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[Shades]

Mostly because it's a joke, but yeah.

Of course, because she isn't real, but if anyone showed any kind of indication she was then there is plenty of good arguments people have made for that conclusion.

Just that otherwise it's hard to explain why an omnipotent God would act the way he does (or doesn't).

The only other one I heard was that he is sadistic so yer pretty much.

[Siquo]

The only other one I heard was that he is sadistic so yer pretty much.

Testing is not sadistic. I have to reprimand my child once in a while, and I don't enjoy doing it. Sometimes, I let her climb something that I know she will fall off from, just so she has the opportunity to learn. Laissez-faire is not sadism, it's necessary to let children become adults. When she doesn't get something that she wants, she's so sad it's like the end of the world (she's 2.5 yrs old, btw). I can totally see a benevolent God up there, letting all the bad stuff happen down here, because what we think is the end of the world or really really bad is merely a bump in the head in the grand scheme of things.

[Shades]

On the other hand you don't place things she needs high up forcing her to climb and fall for your amusement. At least I assume you don't as that got well beyond testing.

[Duke 2.0]

On the other hand you don't place things she needs high up forcing her to climb and fall for your amusement.

This assumed a god would do these things for amusement.

[Siquo]

for your amusement

Nope, but I do it to let her learn how to climb. So where this cynical idea that God is amused comes from, I don't know. If you heard him laugh, at least you got proof it exists

[Shades]

This assumed a god would do these things for amusement.

To be fair my response was just because siquos was kinda random I'm not sure why he thought I was talking about testing. But yes it does assume that.

Nope, but I do it to let her learn how to climb. So where this cynical idea that God is amused comes from, I don't know. If you heard him laugh, at least you got proof it exists

I'd take that as proof
Personally I think if there was a god she would have slipped up and given at least one hint by now.

[Argembarger]

Well that depends on if your version of god is fallible or not.

Typically, monotheistic gods are infallible. The only fallible gods I know of are polytheistic ones, usually due to squabbling or the like.

[Shades]

Typically, monotheistic gods are infallible. The only fallible gods I know of are polytheistic ones, usually due to squabbling or the like.

There are more of them though, so law of averages and all

[Earthquake Damage]

There are more of them though, so law of averages and all

Or Conservation of Ninjutsu. 

[Argembarger]

Hehehe, if everyone chose their worldview based on the law of averages, I guess we'd all be Hindu.

330,000 gods is a lot. 

[Shades]

Hehehe, if everyone chose their worldview based on the law of averages, I guess we'd all be Hindu.

330,000 gods is a lot. 

Wikipedia claims 330 million on this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hindu_deities (and 330 000 on the main article) all about religion matches the first number. Although it should be pointed out that Hinduism is monotheistic (and also has a trinity like pretty much every other religion)

[GaelicVigil]

I just have one thing to say that I think pretty much sums up threads like this:

"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

[Shades]

"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Well that's just down right silly. There are plenty of things we can get to the truth of. Always learning is a good place to start though.

(Personally I'd consider the subject of this thread one of them although I know others would differ in that respect)

[Siquo]

To be fair my response was just because siquos was kinda random I'm not sure why he thought I was talking about testing. But yes it does assume that.

Random? No, because you said sadistic, I was reminded of the book of Job*. Job is tortured by God (or the devil with God's consent but whatever), but it's actually a test that he passes. You could take it literal and say the God is a gambling sadistic SOB, or conclude from it that bad stuff doesn't just happen, your faith is tested through perseverance, and even though it does, God still loves you. This can help people enormously when going through bad times.

The whole idea that you should protect from harm that which you love is completely bunk. I'd get an annoying spoiled little brat if I did. And now don't compare death to a bump in the head, it's all relative as was said before.

*(Disclaimer: I've only read parts of the bible, and never had any education on it (I was raised an atheist))

[Leafsnail]

Testing is not sadistic. I have to reprimand my child once in a while, and I don't enjoy doing it. Sometimes, I let her climb something that I know she will fall off from, just so she has the opportunity to learn. Laissez-faire is not sadism, it's necessary to let children become adults. When she doesn't get something that she wants, she's so sad it's like the end of the world (she's 2.5 yrs old, btw). I can totally see a benevolent God up there, letting all the bad stuff happen down here, because what we think is the end of the world or really really bad is merely a bump in the head in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah, in a different world, one where suffering is limited and mostly self inflicted, this would be a strong argument.

In this world, however, were people are born with crippling, ultimately fatal genetic diseases, where there are parasites that live in children's eyes and all sorts of stuff that seems designed to cause as much random, irreversable suffering as possible...

Random? No, because you said sadistic, I was reminded of the book of Job*. Job is tortured by God (or the devil with God's consent but whatever), but it's actually a test that he passes. You could take it literal and say the God is a gambling sadistic SOB, or conclude from it that bad stuff doesn't just happen, your faith is tested through perseverance, and even though it does, God still loves you. This can help people enormously when going through bad times.

Yeah, the Job story strikes me as a perfect example of sadism.  Not the classic kind you think of... a more subtle, manipulative kind.  The kind thatan abusive husband uses, perhaps.