(July 12, 2011 at 2:11 pm)Epimethean Wrote: LOL@ the idea of Epicurus being out of touch. That is the imagination of a monorail-theist at its best.
Ok, let me see
First off that statement by Epicurus is way out of touch because he makes various judgments about God's character without actually knowing anything about his character, nature or his reasoning to begin with. Mainly, he makes the conjecture that a God that is able to prevent evil but doesn't must be evil himself. This is, in itself, is a very egotistical view and requires one to assume that their definition of evil is absolute and to assume that the effect of evil and his reasoning behind evil is sufficiently known to justify the claim that one who does not prevent is, themself, evil. Furthermore, it is completely possible for God to be evil, by his definition, if he exists. The rest of the statement is mostly irrelevant. Therefore, the statement is completely out of touch and unnecessary. It only has merit when you make the egotistical assumptions about God he has made.
Epimethean Wrote:If that quote was the first thing that came into my mind when you asked why an atheist "chose" not to believe, then it will suffice as an answer. I might not answer the question in a satisfactory manner to you, but don't ask if you're not willing to hear different opinions. What's the purpose of you pondering upon such things, if you've rigged the question, not wanting to hear anything else than what you yourself has come up with?
How have I demonstrated that I'm not open to answers and also how have I rigged the question? If that actually is the first reason that comes to mind for you and it is about the misfortune of those in a desert, I'm simply saying that his statement is out of touch.
You also appear have alot of bias in your beliefs which is fine. I'm not hear to debate anything. The God believe in is a Creator. Thats it. I don't believe the God you speak of either.
Epimethean Wrote:And if existence and god came of the same nothingness, then he is definitely no creator.
Explain your reasoning behind this please, because this the word Creator only implies that he created the universe. To say that both he and existence which is, at the same time, not him both came from nothingness is necessarily implying that two distinct pieces came from nothingness. When say existence from nothingness I imply one whole and intact thing came from nothingness, making either all God or not God, but not both.