It can also be explained the way the bible tries to explain it allegorically--
That the benevolence of the divine is not easily understood (Things seem adversarial to humans, but are actually intended for a benevolent purpose) by humans.
The allegory is "Parent instructing child"-- While falling out of favor today, spanking is the physical bottom slapping of a petulant child, for the purposes of correcting behavior until they are old enough to understand why something is not acceptable to do, to prevent them from falling into a pattern of behavior (and also to train them down a different pattern of behavior that is in their best interests,) Ask any little kid who gets a spanking though-- Mommy and daddy are big meanies who wont let them get their way.
God tries to instruct humanity, and also tries to instruct individual humans. He has a purpose for this instruction, and this instruction can take the form of destructive actions. The "omni-benevolence" that humans idealize, optimizes human petulance, not human benefit. Naturally, a truly benevolent god would not behave this way, lest his creations run totally rampant.
Even in more modern parenting approaches, ask the bratty kid how he/she feels about time-outs, or having their toys/privs taken away. The kid's view of what a benevolent parent would be, would be one where mommy and daddy give them cookies and icecream whenever they want, they never have to clean their room, and they never get punished for anything.
As adults, we like to try to think that we understand things-- but one look at global politics, how we treat the global climate--- hell, ANYTHING related to the public commons, and we clearly get schooled about how we DONT understand things, and as a group, expect cookies and icecream all the time.
The christian god claims to have humanity's total best interests in mind, which is why he chastises with a rod of iron. Quite literally, the bible has that exact message repeated many times.
From what I have been able to determine after reading this particular set of religious texts, the purpose for which humanity was created was NOT blind supplication; god already had angels for that purpose. Rather, it was an attempt at procreation. Something literally LIKE himself. Allegorically, humans are like gods, when measured against other animal forms here on earth. We can literally tear down mountains into rubble, we can make fertile lands desolate for millenia with atomic bombs-- we can even create new lifeforms these days. This appears to be purposeful, and expected. As the christ put it, "The son does as the father does", paraphrased. God created lifeforms, we seem compelled to do so as well, within our more limited capacities. Rather, the christian god has always existed, and we have a moment in which we begin existence. As such, we are not blessed from birth with perfect omniscience, and so we cannot make perfect choices, and as a race, we are POWERFULLY destructive. Since the goal is to ultimately MAKE us into immortal, much more powerful beings later, the avenues of education are not limited to "Do this or else!"-- but also includes "See what happened to you when Robert mugged and raped you to death in that alley? He overpowered you without even a thought for your concern. Now you understand, directly, why this is evil." etc. Remember, death is not an obstacle to god, and is thus as good a teaching tool as any other.
Again, difference of opinion on what "Omni benevolence" means.
Poll
71 (27.7%)
Author
Topic: Railgun and Spirituality Discussion (Read 686087 times)