atheist praises Hitler as more loving than God.

05-16-2002, 12:22 PM	#117
ex-preacher Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: University of Arkansas Posts: 1,033	Newsflash for RJS: Atheists don't believe in God.

05-16-2002, 12:26 PM	#118
RJS Regular Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 303	Is an atheist that claims "God could have prevented the Holocaust" really an atheist?

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