Evil And Free Will.

[nailit]

This is something that perplexed me even as a believer...
The Evils of this world (child abuse, rape, murder etc..)
Are all attributed...by religious believers...to God having given Mankind freewill.

You and I have freewill. (made in the image of God after all)
If you, or I, saw a child been abused, or an attempted rape taking place, or murder been plotted, we would take action (using our freewill) to prevent it wouldnt we?
Understandable if you did nothing out of fear for you own well being but the vast majority of humans would intervene to prevent such atrocities.

Presumably God also has freewill but does nothing.
And his followers then blame people for having freewill for the evils which are perpetrated.
Where was God intervening when a young child cries out to him as she/he is been horrifically sexually abused /raped / murdered?
You would intervene wouldnt you? Why doesnt your God?

A) He's not compassionate?
B) He CANT intervene?
C) He doesnt exist?

Can't think of a 'D'

[Atheist]

Pixie; Who is Snort?

[pixie374]

Nobody. Just... no emojis :-)

[nailit]

If I don't confront evil when I see it,
then why doesnt your deity?

If I see a kid been abused and did nothing about it, I would be an accomplice.
How does God get of the hook...been omniscient and compassionate and stuff?

And then times that by millions.

[pixie374]

The post has gone, atheist, I was replying to. Just ignore x

[Atheist]

Thanks, Pix.

[naomi24]

God obviously failed to consider the consequences of allowing mankind free will. Perhaps it didn’t occur to him that when a predator attacks a child even though the child’s ‘free will’ rejects the attack, the little body isn’t physically capable of repelling it. Not the only mistake God has made.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

He is God so is totally free to do what He chooses, irrespective of our opinions.

[archibaldy]

In answer to the op, it's (c) God doesn't exist.

In terms of humans, we don't have free will in terms of how we act, feel or react to stimulus however in order to perpetuate a civilised society we have to accept that the brain that is guiding our actions belongs to us and therefore own and accept the consequences of our actions.

[naomi24]

If that’s true, firstly, why would he choose to do terrible things - and secondly, why would anyone with a modicum of moral fibre choose to accept that he does terrible things?

[fiveleaves]

A universe without free will where you had no choice over your thoughts and actions would be much worse.

[archibaldy]

We don’t have free will, our brain makes it feel like we do and as a society we absolutely have to act like we do, but we don’t.

If I ask you to think of a book…

And now you’ve thought of one - how much control did you have over which title sprang to mind: none. Brain scans can predict decisions before the person thinks that they have made it.

It’s an interesting area of research but to think that one has 100% pre-emptive control over all aspects of their thoughts and actions is inconceivable, even when judging ones own experience.

[Atheist]

I think we do have free will, and that is why we can't blame everything on god. All our morals come from our own innate sense of decency. It's so obvious that morals come from humans and not from god. The religious people here seem to take no personal responsibility for any of the difficult questions of life; they seem to put it all onto god's shoulders.

[fiveleaves]

So when do want God to intervene?
To stop a child being murdered or perhaps killed on a level crossing.
Sounds very reasonable
What about God intervening to stop someone nicking your mobile phone?
Sounds quite reasonable.
What about God intervening to stop it raining when your washing is on the line, or when you are about to step barefoot onto a lego brick.
Maybe God is starting to get a bit interfering now.
Taken to a logical conclusion God could intervene every time you were about to die. What do you think of that?
That's my point.
Very strong believer in free will

[Canary42]

///He is God so is totally free to do what He chooses, irrespective of our opinions.///

And there's the smug complacency which shrouds all "believers".

[vulcan42]

I always found it strange that having created the human race God gave it a free will on the understanding that it was to be used to blame man for all the mistakes made and to praise him for all the good.

[nailit]

//So when do want God to intervene?//
When unjustly been starved, abused, raped attacked, murdered, etc.
Funny how God intervenes to find a Christian a promotion at work or a car parking space.
Dont you ever ask God for anything fiveleaves?
Why not ask him to send a faith healer into a cancer ward?

[andy-hughes]

fiveleaves - // So when do want God to intervene?
To stop a child being murdered or perhaps killed on a level crossing.
Sounds very reasonable
What about God intervening to stop someone nicking your mobile phone?
Sounds quite reasonable.
What about God intervening to stop it raining when your washing is on the line, or when you are about to step barefoot onto a lego brick.
Maybe God is starting to get a bit interfering now.
Taken to a logical conclusion God could intervene every time you were about to die. What do you think of that?
That's my point.
Very strong believer in free will //

Unsurprisingly, since your argument is unwinnable, you again fail to make the case for 'free will'.

If God has the choice to intervene, and is as powerful as you claim him to be, then he can assess the difference between stopping it raining on my washing, and allowing one his insect creations to carry on going about its entire purpose in life, which is to eat the eyes out of the heads of children.

Now I can make the distinction about which actually merits intervention, and which does not, so if I can do it, why can't God?

[douglas9401]

Perhaps God lacks the life knowledge of the professional music journalist and polymath.

I'm playing devils advocate, of course. X

[andy-hughes]

douglas - // Perhaps God lacks the life knowledge of the professional music journalist and polymath.

I'm playing devils advocate, of course. X //

I am flattered with the 'polymath' adjective.

I'd say that God only lacks one really important feature that I possess - existence.

[LeonBlank1995]

God is real. And exists in our hearts. That's why I am so happy with life and have love in my veins.