Evidence God Exists: Part II

[Thor]

as I've said before, neither the bible, nor anyone has ever claimed the world God created for us is perfect.

How could anyone claim such a thing when the world is obviously NOT perfect? And, since it's not perfect, (or even a particularly nice place) believers must rationalize why this is so.

The central figure in Christianity was poor and died violently. So it's amazing to me that atheists use negative things found in this world as a sign there's no God.

And this demonstrates quite clearly that you don't get what we're saying. I don't believe anyone is trying to claim that horrors on this planet are "signs" that there is no god. What we are saying is that the horrors (such as the laundry list I provided for you) clearly demonstrate that a deity who is "all-powerful", "all-loving" and "all-knowing" does not exist. There may be a god out there somewhere. But if there is, he obviously doesn't give a damn about humans. To believe in this deity, you must believe in a contradiction. You might as well believe that square circles exist.

God did create, or allowed to develop, certain plants, berries and animals that are harmful to us.

What a guy! Would you stock your kitchen with all manner of poisonous things and then tell your kid to go get something to eat?

But he's got his reasons,

Ah, yes.... the "he's got his reasons" platitude! It explains something when you have no logical explanation!

which are probably too complex for any human to really provide answers for.

"Too complex"? We can send a space craft to the far reaches of the solar system. We have mapped the human genome. We have harnessed nuclear energy. But some being's "reasons" for unleashing horrors among us (such as smallpox, plague, malaria, etc...) are "too complex" for us to understand?

But I'll give you some possible scenarios.

And here comes the rationalizing...

I'm not saying they're the actual answers, because only God knows.

Objection, Your Honor! The witness is speculating!

These are just some possibilities...

Oh, this should be good...

As we all know, poisonous animals developed their venom as a defense and survival mechanism through evolution. Venom was the tool God chose to provide those animals for the preservation of their species. The same can be said for certain plants.

Then why didn't "God" choose to provide us with immunity to nature's poisons?

Just speculating...

At the same time, God also gave us, and even certain animals, the intelligence and/or instinct to identify those poisonous animals and plant life, so that we can circumvent such harmful forces and thrive as a species.

BULLSHIT! Even today, people die from eating poisonous things. How many people do you suppose died before we figured out which mushrooms were good to eat?

The point is that there are poisonous berries out there, but they weren't meant for us to eat.

Then why not just make these things really unpleasant to put in your mouth? Why not have bad mushrooms taste like bleach so we would spit them out immediately? Nope. Your "brilliant" deity just puts them here and lets us take our chances. Would you put a bowl of cherries next to a bowl of poisonous berries and tell your kid to eat from one of the bowls?

Despite all these harmful and negative forces, life has thrived and is very successful here on earth.

Yes, IN SPITE of your "loving" deity, we have managed to overcome his stupidity.

If we look inside our own individual bodies, we can perhaps see a microcosm of what goes on in the world. Cells and organisms fight and kill one another. One cell might be harmful to another cell, etc. And the final result is one healthy human being.

Except when that healthy human being eats a poison mushroom.

You can look at things that from our standpoint are either positive or negative, and comment on them individually. But looking at the big picture, we can see that a perfect balance has been maintained that has allowed life to thrive for millions of years. That's really what needs to be examined.

Yes, because life wouldn't have been able to thrive without poison berries, plants, mushrooms and snakes.

Only God knows why each piece of his complex puzzle behaves as it does.

And your evidence for the veracity of this statement is....?

Perhaps God uses poisonous animals/plants as population control for animals, plants and other organisms.

Then why do they kill PEOPLE?

Perhaps he uses them for retribution.

Retribution? Seriously? Then try explaining why CHILDREN die from eating poisonous plants or getting bit by poisonous snakes. My rationalization meter is honking again....

Who knows?

Obviously you don't. Although, I think you were on the right track when you talked about plants and animals evolving poison as a defense and survival mechanism. But then you went way off target when you threw in that nonsense about some deity being involved.

Again, I'm not saying these are the answers, just some possible scenarios.

I suppose a "possible scenario" is that an alien named "Ted" created all the poisonous plants and animals in a lab on his spaceship. He did this because the "poisons" do not harm his species and they actually taste good! Then his spaceship veered off course, got hit by a large gust of solar wind and he crashed on Earth. In the crash, all the poisonous plants and critters were scattered. They then reproduced and thrived in their new home (because there was nothing that could eat them). "Ted" eventually contacted Intergalactic Towing and was picked up.

And this scenario is just as likely as any of yours.

But to come to the conclusion there's no God because harmful forces exist is very simplistic.

Yes, it would be. And that's not what I'm claiming.