One sentence that throws the problem of evil out of the window.

[Pat Mustard]

Whatever suffering possible in this world,  if we are patient and steadfast in midst of it, and in midst peril, out of love of the Great Ultimate Beauty that sees us exactly as we are,  the love that ensues to us from that loving being, is worth it, as well as the honourable position we will have its absolute eye which is the vision of the absolute truth.

I know you had to put that somewhere and we don’t have a sub-forum explicitly entitled ‘Empty Platitudinous Horseshit’ but Philosphy? I think you might have got lost on your way to the religion sub-forum.

Maybe we should open one, call it "Deepak Chopra".

[I_am_not_mafia]

Imagine a being that harvested humans, kept them in cramped conditions so they couldn't even properly stand up so they developed sores around their body. Force fed them to grow really quickly then slaughtered them by slicing their throats and hanging them upside down so the blood poured out, or crushing them alive, and then ate their bodies and wore their skin. You'd consider such a being evil, but it's no different to what we do to other animals.

Christians only seem to accept something as evil if it's done by a human to another human. Otherwise it's animal behaviour.

[Cyberman]

Wow I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, seriously I don't believe you guys believe child rape is a subjectively immoral act AT ALL. bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit. Only a seriously twisted evil person can think that and I know you guys don't really believe that, you're just saying that to give your point more weight, whatever, but still, not cool though. Don't agree with it at all but you're entitled to your opinion.

They don't think evil exists in the first place. So a person who rapes, tortures, and kills a child is not an evil person. And doing those things to a child is not an evil thing to do.

Sorry, but where the fuck do you get off, strawmanning like that? Personally I think people are fully capable of perpetrating acts which we might label as evil. It's the notion of evil as a force independent of human behaviour, that's where I draw the line. It's probably safe to say that a lot of us would tend to agree on that.

But to go from there to saying that we think that raping a child etc is not an evil thing to do is unutterably disgusting. If you have an ounce of decency, you should apologise to every atheist on this forum.

[The Grand Nudger]

Imagine a being that harvested humans, kept them in cramped conditions so they couldn't even properly stand up so they developed sores around their body. Force fed them to grow really quickly then slaughtered them by slicing their throats and hanging them upside down so the blood poured out, or crushing them alive, and then ate their bodies and wore their skin. You'd consider such a being evil, but it's no different to what we do to other animals.

If we don't get our shit together that might be the only viable food production system someday.  

Christians only seem to accept something as evil if it's done by a human to another human. Otherwise it's animal behaviour.

-and even then there are exceptions..such as when god tells them to skullfuck their neighbor and steal his daughter.

[Jackalope]

They don't think evil exists in the first place. So a person who rapes, tortures, and kills a child is not an evil person. And doing those things to a child is not an evil thing to do.

Sorry, but where the fuck do you get off, strawmanning like that? Personally I think people are fully capable of perpetrating acts which we might label as evil. It's the notion of evil as a force independent of human behaviour, that's where I draw the line. It's probably safe to say that a lot of us would tend to agree on that.

But to go from there to saying that we think that raping a child etc is not an evil thing to do is unutterably disgusting. If you have an ounce of decency, you should apologise to every atheist on this forum.

^^^

and I'll add that you can only get to that assertion is by grossly misunderstanding what's been said here, unintentional or not.

[Catholic_Lady]

They don't think evil exists in the first place. So a person who rapes, tortures, and kills a child is not an evil person. And doing those things to a child is not an evil thing to do.

The hell... That's just bizarre. That's not right, that's not okay, I don't know but turning a blind eye to evil is just as bad as siding with it.. Like seriously, this is common sense I can only imagine they don't actually believe it in their hearts either at least I hope..

I don't think it's accurate to say they "turn a blind eye." 

They still think it's absolutely heinous, and they still think it's much more horrible than when animals do it (despite using animal examples to somehow prove that it's no different), and they still think it should be strictly against the law everywhere, and they still think the person responsible is a piece of shit who should receive justified punishment like life behind bars.  

So the way I see it, saying "evil doesn't exist" and "nothing is objectively wrong" and "it's only a matter of personal opinion" is words only. By all intents and purposes, they do see child rape, torture, and murder as an evil act and it takes an evil person to do it. It doesn't make any sense in my mind, because when I think about things that are merely a matter of personal opinion or taste and there is no right/wrong answer, I don't get so fired up about a different opinion. And I certainly don't think people should be punished or seen as bad for a different personal opinion when there is no correct right/wrong answer. 

But it is what it is. The important thing is that everyone participating in this thread is a good person who would always denounce such actions.

[Crossless2.0]

Wait, so raping children is just subjectively wrong? The hell?? There is no possible justification for raping children ever. That's objectively wrong. Don't defend crap like that just to give your point more weight

What do you think is gained by adding an adverb to 'wrong'?

[I_am_not_mafia]

So Catholic Lady, maybe you should tell us what evil is, how we can measure it, how it can continue to exist without the presence of humans and how it can alter human behaviour if you believe that morality isn't subjective. Arguments from your credulity and conditioning won't cut it.

[The Grand Nudger]

But it is what it is. The important thing is that everyone participating in this thread is a good person who would always denounce such actions.

Oh, but are they?  

“Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

-God

[LadyForCamus]

Wow I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, seriously I don't believe you guys believe child rape is a subjectively immoral act AT ALL. bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit. Only a seriously twisted evil person can think that and I know you guys don't really believe that, you're just saying that to give your point more weight, whatever, but still, not cool though. Don't agree with it at all but you're entitled to your opinion.

They don't think evil exists in the first place. So a person who rapes, tortures, and kills a child is not an evil person. And doing those things to a child is not an evil thing to do.

That's a complete strawman.  At least for me.  Just because atheists don't believe in objective right and wrong, meaning, a morality handed down to us from a supposedly perfect being, that doesn't mean we don't believe that some acts are always wrong, regardless of context or circumstance.  To me, raping children is wrong; is always wrong, but someone out there (probably some NAMBLA sicko) believes it's okay. That's what I mean by subjective morality.   I'll say fuck that guy; lock him up and throw away the key, and he'll think he is being unjustly discriminated against, lol. That's why we have laws and legal ramifications for hurting people.

---

But it is what it is. The important thing is that everyone participating in this thread is a good person who would always denounce such actions.

Oh, but are they?  

“Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

-God

Oh, but that's the OLD Testiment, Khem.  Ya know...that thing we can simply dismiss because it contains acts and instructions that go against what we personally believe is right and good.  Talk about subjective morality...🙄