Why does "god" permit evil, wickedness and tragic misfortune??

by Shining One 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Abaddon

  sunnygirl

  I believe some of the us have complicated things and made it more difficult than it really is, but, it too has made us all grow.

  Eh? How does a baby getting its brains smashed out by an abusive parent complicate things and make it more difficult than it 'really' is?

  greendawn

  God does not permit evil as such it is rather mankind that bring it upon themselves by failng to develop a culture of the spirit by accepting the gospel.

  Oh, so it's our fault, LOL. I suppose my daughter bought talipes upon herself? And 'The Gospel' is no more provable as anb inspired document that The Book of Mormon, The Quran, The Bhaghadvita, or The Cat In The Hat.

  The evolutionists by propagating the idea that man is an animal that came forth from animals encourage that regressive instinctual attitude that sidetracks mankind away from its true destiny which is a spiritual one.

  Deal with the evidence FOR Evolution and the LACK of evidence for Creation. You can carry on beliving in it, of course, just as children carry on believing in fairies even when they know they can't exist because fairies are such a cool idea.

  Auld Soul

  Yes, exactly. And of course they aren't his own comments; argumentum ad CTRL V is a modus operandi of the literalist.
• 

  trevor

  The post by Shining one points out that:

  The word ontology deals with the nature of existence. When I say that evil has no ontological status, I mean that evil, as a thing in itself, does not exist.

  The same could be said of 'good.' No 'good or 'evil,' just potential.

  How is belief in the existance of a personal Deity any more sound?
• 

  LittleToe

  Nic:
  Sure Greendawn doesn't always express himself the best way possible, but there's little reason to rage.

  Other than the sweet, but empty, platitudes of "I'll remember you as long as I live" what have you got?

  I have to confess that the idea seems much akin to "sorry kid, but after I die people might occasionally pick up your photo and ask who the cute kid was, but they wont have much of a clue", or perhaps "sorry kid, your genes never made it to the genepool and so you've not really left much to posterity, have ya?", followed with "but I love ya anyway".

  How is that any better than belief in some kind of afterlife?

  As for SO's cut'n'paste, I agree with Gyles, and this cracked me up:

  ...argumentum ad CTRL V is a modus operandi of the literalist.
• 

  Tea4Two

  Well, God did create the tree of knowledge of good and bad...Why? I will never understand!
• 

  nicolaou

  At the bedside of a dying child what would you say Ross? Believer or not, atheist or not, I know that no-one would be so insensitive as to make the comments in your post and I know that you wouldn't suggest that anyone would. I understand that you were trying to show that my comments were just "sweet, but empty, platitudes" devoid of any real hope.

  But if the hope of resurrection is not a sweet, empty platitude what is? It is an unproven hope and a cruel one at that.

  You ask how my view is "any better than belief in some kind of afterlife?" The thing is, we cannot choose what reality is. As I've said to you in the past, the Watchtower hope of living forever in paradise on earth is an attractive one, it's certainly preferable to 80 or 90 years then death. So perhaps I should raise my chiuldren as JW's, after all it's better than belief in some kind of afterlife.

  No. Believing in the afterlife (or paradise) will no more make it real than believing that all children go to bed feeling loved and with full tummies will make that real. Reality sucks sometimes but it is reality nonetheless.

  I would rather offer a child, dying or not, the genuine love, affection and compassion that comes from my heart than the truly meaningless platitudes of false hope, false belief and a false perception of reality.

  Love is the answer.
• 

  lowden

  Stillawitness

  His avatar is one SYD BARRETT, founder member of the original 1960's PINK FLOYD and subject of the classic Floyd track 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'. Mr Barrett is mentally ill and has been for some years. Maybe that can give you a clue to thr craziness of shining one's posts and why he usesthe avatar.

  Peace

  Lowden
• 

  Gill

  'Permit' is too strong a word. He either cannot or will not do anything about it. Don't expect any changes!
• 

  LittleToe

  Nic:
  Glad you know me well enough not to take offense at my comment. IMHO you finally got to the point with your last comment "love is the answer".

  After all the dogmatism is done on both sides, that's all that's concrete in the here and now.
• 

  beksbks

  If that dying child is over the age of say 8, then it's head has already been filled with the idea that not only is heaven a possibility, but so is hell. How is that more comforting, than going to sleep? And don't tell me 8 year olds don't worry about such things, I was raised a JW.
• 

  TheListener

  La La La La La Love is All there is

  Beatles right?

  Anyway, I agree with LT once the dogmatism is stripped from both sides Love is all there is.

  Regardless of your opinions, beliefs and viewpoints - Love.