First of all, no, I'm not some religious fundamentallist trying to poke holes in your atheistic groove. I'm agnostic myself. But a thought occured to me the other day, and I was wondering if anyone would care to react to it.
One encounters quite a few portrayls of non-believers (atheists, whatever you want to call them) in movies and whatnot who have "lost their faith" because of all the hatred and violence and bloodshed and whatnot in the world. "What kind of a God would allow all these things to happen?" these characters ask.
Well...and I am speaking purely hypothetically...what if all the bloodshed and horror and violence and whatnot in the world didn't necessarily mean that whatever God exists is a loving, caring, friendly kind of God? I mean, bloodshed and violence and mayhem don't necessarily mean that God doesn't *exist*; couldn't it also mean that said God just likes bloodshed and violence and pain? Why would whatever God exist be a loving and caring God?
2006-07-14 17:51:13 · 7 answers · asked by ? 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Disclaimer: I don't believe what I'm talking about in this question; I'm just wondering if the same thing has occured to anybody else, or what anyone's reaction to it will be. I'm just interested in pickin' ya'll's brains, that's all.
2006-07-14 17:51:56 · update #1
Wow, I just have to say that, for the most part, I'm getting really impressive answers for this question. Thanks to everyone who's put in their two cents' worth so far!
2006-07-14 19:40:47 · update #2
Well, I'm agnostic like you, and I understand where you're coming from, too. Personally, I think the characters/people like you've described have a pretty poor excuse for being atheists.
If I were an atheist, I would basically look at the natural world around me and say that it all evolved from one simple cell. Then I would look at human beings and, on a broader level, society, and say that this, too, was another, higher form of evolution. After all, don't we have the term "social darwinism"? Clearly, even our levels of society reflect natural evolution. And all of the war and violence in the world is just that "survival of the fittest" playing out.
So, I don't know if that was really relevant, but I'm basically agreeing with you, that war and violence doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a God. I think it's a pretty poor reason to not believe. I mean, look at the Greek gods, they loved to fight! They even had their own god of war (Ares)!
2006-07-14 18:21:26 · answer #1 · answered by maypoledancer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "Pat" Biblical answer is "God gave man free will". (I mean Christians have an answer for everything!)
My answer is "God blew himself up in the Big Bang" or he's off on a bender or he is the 11th dimension or the Whole Universe and everything in it.
But one things very apparent........... you can Pray till the Cows come home and the outcome of your prayers is no different than the outcome of flipping a coin 50/50. So, since the Bible states:
"Mark 11:24:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. "
Since Prayers are answered at the same rate as chance, it looks like the Big Guy is sleeping one off.
BTW Albert Einstein IQ 239 one of the highest IQ's of anyone and he couldn't prove there was a God. He tried for 30 years and died trying.
2006-07-15 01:20:21 · answer #2 · answered by TommyTrouble 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an agnostic so I can see where you're coming from, and the same thought has crossed my mind. Where did people get the idea that if a god exists, that he/she/it must be loving and caring? Everybody should be open to the possibilities because we just don't know for sure.
2006-07-15 01:04:02 · answer #3 · answered by jellybean24 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dear,
By the belevent grace of Master first you should know, are get understood what ia God?
Generally people thinks a powerful alpervading with all good atributes is God? I feel you are allso thinking the same.
You can get reply simply through your heart, the way sit calmly and feel presence of God, with nice prayer telling your innocence that you really donot know Him. Your innocence will get the revelation. Really speaking till now no one saw God in future no one can see. Only you can feel Him like electricity. For more details you pl. spend some time in www.srcm.org.
WITH LOVE
2006-07-15 01:15:30 · answer #4 · answered by prahalada P 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an agnostic too. I think even if God exist he does not have any human charecteristics. He cannot be loving, or evil. He could be the thing that holds everything together. Most probably He does not even have a will. I'm just not sure.
2006-07-15 00:58:13 · answer #5 · answered by avik_d2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've sometimes wondered, what it would be called if someone doesn't believe as atheists do, that there is NO god, or as agnostics do that there MIGHT NOT be a god, but instead believes that there IS a god, and that he is in no way the loving and benevolent being he's portrayed as, but is, in fact ,cruel and sadistic.
2006-07-15 01:13:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kind of God that gave individuals brains so that they are able make decisions on their own and deal with the consequences of their actions. God allows free will even though He doesn't always condone it. Otherwise brains would be useless.
2006-07-15 00:58:30 · answer #7 · answered by BayBBlue 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋