Epicurean Paradox

[genkaus]

If you think your quoted passage is indeed comparing the gods of Epicurus to the Hebrew God. Your reading comprehension is probably not where it should be to have these conversations. At least to the degree where you are insisting on asserting points that have nothing to do with the topic at hand.

My understanding is much better that yours, apparently. Apart from judging his gods by their characteristics, Epicurius is also setting up standards for minimum qualification to be a god, i.e. you should atleast be able or willing to prevent evil.

Thus, Epicurius had the foresight to provide a generic criteria for classification into godhood, fully knowing that many other poser gods would want to try and take on the paradox. Your god failed the criteria, thereby making him an inferior wannabe god to the actual Epicurean gods.

What i see is Epicurus comparing his gods to his standard of morality (which were given over to him by his gods' prophets.) None of which have anything to do with the Hebrew God.

I'd agree. Morals rarely have anything to do with your Hebrew god.

Lest you are suggesting a gentile/Greek philosopher with no Jewish ties somehow had access to the God of Abraham, and has judged him according to the standards and morality of gods he knew.

No, I'm, saying that unlike the Jews who did not see the paradox coming, Epicurius expected that there would be wannabe, poser gods and in order to separate the good stock from shit, he set up an explicit standard for what can be considered a god. Your god simply failed that standard.

If this is what you are saying, The next question would be why would he seek the consul of a God from a "defeated people?" Back then that was a sure sign you were worshiping a false/weak god. No paradox was needed in his culture to prove the Hebrew God false in his mind.

Because of that Epicurus would have ignored the Hebrew God completely, and focused his worship on the strong gods of the mighty Roman Empire.
As such we can know what his gods promised him and his people in exchange for loyalty and sacrifice. Which is why he came up with method to judge the gods he has paid homage to all of his life and apparently did not get what he had bargained for.

I don't think that your Hebrew god even entered into his considerations. He didn't design the standard with your god in mind. And your god still failed.

Now, an examiner (Epicurius) has setup a standardized test for students (wannabe gods) who want to claim a certain degree (godhood). Certain students (Epicurean gods) pass the test. Another one (Hebrew god) who wants to claim the degree but fails the test. Now, comparison between the two is automatic and the one who failed is automatically judged inferior. What's so difficult about this simple concept?