the next question...

by gravedancer 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  gravedancer

  My philosophy as someone seeking to improve my understanding of why things are as they are, why things work, how I can improve things for myself all comes down to a simple method: Always ask the next question.

  Asking the next question allows us to build logic chains. The benefit in doing so allows us to construct mini-systems for ourselves as we grow. It is much easier to build a framework than to keep clutching at loose straws (since that just leads to frustration and we feel as if we never have any basis for anything).

  As an example lets look at something really simple and since this board is religious in nature lets make some connections to that as we look at the VIRUS.

  Anyone who has performed any research or reading concerning virology knows that viruses are moochers. They contain only a limited genetic blueprint and they don't have the necessary building tools. They have to invade other cells and hijack their cellular machinery to reproduce. Viruses invade by attaching to a cell and injecting their genes or by being swallowed up by the cell. A virus is an example of something known as a microbe. Its brothers and sisters include items such as bacteria, fungi, archaea and protests (enough of the boring science lesson for now huh?) If you want to see some simple explanations I have quoted some of this material for www.microbe.org .

  As humans we know viruses are BAD or some would even say EVIL. (believe it or not there are more good microbes than bad ones).

  So time for some questions.

  • Since we accept that viruses (according to the average human experience) bad did God create them?
  • Did God change the nature of living things so that some would be bad or evil?
  • Can the devil create living things in much the same way as God does? (before you rush to answer consider the implications of this link) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58070-2002Jul11.html

  I am going to leave it at his for now. I will be back later to pick it up from here.

  (edited to reformat the bolding etc).

  Edited by - gravedancer on 14 July 2002 18:16:14
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  gravedancer

  Let's tackle the first question raised:

  Since we accept that viruses (according to the average human experience) are bad did God create them?

  Tough question for many creationist believers. Why? Lets see:

  If you answer NO then, the next question to ask is: how did the bad viruses get here? Did they "evolve" (oops...the dreaded E word).

  If you answer yes, then one can ask what type of God would do such a thing? Isn't he supposed to be a God of love? Why would he create the HIV Virus? Why did he create the "black death" or the "Spanish Flu"? Doesn't James say that God tests no man with evil?

  So how do you answer? Remember I am going to ask the next questiont hough...

  GD

  Edited by - gravedancer on 14 July 2002 19:7:18
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  gravedancer

  How about the second question:

  Did God change the nature of living things so that some would be bad or evil?

  Interesting question...I already quoted James where he says God will not try men with evil. However Genesis points to something like this when God kicked Adam and Eve out of Eden and he cursed the ground.

  If you answer NO, then how did the Virus (togetrher with myriads of other things that plague us) get here? Shoudl we refer to question number 3?

  If you answer YES, then it surely is reasonable to know why? Doesn't that contradict his love? Why make people suffer? Look at the average compassion humans show with something such as the death penalty: they are either vehemently opposed or they want it to be humane and quick (without suffering)....are they more compassionate than God?
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  heathen

  The bible says that all things being created through jesus christ so there goes the satan theory I would have to disagree as to plaques and viruses being god testing man with evil.IMO when the first human couple were removed from paradise is more than likely when they became suseptable to disease due to an imperfect immune system.
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  gravedancer

  Third question:

  Can the devil create living things in much the same way as God does?

  Well, as the link I posted shows....puny men can now create a biological virus from scratch.

  If you answered NO then, the next question is: Are humans more powerful than the devil? If humans can create a virus (a destructive one at that) then why can't Satan? Religionists teach that Satan is one of the most powerful beings in existence (we know that 1 angel killed 185,000 of Senacharib's soldiers in one night according to the Bible).

  If you answered YES then, the next question is: what has the devil created? If he is so evil why aren't we being overrun by his creations? Surely he can be more evil than history has shown....we know humans have been much worse than any "natural" or "created" things in their wanton destruction and misery-making.

  GD
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  SYN

  Nice to see you back and posting good stuff again, Gravedancer. No more of THE DEEMINZ!!!!!!, OK? LOL...take care of yourself man....
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  Xander

  Uhhh...heathen....why did he CREATE the disease in the first place?

  It can't reproduce without killing living cells. So, if living things were not 'susceptible' to it, as you say, then how did it survive in the first place, let ALONE how did it get here?

  I mean, who creates something like that? It does no good - it's not in the food chain anywhere.

  All it does is KILL, KILL, KILL.

  That's it.

  Why are they here? How did they survive the 'perfect' time period?
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  gravedancer

  The bible says that all things being created through jesus christ

  So the next question: So did Jesus create destuctive Viruses then? Is he still creating them since new ones appear with increasing rapidity? It cannot be because our "systems weakened"....we have scientific evidence that new viruses are spawned all the time. It is an indisputable fact that they evolve (and they evolve in small amounts of measureable time though mutation).

  GD

  (edited to fix a typo)

  Edited by - gravedancer on 14 July 2002 19:4:29
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  SYN

  EXCELLENT POINT GraveDancer! All creationism advocates check in here please, GD has you guys cornered! I'd never thought of that before - although I've know about that behaviour of viruses for AGES...wooo......
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  gravedancer

  excellent points Xander....the next question kicks in again!!!