Question for EVERYONE -- If a sculptor creates a flawed sculpture, isn't he to blame for the flaws?

Question

If there was something wrong with the clay, shouldn't he have checked first to make sure he was using quality material?

If there was something wrong with the integrity of the structure, shouldn't he have caught that before he was done?

And if not, then I'm sure we can all agree that he's an inept or at least an imperfect craftsman, yes?

kait, you're saying a PERFECT creation can act IMPERFECTLY? Well... what made it "perfect" in the first place? Why call it perfect if it's obviously so susceptible to temptation and disobedience?

Answer 1

A quote from "atheist" literature, as opposed to the Bible:
-------------------
"And don't tell me God works in mysterious ways," Yossarian continued, hurtling on over her objection. "There's nothing so mysterious about it. He's not working at all. He's playing. Or else, He's forgotten all about us. That's the kind of God you people talk about - a country bumpkin, a clumsy, bungling, brainless, conceited, uncouth hayseed. Good God, how much reverence can you have for a supreme being who finds it necessary to include such phenomena as phlegm and tooth decay in His divine system of creation? What in the world was running through that warped, evil, scatological mind of His when he robbed old people of their power to control their bowel movements? Why in the world did He ever create pain?"

"Pain?" Lieutenant Schiesskopf's wife pounced upon the word victoriously. "Pain is a useful symptom. Pain is a warning to us about bodily dangers."

"And who created the dangers?" Yossarian demanded, He laughed caustically. "Oh, He was really being charitable to us when He gave us pain! Why couldn't He have used a doorbell instead to notify us, or one of His celestial choirs? Or a system of blue-and-red neon tubes right in the middle of each person's forehead? Any jukebox manufacturer worth his salt could have done that. Why couldn't He?"

"People would certainly look silly walking around with red neon tubes in the middle of their foreheads."

"They certainly look beautiful now writhing in agony or stupified with morphine, don't they? What a colossal, immortal blunderer! When you consider the opportunity and power he had to really do a job, and then look at the stupid ugly little mess He made of it instead, His sheer incompetence is almost staggering. It's obvious. He never met a payroll. Why, no self-respecting businessman would hire a bungler like Him as even a shipping clerk!"

Answer 2

Yes, I'm an artist too and if I don't create a piece that is perfect than I'm probably just an amateur artist still learning my craft. I've been an artist and writer for many years and the extensive experience helps me make NO mistakes.

IF there's a "mistake," I may have put it there on purpose, for a reason, either to make a statement or to make others think and learn. It's all about my self-expression and the public's perception of what I've done. Some read it one way and some read it other ways.

I always tell my patrons that there's no "right or wrong way" to look at my work; only different. And I like it like that.

(I don't know if I made any sense to you in response to YOUR question, but your question and my answer sure has got ME thinking now! Good question!)

.

Answer 3

In art, flaws is what it's all about.

Look at Greek sculpture . . . the proportions are exaggerated. This is what makes them to appealing. Perfection in art is boring after awhile. Just take a photo for crying out loud.

You'll notice that all the best and popular art avoid exact duplication of reality. Even beautiful female models are impossibly slim and leggy.

Perhaps God decided that humanity would be better off with flaws and that we'd find life more interesting than do the angels in heaven.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rational-Debate

Answer 4

I know where you're going, cunning one.

Heresy ! God cannot create imperfect sculptures, for He is purrrfect!

Ooops, you're right, there are imperfect sculptures. Damned post-modernist sculptors...

Okay then... Heresy! God has let slip a few imperfect sculptures, but it is part of his Master Plan to test humanity's patience and sense of humor!

There you go. And don't drink and sculpt. Or don't respond to too many Y Q/A drinking questions before sculpting.

> Question for EVERYONE -- If a sculptor creates a flawed sculpture, isn't he to blame for the flaws?
.

Answer 5

Ever hear the story of the cracked pot?

It seems there was a lady that lived at the top of a hill, and every day she went down the hill with 2 clay pots on pole to draw water. One of the pots had a small crack in it near the bottom. Well a neighbor suggested she get rid of it since it was cracked and not good for carrying water. The lady refused, and the neighbor decided to change the topic by commenting on the lovely flowers that were growing by the trail. The woman said that she had known of the crack in the pot and had planted flowers on that side of the trail, so every time she carried water for the house she was watering the flowers. What others saw as a flaw she used to create beauty. So it is with us, we all have flaws but God can make something beautiful from them.

I hop this illustration hels you understand that the thing you see as a flaw may to another be a thing of great beauty.

Answer 6

No we can't all agree and I sure don't. Because the Creator and Archetect of this world, is perfect, but it is us that is not. He gave us free will, to choose His way or not. He did not make us into robots. He gave us the ability to reason and think and decide. He gave us a choice to follow Him and obtain life or to follow man and become nothing. We can do nothing without Christ. Man's mistakes and flaws are just that, man's. The integrity of the structure in you is flawed because you are not made whole. You are considered spiritually dead untill you receive the Lord as Lord and savior. Then you obtain eternal life. Then you can be spiritually flawless and whole. Until our bodies are glorified we all are flawed physically and make mistakes. How arrogant of you to sit there and say it is God that is flawed.

Answer 7

The funny thing is, is that you know the answer to this, but you pretend you don't and you ask regardless. He created us without sin. We had the potential to sin though, and he knew we would. That doesn't make him inept, that makes him merciful. He knew we would rebel and become murderers, liars, adulterers, etc... and he created us the same. Then he provided the means by which a fallen sinful race could be reconciled to him. What a jerk this guy is huh? I anticipate a counter point along the lines of "well that means he created people knowing they would go to hell". Yes he did. The real question then, is not "why did he do this or that?" the real question deals with whether or not he exists. If you don't think so then why do you care what he "does". If he does exist, then what possible difference could it make what you think about what he chose to do?

Answer 8

Sometimes the clay is perfect the sculptor comes to life and is perfect in every detail then it is put on a beautiful pedal-stool for all to witness it's perfection/beauty when someone bumps into the delicate scene and offsets the sculptor causing it to fall - hitting the floor and becoming damaged. The creator was perfect, the creation was perfect, the flaw came from time and outside factors? Satan!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

Oh, you ask the BEST questions!

I don't think a perfect being can create anything imperfect -- and if he does, ergo, he's not perfect. Just as a genius has immense trouble acting dumb. It can't be done! *laughs*

Answer 10

Yes. If we were to follow up on intelligent design's claims, this is the natural follow-up question. If we can know the designer from his or her design, we should certainly look at the design.

If the design is indeed flawed, it points to an inept designer. Considering that god-believers cannot accept that their omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent god could be inept, it leaves a gaping hole for them to explain.

How can such a perfect god create such an imperfect world?