Is God Good, Evil, or Incompetent?

Question

Most religious people describe God as perfect, all-powerful, and all-knowing. My position is that God, by this definition, does not exist. My reasons are as follows:

First, God alledgedly created the Earth. However, this world is obviously not perfect; and perfection is incapable of imperfection.

Second, God knew and knows everything that would and will happen; and even though he has unlimited power, he allowed millions of us to be exterminated and enslaved, he allowed children to be raped and murdered, and he continues to allow worse things to occur even today.

Even though God gave man freewill, by the common definition of God, he knew that everything that has happened would happen and with all of his great power, he did nothing to interfere. So, either God did all of this on purpose or he made a mistake.

Therefore, people who believe in God should except everything the way God made it, or they should conclude that he did make us in his image and he is not perfect either.

Hmmm??

Answer 1

From a human-centered perspective, your logic might seem sound, but there is more to the picture than there may first appear. I will try to answer with a question:
If you had decided to be a parent of children because you wanted to show children your love, would you choose
a) Perfect robot children who would always obey you and could never hurt themselves or each other, or experience pain
-or-
b)Real live children who will fall down and scrape their knees, argue, disobey you many times, get their hearts broken, but who can receive your love and choose to love you back?
When creating the world, God knew there would be pain and suffering and death, FOR A WHILE. He did not create sin and pain, but He allowed it to happen because it was a byproduct of giving His creation the CHOICE of whether to love Him or not, rather than being perfect robots. If He created a world without problems, it would have to be a world without choices (for us), meaning we could not CHOOSE to love Him, meaning we could not have real love for Him--only slavelike obedience without a choice. Suffering is a temporary byproduct of all the times that His creation chooses to turn away from Him. However, things will not always be this way. When God created a world filled with suffering, He also created a way for suffering to end, for people who want to have a restored relationship with their Creator--this because He loves us wholeheartedly. He came here in person, in the form of a man--Jesus. He does not ignore evil--all wrongdoing must be punished--and He took it upon Himself to take the punishment of death (which always comes from evil) on Himself so we wouln't have to be mortal forever. If we let Jesus become unified with ourselves, we can receive the immortal life that is in Him. One nice thing is that if this happens to you, you don't even have to wait until you die to start experiencing peace and joy deeper than any sorrow--even in the midst of horrible circumstances. God will use even terrible things for the good of those who love Him. They may suffer in this world, but they will grow in SPIRIT with God, and when this life is over, they will be able to spend infinite time free from pain and filled with deep and complete joy. My favorite part is that God loves me more than I will ever know, and always will. If I forget it, He reminds me. I want you to know that He loves you too. I will pray for you!

Answer 2

Is God Good, Evil, or Incompetent?
ANSWER: GOOD.

Most religious people describe God as perfect, all-powerful, and all-knowing. My position is that God, by this definition, does not exist. My reasons are as follows:
ANSWER: HAS NOT QUESTION ATTACHED TO IT.

First, God alledgedly created the Earth. However, this world is obviously not perfect; and perfection is incapable of imperfection.
ANSWER: GOD CREATED THE EARTH PERFECT AND YOU CAN FIND THIS IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH. IT WAS SATAN THAT MESS IT UP.

Second, God knew and knows everything that would and will happen; and even though he has unlimited power, he allowed millions of us to be exterminated and enslaved, he allowed children to be raped and murdered, and he continues to allow worse things to occur even today.
ANSWER: GOD DEFEATED SATAN THE DAY HE ALLOWED HIS SON TO BE CRUCIFIED. THIS PAID THE PRICE FOR EACH OF US THAT WOULD ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST. THOSE THAT DON'T ARE THE ONES THAT DO THE THINGS YOU WROTE ABOUT.

Even though God gave man freewill, by the common definition of God, he knew that everything that has happened would happen and with all of his great power, he did nothing to interfere. So, either God did all of this on purpose or he made a mistake.
ANSWER: YES GOD GAVE EACH OF US FREE WILL TO CHOOSE HIM OR BY DEFAULT SATAN. THIS MEANS THAT GOD DOES NOT KNOW OUR DECISION. GOD WILL NOT INTERFER IN OUR LIVES UNLESS WE ASK HIM TO.

Therefore, people who believe in God should except everything the way God made it, or they should conclude that he did make us in his image and he is not perfect either.
ANSWER: EVERY CHRISTIAN TODAY AND FROM THE TIME CHRISTIANITY STARTED BELIEVES THAT GOD CREATED EVERYTHING PERFECT. IT IS ONLY PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF THAT DON'T

I'm so sorry you don't know God. If you did you would have the knowledge we Christians gained by faith. I know that the people out there that read this will pray for you and the like.><>

Answer 3

My this question will get a few answers. God gave people free will and has no real power over them - people do what they will and things will happen because of their actions. The incidents you outline throughout history were not the actions of God they were the actions of people with free will. God I dont think has an overally lot to do with good or bad things occuring - a world was put here with everything so perfect and complete, with an abundant of food and resources for everybody inhabiting this world. People with their greed are slowly destroying it and in the process destroying other people as well but God never did it - and the fact is why does God not to stop terrible things from occurring maybe they need to occur. I posted an answer before about all things occuring for a reason the fact is even Slavery caused people - common everyday people to find courage and determination and find their humanity to get a voice to speak out about human rights and injustices - that was a good thing. And allowing children to be murdered and rapes to occur - the fact is out of those horrendous crimes we have changes in legislation, victim impact statements, forensics, child welfare bills and the victims families all over the world working tirelessly to make positive social changes. Maybe God would be best if he/she did not come down in a flash of light and "save" people. Also whatever happened to the words of the bible "God saves those who save themselves?"

Through adversity people in their humility find strength and a voice of courage and that has to be a good thing - would they find that voice and that courage if they were constantly bailed out and saved? Probably not . Would they learn from their mistakes in the world and aim for better if God turned up saving people like some religious superman? No. They would become complacent and reliant. If you want to be critical of a divine being thats ok, but the fact is all things have a purpose and adversity if it does not kill you will make you stronger as history as shown.

Answer 4

God is perfect, and he is also merciful, because he didn't stop you, one of his creations from ranting, about how imperfect this world has become, under Man kinds rule, if you knew what you were crying about, you would know God is in full control, he has never lost it for a minute, he made time, so he's right on time with his plan for this world, and the free will you have will decide whether or not you'll be a part of his plan, you say you don't believe in God, like all pretend atheist, I don't believe in you because their are no atheists in fox holes, are head on crashes, put it this way if you were on a flight over the Atlantic, some where and the plane took a nose dive towards the ocean , everyone on board were screaming & praying, and you'd try to tell me that you wouldn't be praying, to that God that you say you don't believe in, don't bother wasting your breath with that lie, I'm betting it would take you exactly 2 seconds, to scream Jesus save me, or us depending on if you, care for anyone besides yourself, people that claim to be that, imaginary creature or atheist, tend to be a good bit self centered anyways!!

Answer 5

God created the entire universe plus self-conscious beings like Himself. Having been given a freedom of choice, these persons eventually declared their independence from God and broke His laws; which were necessary for the good life that God planned for them. The situation became very unpleasant for God and so He had two choices. He could have exterminated them; the end, the plan failed. Or, out of His caring concern and love for them; provide a solution. He could not simply forgive anyone because He had to do something about all the injustice in the world. God pronounced a just sentence (Romans 8:1); but also provided a full pardon to all who would take it. He had to be mortal because God can not die and He had to be God because only a sinless person could pay for the sins of another. If Jesus is who He claimed to be, then it is not unreasonable for God to be bound by death! Nor is it unreasonable to suggest that He should have the power and the purpose to rise from the dead! In fact; it would be unreasonable for God to be bound by death!

If the infinite Creator wanted to communicate to all of us earthlings what He was like; how could He show us more clearly than becoming one of us? If He wanted to show us how serious the offense is, to break His moral law, how better than to forfeit His own life? And if He wanted to tell us how much He loves us, how could He do it more dramatic than dying for us?

Biblical faith is more than intellectual reasoning. It is the logical choice! Other religions have teachings about an historical person, but it is Christianity that's based on what a person did. Of all the religions, no other has left such lucid evidence of God's involvement with humanity. We can either appreciate God's way more deeply or we can stubbornly and foolishly decide to go our own way and see where the outcome will lead. Anyone wishing to make sure that he has taken the first step of faith, should confess his moral failings to God and then in his own words, thank God for sending His own Son Jesus to die for him! From that point on, trust Christ to lead and develop his worth in a way that would never had been known without Him.

Answer 6

Hmmm,,,

Your not even close. God created, nothing into something, he spoke and it happened, you must know you were created the same way. God did not make junk, nor mistakes. His goal in the whole creation thing stems down to his Son. Everything points to Christ. His perfection. So in Christ we have perfection. With out Christ, we are not perfect, and then we will be rejected into the Kingdom of God. Satan keeps peoples eyes blind to this truth. Like a Vail over your face. You can get the half truth, but to see the light of Christ, you cant look at in the natural eye. But in the eye of Gods Son. If he is not in your heart, that Vail, is on you. Only Gods Son can take it off. So no matter how much I tell you, its perfect, its out there, but you can not reach the truth till Christ shows it to you. Then you will never get it. Its the children of Gods bread, with out the light in the darkness, you cant get it. so, Hmmmm on

Answer 7

Hmmm a question asked out of ignorance? Try reading the bible. I mean the parts not written on the cover. If you don't believe in God after that, then that's your choice. Don't expect everyone else to be like you either way.

Answer 8

With more information added to what you already know i believe you could make a more informed decision that would be much better then what you have already come up with. Example ; You forgot to add the variables that could have been left out of the teachings you have read or heard from preachers; and remember the B-Book has been over edited & over morphed in interpretation because of lack of what really happened which may be do to lack of using the correct words of understanding & translation to boot. Looking forward to your better understanding w/ a grain of salt or sand.

Answer 9

firstly, define perfect.

secondly, who says that perfection is incapable of creating imperfection, if it intends to? of course this depends on how you define perfect.

on your second point... what makes you so sure that there is no POINT to the things we see as negative? like learning, and progressing? why have tests if we can fail the tests? to see if we have learned, and to help learn.

seems to me the flaw in your reasoning, is with your definition of perfection.

so heres a thought for you... what if "perfect" really means "complete".

if you were to present/organize a scenario in which you *absolutely* know *all* of the variables, and you know what they all do and how they effect and interact and so forth... you can absolutely predict exactly what will occur in that scenario, and if you can manipulate all variables, and want a certain result... you can manipulate those variables to get the result you want. in fact if you want it to be gotten in a certain manner, then you can manipulate them in a different manner to obtain that result. if you have incomplete knowlege of the variables and scenario, then you will inevitably make choices and adjustments that will have unintended effects. depending on what you alter, these could be immediate or not. these are "mistakes" which are directly due to not having "perfect"/complete knowlege of the situation, due to the limited perception.

hopefully you get what I mean.

Answer 10

"him", "himself", "his".

God didn't create man. Man has created God.

Yet, all are the same.

The human mind cannot handle the great cosmic contradictions because we are consumed with the concept of right and left and right and wrong. We are preoccupied with craving and rejecting there is no moment to see the moment of now.

You are god. And yet, you are nothing in the same exact regard.