Does God Need Evil To Survive?

[luna-tic]

With the biblical God stating we are all sinners before we come out the womb; Hypothetically would total eradication of badness throughout the world remove the need for a God, to a certain extent ?

[Le Chat]

Good question! I suppose it would give 'him' less to do perhaps! I don't think it would stop him being worshipped in church etc. People would still need to believe in him as we are essentially afraid of death and if we didn't die, then we would have no reason to believe in 'him' .

[jno]

Hes not there because he's 'needed', any more than your appendix is.

[Octavius]

I would have thought that if �badness� was �eradicated throughout the world� then the Biblical God would be even more revered for this wonderful miracle, probably even more than now.

[naomi24]

Octavius, That is, of course, if the biblical God was actually responsible for eradicating evil. Were it to happen, it may not be attributable to him. There may be a remote (very remote!) possibility that man could come to his senses eventually, and so eradicate evil himself. However, I still think some people would feel the need to worship the biblical God - if only from fear of the unknown in death and in the hope of gaining their place in heaven.

[Octavius]

In the context of the question I feel it would be deemed to be Gods work by many people.

[naomi24]

Octavius, point taken.

[Senga 2]

Where in the bible does it say that we are all sinners befor we come out of the womb, luna?

[whiffey]

There is an interesting parallel thought to this. If (when?) Jesus Christ returns to earth, the devil is booted out for ever, and an eternal sin-free kingdom is established on earth - what next ?

Won't God get bored, that's it, all done, what shall we do now ?

[jake-the-peg]

Isn't that the point of the "virgin birth" Segna.

Jesus was born of a virgin free of original sin

[Octavius]

Well if you look hard enough for a biblical reference, I�m sure you�ll find one. But the actual doctrine of babies being born with original sin until they were baptised came from Augustine of Hippo in the 4th C.

[Theland]

Evil is the inevitable result of Gods' gift of free will to us.
Our choices produce good or evil.
We know what is good by measuring it against what is not good, evil.
As for the inevitable perfect world, well I can only imagine that there will be still those who misuse their free will, otherwise, there would not be a need for God to exercise His perfect justice, would there?
But then that also comes to an end, and eternity remains, the perfect bliss.

[luna-tic]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful answers.
I have never claimed to be an expert or extremely knowledgeable on the subject of The Bible so I'm sorry if my reference to sinners was wrong.
The main point of the question was asking, what do you think would happen if humanity were totally rid of badness either by a God or other means?
Yes, God maybe revered more for his excellent work and the use of him would diminish.
The story of free will is very interesting.
God has given us the right to choose our path on this world but made sure he instilled badness as well as the good.
So why did he bother with the bad if all he wants is for us all to be righteous? Seems like self preservation to me.
I'm sure the belief would not completely die out though due to tradition, need, by some and maybe even fear for certain reasons.

[beso]

Take a read of the Bible and you will see that God and evil are one and the same. Abraham's monster was a wicked influence right from its conception and has continued to be inseparable from brutality and death through to this day.

I suggest you begin reading with the book of Joshua which details how God facilitated the complete genocidal massacre of more than 40 tribes so that the Israelites could invade their land and plunder their wealth.

[luna-tic]

Thank you beso.

[naomi24]

Luna, 'why did he bother with the bad if all he wants is for us all to be righteous?'

That is an excellent question. You do have the most marvellously wonky way of hitting a nail straight on the head.

[Octavius]

It is twisted logic actually. In biblical terms, the presence of evil was not �created� by God. God created man whom he knew was capable of sinning or being evil. In other words he created us with the gift of free will - the ability to wilfully choose Him or reject Him, in essence to do good or do bad. It was when he gave man the freedom to choose � as in the Garden of Eden - that we find humans turning their backs and being rather naughty.

None of it really matters much to atheists anyway does it? Well, except having the God-given right and free will to be an atheist at least!

[naomi24]

Octavius, I'm not an athiest - and, neither, I believe, is Luna.

Luna's question may be twisted logic, but only in biblical terms. In commonsense terms, it's plain and simple logic.

[luna-tic]

Thank you Naomi.
I don't know if it is twisted logic or common sense. I'd rather call it simplistic understanding or maybe trying to see it in a different way perhaps.
If man was created by God in God's image meaning his morality aswell as the physical features then it seems rather odd to give humans the freedom to choose between good or bad knowing from God's side, they were already capable of sinning. Isn't that God being evil to give evil so humans then have to worship him to not be bad?

Yes you are right in saying Naomi, that I am not an atheist.

[Octavius]

I meant that the twisted logic implies God will be revered whilst there is bad in the world, and will be praised when the badness is ridden from the world. The need for a God will remain. I don't believe that badness was 'instilled' in man, it was something he discovered himself.

Sorry Luna, I just assumed most people on here are atheists!

[Catron]

If you do not describe yourself as an atheist, how would you describe yourself luna-tic? Agnostic?