Be perfectly just and perfectly merciful at the same time?
God supposedly is right? How is this so?
2007-01-17 18:49:13 · 8 answers · asked by angie20k 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I would have to say no. Using the Aristotelian definition of justice, equal treatment for equals and unequal treatment for unequals, for perfect justice, everyone would have to be given exactly the treatment they deserve. Now, I will define mercy as the benevolent mitigation of punishment or retribution; for perfect mercy, everyone, even the greatest sinner, would be treated the same as everyone would be have to be forgiven totally. So perfect justice treats the more good better than the less good, while perfect mercy would treat the less good better because they get more than they deserve. So God, if such a thing exists, could not be both perfectly just and perfectly merciful. I would say, however, that this does not mean that God is not "right", as you say. Perhaps the "right" is in striking the proper balance between justice and mercy, which only God would be capable of doing.
2007-01-17 18:54:03 · answer #1 · answered by Ape Ape Man 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on what you mean by 'perfectly just' and 'perfectly merciful' and it begins with identifying what each one is really about. For example, what counts as 'just' and what is 'mercy.' Without identifying them; it is impossible to give a thorough response to your question. (another issue is what counts as 'perfect.')
Having said that, if you define what is just same as one being merciful; by definition, it is possible to be just and merciful at the same time. The problem is what if it's not.
Is God supposedly right? Well, it seems that you are asking questions that deal with the problems in the divine scripture. Can God be merficul and be just at the same time by moving David to number Israel, for instance? That's a good question. Suffice it to say there is a lot to be said, which I will omit here. For your reference, the ethical position in which God or God's Command is taken as always right is known as Divine Command Theory; a branch of Relativism.
2007-01-18 03:05:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Standards of the perfection are the problem with your proposed question. Justice and Mercy are dealt out...are metteed out...they are not existent in a vaccuum. The reason people say God is perfectly just and perfectly merciful is because sh@t happens...and no one can explain why bad things happen to good people...and they stick their heads in the sands and say to themselves "In the Best of All possible worlds" like the voltaire idiot...
If you can't explain death or accidents and have no concept of chance and possibility due to the overwhelming faith that you build and harness your being through...the response is always, "We are in God's Hands - It is His Will that is all powerful, just, and mercy." But that is nothing but a surrendering copout...If you are going to take that attitude, become a Muslim and strap a bomb to your chest, because if you surrender fate to faith, you have already given up on this life in exchange for an afterlife that only your vanity could create as an apparition and delusion of your own importance...
2007-01-18 03:05:28 · answer #3 · answered by Hammerhead 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, here's the rub: Does God do what's right, or is what God does necessarily right? Do you see what I mean? If God is all merciful and all just, then the two are the same in some ways. Justice doesn't exculsively mean retribution. So, perhaps the two concepts are nearer to one another than we may care to think.
2007-01-18 02:55:11 · answer #4 · answered by SnowFlats 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wonderful question!!
In my view, mercy becomes the justice in the case of true repentance... for true repentance is painful and the self inflicted pain is appropriate punishment in itself.
2007-01-18 03:27:54 · answer #5 · answered by small 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
be 'just' by discriminating which and what... merciful, but with harsh judgement. perfection is only obtained by balance.
2007-01-18 04:33:11 · answer #6 · answered by Invisible_Flags 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God supposedly is right.......i think it is infact the other way. Whatever is right is supposedly GOD.
2007-01-18 03:34:26 · answer #7 · answered by Phil 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know... that sounds hard... i'll try it.
2007-01-18 05:31:31 · answer #8 · answered by ZZ K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋