Is God good? Really?

Question

This seems to be the topic of the day... So how do you define "good"? Seems that some people just accept "God is good" as a tautology of sorts, but does the evidence back this up? In the NT god orders genocide, murder, genital mutilation, condones slavery, etc. How do you defend this as "good" without resorting to the circular argument that "God is good?"

LadYG : But those "immoral" people's crime was refusing to worship this "good" god. Circular, again. Hitler also called himself "good", you know?

Answer 1

It IS a circular argument, and that's the problem. See, the Christian stand on this will be that God himself defines good and evil. Think about it: if nothing existed before him, and he brought all into existence (this is hypothetical, I know you don't believe this) then he had the power himself to declare what is good. Therefore, everything that opposes him would be evil. It's not a system of morality or ethics, just one of polarity.

I'm not saying this is my favorite argument, just stating that our views of "goodness" are influenced by many things but if you take an all mighty creator into consideration who himself determines "good" and "evil" OUTSIDE of our traditional definition then anything he does must be good simply because he has the power to declare it so...yeah, it's circular. Ugh. My head is going to explode.

As a side note, I don't believe in the "NT God" you seem to be referring to, so perhaps I'm not the best to answer this argument.

Answer 2

Where does God order genocide or murder in the New Testament?

As far as "genital mutilation" goes, are you talking about circumcision? It was, and has been, considered the safest way to go for the last two thousand years, and perhaps it was especially safe back then, when peoples' hygienic habits were questionable. Only recently has it come out that it's safe to NOT be circumcised.

And where does the New Testament condone slavery? All it says is that slaves are supposed to respect their masters. And don't forget that back then, people sold THEMSELVES (or their offspring) into slavery to pay off debts, and once the debt was paid, they would be released from their bond. Even if they didn't pay their debt by the end of their fiftieth year of slavery, they were released.

Slavery in ancient times was NOT the same as slavery was in the early days of the US, or even the same kind of slavery that exists now.

Answer 3

The slavery talked about in Biblical times was not salvery as we know it to have been in America. It was simply servitude to pay off debt, not 'ownership'. And your "slavery" period was no more than 7 years anyway. Personally, I think mortgages are a more approporate analogy for the slavery talked about in the Bible, but we don't get reprieved in 7 years! And credit cards are worse!

As for the other items you mention - could you please give a reference for such things? Don't use Revelation because that is of things to come - "all's fair in love and war..."

Answer 4

Here's how I look at it or should I say see it...God created every living thing..He sent His one and Only begotten Son Jesus Christ to a World that was filled with Sin and Corruption....Christ taught us to LOVE one another, to turn the other cheek, not to Kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, to honor your father and mother, to remember the sabbath to keep it Holy, AND then His One and Only Begotten Son HAD TO Die so that those who called on the Name of Jesus could have Eternal Salvation.
SOOOO I am not certain the New Testament gave out orders to KILL and so on...As a matter of Fact Jesus taught His Disciples how to live with the rules I just mentioned....Ohhh there is a Biblical Story of a woman who slept with a man, and the people brought her to the Lord Jesus Christ, before Christ they STONED people to death....Jesus said , "Those who are without SIN cast the first stone!" She wasn't Stoned, Jesus knew they were sinful and HE Saved her and told her to SIN NO MORE......Yes God is More than Good, He is ALL we have to Win Salvation......through His Son Jesus Christ..

Answer 5

Wow! You have over 11,000 points, and you don't know?

Just kidding, I am sure you already know the answer.

Regardless of how Church Empires define God, God is found in your heart, if your heart is "good", then you will feel that "God" is "good".

(My answer is not simplistic, but I imagine you already knew that.)

In regards to the Bible, It is a genealogy of the Jewish bloodline from Adam to Jesus. It is a history; would you rather they lied to you about how they conducted their lives? History books do not condone things, they simply report what happened.

Answer 6

God is good because he hates suffering. But as 1 John 5:18 says Satan is the god of this system, and God will soon step in to end all suffering.

Answer 7

Yes GOD is good. All the thing mentioned by you are man made and not by GOD. Related question for you... Does God Really Care About Us? Click the site, it will help u.

Answer 8

Notice how criminals always think that it is the cops, the prosecutors, the judges, and/or society who are bad, not them.

Immoral people will always hate those who enforce justice, because they know deep down inside that they are guilty and deserve justice too.

One with a clean conscience does not fear justice, nor does one with a clear conscience call good evil, or justice bad.

Answer 9

God is good. If he's not then who else?
It's beyond understanding just as his sacrifice of his only begotten son to save us from death and sin is beyond understanding.

Answer 10

God created you! Isn't that good? He blesses people that's a good thing he loves you that's a good thing he cares for you he died for you! If that isn't GOOD then I don't know what GOOD is! IF YOU ASK ME GOD IS THE DEFINITION OF GOOD AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE!!