Was he being good when he created evil?
And starvation, disease, hate, violence? Because if he's as omnipotent as everyone claims, then he also created all those things. Not just moonbeams and kittens and hugs.
Isn't good a bit of a simplistic term to apply to an all-powerful supernatural being? (Assuming one exists, of course.)
2007-08-10 03:26:51 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
How could God be good, without also being responsible for creating evil and still be omnipotent? There can be no evil without good, and vice versa. Ergo, if you simplistically say "God is good" then you also admit that there is an alternate but equal force that is not God. Evil. And that means God is not omnipotent.
Did evil just exist? If so, then God isn't responsible for all creation, is he?
2007-08-10 03:34:04 · update #1
He did not create evil.....we screwed up in the garden of eden.
All of those things that you mentioned are a result of sin.....and sin is from man...not God.
God created mankind with free will....and we obviously mucked it up
2007-08-10 03:29:43 · answer #1 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
How about a different kind of answer? In my beliefs (eclectic Wicca), the Higher Power is not omnipotent and is in fact subject to the natural laws that form the canvas for the art of life. The highest is the Law of Balance. Because all things must balance, positive and negative things must happen in order to perpetuate the world. (Wildfires have to happen in order to allow new growth, people have to die to make room for those being born, etc.) Therefore, "good" and "evil" are both necessary forces and God does not have the power to "destroy" or inhibit one or the other. (If, for the sake of argument, God does have the power, He or She must certainly have the wisdom to permit balance, as its disruption would cause the end of the Universe as we know it.) Just my perspective...
2007-08-10 11:33:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is whatever he needs to be. Check out the etymology of the name YHWH.
The meaning of the personal name of the Israelite God has been variously interpreted. Many scholars believe that the most proper meaning may be "He Brings Into Existence Whatever Exists" (Yahweh-Asher-Yahweh). In I Samuel, God is known by the name Yahweh Teva-'ot, or "He Brings the Hosts Into Existence," the hosts possibly referring to the heavenly court or to Israel."
Well heck, didn't answer your question did I? He is good but sometimes being good brings evil to some. Justice is good. Judgement is good. Punishment and discipline is good but from the other end it is evil...
2007-08-10 10:35:54 · answer #3 · answered by Emperor Insania Says Bye! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God does exist and is good all the time. God is all-powerful but that does not mean that He is able to contradict His own nature. Creating evil would be just such a contradiction. Man chose to sin, and before that, Satan chose to rebel against God. So Satan has spread evil that God is allowing for a time, but we know that the goodness and grace of God will triumph over evil at the end of this world. He has the power to overcome evil. Because of His love for us, He is waiting to do so.
2007-08-10 10:39:50 · answer #4 · answered by Bob T 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nah!
Not possible. I remember reading in the bible somewhere that god is a jealous god (can't be bothered looking it up). Isn't jealousy one of the seven deadly sins?
There you go another contradiction. If he was perfect we wouldn't have all these contradictions (apparent or otherwise), the bible would be perfect too.
Besides who says he's good and perfect? The bible does, which if you believe all this religious stuff is God's word therefore isn't he blowing his own trumpet a bit, which is also a bit conceited. Not a nice trait.
So human beings can rationalise all they like to try to justify their irrational beliefs but bottom line is that if it doesn't make sense it can't be right.
2007-08-10 10:47:57 · answer #5 · answered by Louise H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not hardly. Smite. Save. Smite. Save. I don't see how he can possibly be considered good. Schizophrenic maybe.
2Kings 2:23-24
42 children are killed by bears for calling a prophet "baldy"
1Samuel 6:19 :
70 people are killed for looking in (or "at") the Ark of the Covenant.
1Kings 20:30
God makes a wall fall on and kill an army retreating from some Israelites.
Numbers 16:16-49 :
Death to all those who complain
2 Samuel 6:6-11
God kills someone for accidentally touching the Ark of the Covenent
2007-08-10 10:34:54 · answer #6 · answered by Mike H. 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like Primoa said. God cant change free will and we just screwed up. So man created evil. That stuff you said is the punishment for what we did.
2007-08-10 11:12:55 · answer #7 · answered by lchoops 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are the child, God is the Father.
When you were 6 years old and wanted candy for dinner, your father was evil for denying you.
When you were 16 and wanted to date the 21 year old biker dude, your father was evil for denying you.
Now that you have matured, you understand that your father was right after all. Not evil.
As you mature further, you will come to understand that evil is in your mind as you define it.
2007-08-10 10:37:53 · answer #8 · answered by davidosterberg1 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sin created all of those things.
Proverbs 26:2
"............a curse causeless does not come."
Starvation, disease, hate, violence are curses caused by sin and without sin they don't come on us. Any disobedience to God is sin.
2007-08-10 10:37:02 · answer #9 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A simple statement:
God is Good
Romans 10
2007-08-10 10:44:28 · answer #10 · answered by robert p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GOD is good all the time that is why He gave us free will to decide on our own. if He is not good, He would hold us in the neck and would not let us use our free will.
2007-08-10 10:51:36 · answer #11 · answered by ericka 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋