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DougHorton -> RE: Why the tree of knowledge? (8/8/2008 11:04:47 AM)
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On a rational, and indeed humanist, level the conundrum remains. Namely that an omnipotent creator that is believed to be all loving, has created evil...
Evil is not always the synonym of wickedness or sin. The distinction can be seen in the death of Christ. He was not wicked, and was sinless, yet was subjected to death, which everybody admits is evil. Pain is evil. Death is evil. But they are necessary for life. Life could not exist if we could not eat dead things. Otherwise this planet would soon be one massive organism of parasites feeding off of one another.
Likewise, pain teaches us to avoid danger, disciplines us, and in general provides boundaries within which we live more fruitful lives. Would you like to live life without pain? That is the condition of lepers, and you can easily see where life would soon be. Imagine a world of lepers.
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... and allowed misery to flourish when it had the foreknowledge to prevent both.
Misery is man-made. It is man's perception of his own condition. Either you can learn to be content with your situation, or you can improve your situation. Both options lead to Godly lives. A third option, perceive yourself an entitled victim and inflict misery on other people is also your choice. god does not force it on you, but He can use it to improve the lives of others.
Furthermore, without misery, grace would not be visible. The light of a candle is only good in the darkness. It is useless in the sunlight. Both flowers and food grow out of decomposition. We see this pattern throughout the natural world. I doubt if you even question them. So is it unreasonable that the metaphysical world would not operate on the same principles?
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These are the words of men, albeit men who believed they were divinely inspired, but men nonetheless.
Everything, every single thing you know comes from the words of men. That argument invalidates nothing.
When God spoke from Mount Sinai, He spoke in an audible and understandable speech to thousands upon thousands of witnesses. If this was the fantasy of the one man, Moses, given that the Israelites proved themselves rebellious to Moses' leadership, they could have easily killed Moses and written history as they wished. They didn't. So we have the hostile witness of thousands testifying that God did indeed speak.
However, this is off topic. I'd be glad to continue this conversation in email or PM if you like.
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