Is God Benign

[nailit]

Various religions describe God as 'benign'.
Christians and Jews describe God as good.
Muslims describe God as 'Most compassionate' & 'Most merciful' etc.

However, the *reality* of the world as it is and the descriptions of God by the faithful don't mesh.
So either
a) God doesnt exist, or
b) He/She/It is not benign (in fact, he, she or it. is positively evil)

The arguement that suffering is the result of ''The Fall of Man'' is laughable.
What has the present pandemic got to do with a couple, eating a piece of fruit, thousands of years ago?
What has the zebra done to deserve being eaten alive by a pride of lions?
What has a city done to deserve being swallowed by an earthquake?
What has an innocent child done to deserve being raped by a pedophile?
etc!

Where was this *benign* (and merciful and compassionate) God in all of this?
I would love for there to be a benign father figure looking out for me. But there isnt...
Better to accept reality for what it is (Red in tooth and claw) and try to live your best and protect the innocent, rather than come out with nonsensical platitudes about the Deity that you believe in.

[douglas9401]

The genie's out of the bottle again.

[MallyJ]

God is a human invention created to frighten people into behaving as those in power want them to and to stop them aspiring to better in their lives. There will be those suggesting we are suffering a plague sent from on high because we are not behaving as many in power want us to....IMHO!

[naomi24]

//What has an innocent child done to deserve being raped by a pedophile?//

If I may say, Nailit, that isn’t the best example because the free will of the perpetrator must be considered. A better question would, in my opinion be, why is an innocent child born to suffer with a life threatening disease - or a terrible deformity?

[nailit]

//If I may say, Nailit, that isn’t the best example//
Probably not naomi,
BUT if I stood by and watched a child been raped...and did nothing....
I think that I may have a few awkward moments in court trying to justify why I did nothing. (And I'm not even all powerful)

[tomus42]

The bad news is that if he exists he's not benign, that much we can know for sure.

The good news is he doesn't exist.

[nailit]

//The genie's out of the bottle again//
Cant keep a good genie down Doug :-)

[nailit]

I *HONESTLY* dont get how religionists describe goodness to their God?
It perplexis me.

[douglas9401]

One might even say 'the djinn bottle'.

[drmorgans]

I think believers would claim that Man creates and causes evil, so G/god shouldn't take the rap for our mortal sin.

[nailit]

Please....some religionist explain to me, the evil/suffering/pain in the world?
Just saying that its due to Adam and Eve eating a piece of fruit is a total cop out. I (and millions of others) were not responsable for what our grandparent ate!!!

[nailit]

//One might even say 'the djinn bottle'//
Man, I love your wit
(insight even...)
:-)

[nailit]

//God is a human invention//
I think so Mally.
Would actually Love to be proved wrong.

[Mozz71]

I wonder how many times this, or a variation of this subject, has been posted on AB. Christ, I made an almost identical point on one of the holocaust threads this morning.

When push cpmes to shove, it doesn't matter. Theland will probably come on here and say he has "proof" or God's existence and benign nature, but fail to present any facts. He'll then get annihilated by the usual suspects, before quoting some divine prophecy before eventually leaving the thread because no one else understands "the truth".

Bored already.

[ToraToraTora]

take me to your dealer!

[Mozz71]

Sorry, too many "before"s in that post, but you got the idea.

[nailit]

//take me to your dealer!//
He's self isolating. Living in his loft apparently...

[Neveracrossword]

Mozz71, I think I feel the same as you. We have threads with 'the Bible's full of bad - really bad - stuff' and threads with 'the Bible's full of good - marvellous - stuff'. I don't think there's any resolution to be had, on either kind of posting.

[nailit]

///When push cpmes to shove, it doesn't matte//
It does matter. It matter when The house of Lords have religious members deciding all our fate....

[Mozz71]

I meant this thread doesn't matter, because it will not resolve anything.

[nailit]

//I meant this thread doesn't matter, because it will not resolve anything//
Name me one thread on AB that ever has?