RE: Theists: how do you account for psychopaths?
May 26, 2018 at 1:14 pm
(This post was last modified: May 26, 2018 at 1:32 pm by Edwardo Piet.)
(May 26, 2018 at 12:23 pm)Mr.wizard Wrote:(May 26, 2018 at 11:48 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: https://atheistforums.org/thread-48227.h...e+morality
No, and that's what I just explained, dude.
The individual thing itself (ie starvation) does not serve a greater good.
God not divinely intervening every time anything bad would happen to any person, I assume, serves a greater good. Both in allowing humans to have free will and in allowing the natural processes of this natural world to run their course. I assume there is a valid reason why He allows for both of those things, even though they sometimes cause suffering.
I assume this IS the maximum goodness, if all things are considered, which we can't consider since we haven't seen all of eternity.
(edited due to misreading the first time lol)
I'm sorry but your are saying that God allowing 3 million children per year to starve to death contributes to the greater good. Because if god stepped in a saved the children it would effect our greater good at some point in eternity. I am not implying that you personally think starving children is good thing, I'm trying to argue with your reasoning as to why an all powerful god would allow or would even have to allow this to take place.
^This^
We are never saying that you are saying any of these things are intrinsically good, CL. But you are saying that they are extrinsically good, in God's eyes, or he wouldn't allow it to happen. He MUST have a GOOD REASON FOR IT.
And I just think that's abhorrent. I know you have a good heart, CL, but I don't think "mysterious ways" or "it'll all work out in the end" are answers to a being that allows such horrible things to happen when he by definition doesn't need to allow it in order to achieve exactly the same end results. As an omnipotent being he by definition can achieve this 'net good' without the bad. A truly good and truly omnipotent being wouldn't have to allow this natural world full of suffering to get exactly the same net good but without all the awful bad.
And, to be honest, there is no good that can make up for some of the bad that goes on in the world. Heaven could be a place of perfect beauty and bliss that lasts forever... and all justice could be dished out in the end. But that would NOT make up for all those innocent children and animals who suffered needlessly.
And it is, indeed, completely needless, if this being that you speak of is truly omnipotent.
