A Benevolent God

[jomifl]

Having taken heed of some of the arguments in support of their benevolent god and Kromovacorum's posting on another thread, what are your suggestions for this benevolent god's mightiest works?
Here is mine:-

The boxing day tsunami

[emmie]

if there is a God why would you kill your only child.

[vetuste_ennemi]

You don't need Hollywood blockbusters like the tsunami, Jom; there's a wonderful world of parasitic wasps and worms. It may require some effort of invention to see the benevolent aspect of the Creator in them, but the design skills are awesome.

[naomi24]

Mrs.Lulu, /I refuse to blame God//

Given the examples you’ve been offered here, if you think he created everything, why do you refuse to blame him for the unavoidable ills of the world?


Jim, //Where does the Bible "confirm" anything of that sort?//

In Genesis, Exodus, and Judges. Jesus is another story. The New Testament, as we know it, is the creation of men with an agenda – the most influential of them being St Paul, who, incidentally, never met Jesus.


Em, Jesus wasn’t this God’s only child. There were sons long before him.

[jim360]

Hmm... too much bother to ask for specific verses?

It seems to me that you ascribe a lot more truth, in some sense, to the Bible than I do in general, although I may have misinterpreted.

[naomi24]

//It seems to me that you ascribe a lot more truth, in some sense, to the Bible than I do in general,//

Never doubt it.

[jim360]

How very odd.

I came to the conclusion about a year ago that, if the Bible were true, it had to be literal, and therefore it could not be true -- at least, not in the main gist of it, though small details are possibly some of the only history we have of certain periods. I don't know enough about Bible history and how it matches (or not) archaeological records to judge that part.

[naomi24]

Odd indeed.

[Kromovaracun]

Em: Jesus was not the first human sacrifice to appease the biblical God. He strikes the.israelites with a threee-year famine (killing thousands) and is only appeased when the relatives of Saul are butchered and carved up into pieces. The God of Abraham was something of a fan of human sacrifice.

[jim360]

I'm going to guess that I'm not getting much more of a reply than that.

[naomi24]

Good guess.

[jim360]

Well, there's nothing like engagement with others, is there?

There is a fundamental difference between not agreeing with you and not being interested in what you have to say. You've made a few assertions I've not really heard before and wonder how you came to them.

[naomi24]

I came by my conclusions from studying the bible. Perhaps you should read it – then you can draw your own.

[jim360]

I have -- and did. But I don't see that no-one else's reading has nothing to offer.

[naomi24]

Referring to Krom’s post regarding God killing the baby (one of many he doomed to death), it’s estimated that he killed at least 2.5 million people whereas wicked old Satan killed 10 – and that he did with God’s agreement. Who’s the good guy?

[sandyRoe]

Does he not eventually kill every thing that draws breath?

[naomi24]

Yes, but some rather more brutally than others.

[jim360]

I think it's a shame that you aren't really engaging with me any more. I'd like to think I have as much to offer in a debate as you do -- but can't really do that if you don't seem to want to share your thoughts! Yes, that may mean me rejecting them after hearing them but it won't always mean that.

[society]

God ears must be ringing non-stop. :)

[sandyRoe]

He cocks a def 'un. Doesn't sweat the small stuff.

[MrsLulu]

Naomi, I've been away shopping, just got back. Where on earth does it say in the Bible that God had other sons. Please let me know. Also, the way I understand it, those who wrote the scriptures were not all sitting in the same place at the same time so how did they all come up writing the same things about Jesus. I believe they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. How do you think they did it?