Growing up as a JW I was often told that the moral of Job was that the devil threw down the kid gloves and challenged god by basically saying that if man didn't have a reward -- as in Job's case,wealth, then man wouldn't love and worship god. Now, considering that the bible god promises a paradise earth and physical immortality as a reward (in the case of the JW's) or a heavan for orthadox christians)hasnt the devil already won the argument?
Why Does God Permit Wickedness?
by undercover 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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shamus
So then, if Adam was really the "head" of the family and the "sin" was committed under his leadership; then, why is Eve blamed? How is it that Adam retains his job as "head" of the family when his one test of headship was a miserable failure?
The bible is complete bullshit. That story is bullshit, Jesus is bullshit, everything in there is bullshit, period.
Why did god allow suffering?
Why didn't Job curse god and die? Because he was scared of a god that didn't exist. I curse god, and he hasn't struck me down yet!
Why did he allow suffering? Because god does not exist. If he does, he's a lousy person, and he can roast my body in hell before I will admit any different.
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shamus
Dear god,
Hope you got the letter,
And i pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer,
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet,
'cause they don't get enough to eat
From god,
I can't believe in you.
Dear god,
Sorry to disturb you,
But i feel that i should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears,
And all the people that you made in your image,
See them fighting in the street,
'cause they can't make opinions meet,
About god,
I can't believe in you.
Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!
Dear god,
Don't know if you noticed,
But your name is on a lot of quotes in this book.
And all the people that you made in your image,
Still believing that junk is true.
Well i know it ain't and so do you,
Dear god,
I can't believe in,
I don't believe in,
I won't believe in heaven and hell.
No saints, no sinners,
No devil as well.
No pearly gates, no thorny crown.
You're always letting us humans down.
The wars you bring, the babes you drown.
Those lost at sea and never found,
And it's the same the whole world 'round.
The hurt i see helps to compound,
That the father, son and holy ghost,
Is just somebody's unholy hoax,
And if you're up there you'll perceive,
That my heart's here upon my sleeve.
If there's one thing i don't believe in...
It's you,
Dear god. -
paterfamilias
Ah, the song by XTC. I forgot about that one. Thanks, Shamus. I remember feeling a bit guilty about liking that song...
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funkyderek
Why does God test us imperfect humans like this and he knows we are weak? To win a bet with Satan just like with Job. He wants to prove to Satan that with all the tricks and temptations he gets people with some are still going to remain faithful to God. So why keep this going?
The really bizarre thing about this idea is that Satan is winning by a factor of anywhere from 2:1 to 1000:1 but no matter what way you cut the cards, he's winning.
Unless the bet was just that some people would remain faithful despite temptation. Big deal. The choice for those who believe is eternal bliss versus eternal torment (or destruction). Shouldn't be too hard. You'd think, with all the work that God did to get his own way; floods, fires, deaths, resurrections, miracles and loads of smiting that he'd have a bit more of a following.
Surely, when it comes to the crunch, God is going to be pissed off that Satan was the viewer's choice. Like most bullies, he's simply going to use his might to remove evidence of the moral defeat, and declare himself the victor. But he'll know better and have to live with the shame forever.
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Sirona
IMHO, We are all part of the universe and we are all responsible for the existence of bad things. God is part of everything and therefore isn't a man on a throne who needs to know we love him.
Without darkness we wouldn't know light, would we?
Sirona
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LittleToe
It like Prohibition.
If he didn't "Permit" it, then it'd be unregulated, and then it'd all go to hell...
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Terry
The important question is why Evil is treated as an "equal" force to contend with.
Why does god have to "prove" anything? Especially to the undeserving? Why value the opinion of creatures? Who does god prove himself too, if not lowly creatures?
What we are unsure of we must prove. Why must God prove Himself?
A test is used to determine an unknown. Why/what does God not know?
On WHAT BASIS would a weak, sinful, imperfect human base a decision to serve God? Would it not be information? Yes. Either that or direct revelation. Does this not presuppose a fair distribution of intelligence on the part of humans? Does this not presuppose a fair and correct messege delivered? But, the distribution of intelligence among humans is quite unequal. The competing religious ideas are as numerous as microbes in a pond of water.
That only leaves divine and direct revelation. Paul claimed direct divine revelation. Paul didn't have to be convinced by holding a debate or bible study. The Apostles directly encountered Jesus and his teachings. On what fair basis would the rest of humans through history receive a fair encounter with a fair choice? Has there not only been a confusion of competing religious contradictions? If a human measures the validity of belief based on his own taste for truth; are we not saying that his very nature is already tuned to God's truth fequency? How did that happen? Was he born that way? How does that differ from predestination?
If the death of the wicked and the salvation of the righteous are a rigged match from the very outset then WHY HOLD THE TUG of WAR to begin with?
It seems God want to bet on his team and win the cup. That makes all of human history a sport.
I must conclude that God is very very bored and must amuse himself and is not any different from a guy watching a football game in his underwear on a Sunday afternoon.
All we humans are God's entertainment. We are God's television.
At least that makes sense.
Terry
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Sweetp0985
We're Earthlings on this Earth = Ants in a Ant Farm!!!!
That's how I feel God views us.
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hillbilly
Cause he is tied up turning ladies into pillers of salt?
Hill ( religious ponder-er class)