The Theistic Paradigm in a Nutshell

[Rhondazvous]

Few theists will admit it but their message boils down to the discredited philosophy of the ends justify the means. Think about it.

Their answer to all the pain and suffering, the misery, injustice and even natural calamity is “God has a plan.” The tragedy in South Carolina doesn’t matter because god has a plan. Stillborn b babies, a man’s only son dying of cancer, Donald Trump elected president of the most powerful nation on Earth, locusts eating up a farmer’s livelihood. None of it matters because god has a plan. In other words the end justifies the means

Christians tell themselves that god will not let them be tempted above their ability. I’ve heard one Christian woman say she wished god did not have so much confidence in her.

[brewer]

It's gods will. They have no choice but to endure.

Or, it could be a god, satan, job thing. They are just on the unlucky receiving end of a twisted bet.

[FebruaryOfReason]

Interesting fact; The phrase "the end justifies the means" was mistranslated from Machiavelli's "The Prince".

The phrase in Machiavelli's original is "si guarda al fine", which translates more literally as "the end result must be considered", i.e. the end result must be weighed against the means needed to achieve it, which is morally a very different thing. Machiavelli was aiming more for something along the lines of "whatever does the greatest good to the most people". (A good example would be Edward Jenner risking the life of one boy by injecting him with smallpox to prove his vaccine worked. Maybe it's not definite that this was worth the risk, but nevertheless, Jenner made a sincere assessment of the likely benefits as set against the possible cost).

But you are right that the theist paradigm does indeed seem to be "The end justifies the means". Many theists do indeed believe that enduring simply anything is worth the pie-in-the-sky prospect of heaven, especially if the suffering in question is being endured by someone else (e.g. your whole family died of plague, so let me lecture you about how God is punishing you for not being virtuous enough. All your friends died of AIDS, so let me lecture you about how it's a punishment for their lewd behaviour). The prospect of heaven will indeed lure them into any logical twist, and any condemnation, however egregious.

[dyresand]

It's gods will. They have no choice but to endure.

Or, it could be a god, satan, job thing. They are just on the unlucky receiving end of a twisted bet.

Nah they are just brain washed sheep and it's the 21st century there is no excuse for being ignorant.

[robvalue]

It is their way of coping, but from outside the bubble such statements sound absolutely sickening to me. It reduces life and suffering to some stupid game for the amusement of a bored deity.

[Athene]

I give you the opportunity to hang with me forever thanks to my brilliant Son here, yet you have the nerve to bitch about the shit in between? To ask me to change my plans? Well, FUCK YOU, sin-breath! All you need to worry about is whether you can get your foot in the door once you're DEAD....Ya friggin' mook! 
                                                                                                                                                             God Almighty

OMG!! Must you always embarrass me? Why can't you just act NORMAL for once??
*Sorry everyone. He really is a nice god, I swear. It's my fault, really...I keep pushing his buttons.*

[Rhondazvous]

You're right, Rob

The whole "God has a plan" crap reduces our experience here to a game. At least at the crap table you can see the dice before you roll them. Theists give their whole lives to a prize no one has ever seen.

[brewer]

Interesting fact; The phrase "the end justifies the means" was mistranslated from Machiavelli's "The Prince".

The phrase in Machiavelli's original is "si guarda al fine", which translates more literally as "the end result must be considered", i.e. the end result must be weighed against the means needed to achieve it, which is morally a very different thing. Machiavelli was aiming more for something along the lines of "whatever does the greatest good to the most people". (A good example would be Edward Jenner risking the life of one boy by injecting him with smallpox to prove his vaccine worked. Maybe it's not definite that this was worth the risk, but nevertheless, Jenner made a sincere assessment of the likely benefits as set against the possible cost).

But you are right that the theist paradigm does indeed seem to be "The end justifies the means". Many theists do indeed believe that enduring simply anything is worth the pie-in-the-sky prospect of heaven, especially if the suffering in question is being endured by someone else (e.g. your whole family died of plague, so let me lecture you about how God is punishing you for not being virtuous enough. All your friends died of AIDS, so let me lecture you about how it's a punishment for their lewd behaviour). The prospect of heaven will indeed lure them into any logical twist, and any condemnation, however egregious.

Lecturing does no good. It was all predestined. They had no choice in plague, virtue, AIDS, lewd. But then I guess they were predestined to lecture and could not help themselves either.

Wish more were predestined to eat lead. Well, not really, as a non-predestined atheist that would be cruel. Is selective mutism too cruel to wish for?

[Rhondazvous]

Interesting fact; The phrase "the end justifies the means" was mistranslated from Machiavelli's "The Prince".

The phrase in Machiavelli's original is "si guarda al fine", which translates more literally as "the end result must be considered", i.e. the end result must be weighed against the means needed to achieve it, which is morally a very different thing. Machiavelli was aiming more for something along the lines of "whatever does the greatest good to the most people". (A good example would be Edward Jenner risking the life of one boy by injecting him with smallpox to prove his vaccine worked. Maybe it's not definite that this was worth the risk, but nevertheless, Jenner made a sincere assessment of the likely benefits as set against the possible cost).

But you are right that the theist paradigm does indeed seem to be "The end justifies the means". Many theists do indeed believe that enduring simply anything is worth the pie-in-the-sky prospect of heaven, especially if the suffering in question is being endured by someone else (e.g. your whole family died of plague, so let me lecture you about how God is punishing you for not being virtuous enough. All your friends died of AIDS, so let me lecture you about how it's a punishment for their lewd behaviour). The prospect of heaven will indeed lure them into any logical twist, and any condemnation, however egregious.

Lecturing does no good. It was all predestined. They had no choice in plague, virtue, AIDS, lewd. But then I guess they were predestined to lecture and could not help themselves either.

Wish more were predestined to eat lead. Well, not really, as a non-predestined atheist that would be cruel. Is selective mutism too cruel to wish for?

I might give up atheism temporarily if it meant I could claim to be predestined to kick a particularly obnoxious theist's ass.

[brewer]

Lecturing does no good. It was all predestined. They had no choice in plague, virtue, AIDS, lewd. But then I guess they were predestined to lecture and could not help themselves either.

Wish more were predestined to eat lead. Well, not really, as a non-predestined atheist that would be cruel. Is selective mutism too cruel to wish for?

I might give up atheism temporarily if it meant I could claim to be predestined to kick a particularly obnoxious theist's ass.

I think we can all grant your foot a one time non belief easement to cross into that ass. Remember, it's just one time. Wait for your moment!