The Problem of Evil (XXVII)

[Catholic_Lady]

I apologize for mis-representing your position as to why you deny the events of the NT. However, I don't think it actually changes the fact that your reasoning is circular. You are assessing a low probability to the NT--but not zero:

YOU: Why does God hide himself? (a claim that he is)
ME: reference the Bible
YOU: That does not count, we don't know if the Bible is true. 
ME: Then aren't you the one determining that he is hiding himself.

Um, aren't external observations of a universe in which your god has never verifiably shown up once in all of recorded history determining that your god is hiding himself, if he exists as you claim? The bible isn't the only source of observations we have to determine things, and the point is that without an indication that a specific claim within the bible is accurate, there's no reason to take it seriously. Books are not, themselves, evidence; they can be, but only insofar as they reflect the external reality they claim to. Surely you don't just take all books totally seriously? Take away your special exceptions for the bible, and it's just another book, potentially true or false, in whole or in part, the same as any other; pointing to a claim that it makes doesn't say anything without external verification.

I don't think Steve's point is to try to give you evidence/proof that God exists, merely explaining why he thinks the God he believes in doesn't show Himself, and why the God he believes in doesn't contradict the existence of evil.