What would an infinitely benevolent, all-powerful God do with the universe? It goes without saying that He would eliminate all suffering, since He wants us to be happy and has the power to do so. But would he stop there? Imperfect humans have only a limited capacity for happiness. So obviously he would give us the ability to experience infinite happiness. Even so, the amount of happiness in the universe would be limited by our finite numbers. So He would create an infinite number of these beings, filling the universe with infinite happiness. No humans would be left in our imperfect state. Anything less would show a lack of caring, or less than infitine power, on God's part.
Therefore, the fact that we imperfect humans exist is proof enough that there's no benevolent, all-powerful God.
2006-10-12 05:19:05 · 17 answers · asked by rainfingers 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
True, I'm imperfect myself, so I don't have perfect knowledge or reasoning. But the very fact that I'm imperfect means God didn't do as good a job creating me (and everyone else) as He could have. That's the whole point. To conclude there's no benevolent, all-powerful God, all you need to know is that we're imperfect.
If our imperfection is the work of Satan, why doesn't God undo Satan's work? Does he lack the ability? Or the desire?
2006-10-12 05:28:18 · update #1
If everything was perfect in the Garden of Eden, including the people living there, nobody would have screwed it up. Only an already-imperfect being would do that.
2006-10-12 05:31:24 · update #2
Free will is not relevant. Are you sayng that having free will makes us better than perfect?? A perfect being (even with free will) would always make the right choices. A perfect being wouldn't need to arrive at enlightenment, or holiness, or whatever, through a difficult growing process.
2006-10-12 05:33:23 · update #3
He would also show himself. I had a friend once who said something one time that I totally agree with: "I think God should make his signals a little less ambiguous especially since there's so much riding on it, like a trip to Hell for eternity if I miss them."
2006-10-12 05:22:45 · answer #1 · answered by . 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A strong argument against God’s existence was the concept that evil would not exist if there truly were a God. The “assumption” is that since God is inherently “good”, then He would never have allowed evil, pain and suffering. This is a reason-based argument that is self-justified based on the initial assumption.
If reality is only God, then reality, as God, is inherently good. However, if we also assume, what is true in reality, that an “inherently good God” created us (people) with “free will”, then, it is not God causing evil, pain, tragedy, war and suffering; we do. In other words, the reality box is bigger than God alone.
We need to learn to avoid evil, just like when a child touches something hot they learn to avoid it due to pain. We learn from our mistakes or grow from our tragedies, no matter how much we despair about them. Both happiness and pain are part of life. Tragedy is hard to accept and cannot be justified.
An “inherently good” parent does not protect their children from all harm and risk, they “let go”. So does an “inherently good” God. Since we have free will, we also have freedom and liberty, and that allows growth, happiness and suffering.
As for me, I'd rather keep my free will and experience life as it is, with ups and downs, and hope that in the end, when I am judged, I will be told I was a good and faithful servant in the stewardship of my life.
Edit: God is perfect, we are not. In this perfect universe, iron and rust exists, work and friction exists, life and fungus exists, good and evil exists, specifics and concepts exist, and perfect and imperect exists.
“The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Open your mind and try to think more broadly.
2006-10-12 12:26:17 · answer #2 · answered by Cogito Sum 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
im sorry but thats stupid and kinda contridicatory with you (being a human AND imperfect) who are you to say what an infinitely benevolent all powerful god would do????
with you being imperfect you have no idea nore do you have any room to make decisions o what a all-powerful perfect being of the universe would do
god did NOT make us imperfect god knew just what he was doing the only reason we seem imperfect is because he gave us free will
AND if god decided to undo the works of satan it would interfere with our free will
thats why i say you have to take the good with the bad
freewill is a two way street
2006-10-12 12:23:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you ever learned anything from a trial in life? Have you ever gone through a time of suffering only to come out of it stronger and wiser? While heaven is like the place you describe - a place of infinite happiness - is not earth a place for growth...to prepare us for eternity? And isn't love much greater and more fulfilling, when it is not something that has just been given to us (meaning the ability to love, which we have gained through our trials, perseverence, and sacrifices in life)?
But in any regard, are we to judge God? Is it not written, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "
Regarding our imperfection....The Bible tells us we are "sanctified but being made holy"....So we are in a process of being perfected. While man looks at the present, God sees the end from the beginning!
2006-10-12 12:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are showing your lack of understanding about God. In the Garden of Eden, everything WAS perfect, before Eve ate the apple and sinned against God. Even after we sinned, God the Father sent his Son, Jesus to die for our sins and be reconciled with him.
2006-10-12 12:24:57 · answer #5 · answered by WC 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We were not sent here to have "pure happiness" and the main reason why that cannot exist is because the devil does his works on this earth just like God does. Pure happiness can only be obtained if and when you go to Heaven.
2006-10-12 12:22:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
God cares but he gave us the gift of free will. It is through free will
we can choose to perfect our selves or the unsavory alternative.. You see it is not that we will attain perfection it is the journey that will mold us.
2006-10-12 12:27:48 · answer #7 · answered by tao_shano 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Were you on a trip to outer space when you wrote these ramblings? I find no intellegent question to respond to! Funny how amidst all your garble, you arrived at your own "fact". Interesting!
2006-10-12 12:24:20 · answer #8 · answered by lookn2cjc 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Twisted!
2006-10-12 12:23:43 · answer #9 · answered by zero 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your hypothesis is seriously flawed. Points given for a good try though ! Good Luck ! :)
2006-10-12 12:21:35 · answer #10 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋