Crosswords0 min ago
Epicurus
40 Answers
Happened to come across this quote. Can anyone argue with this?
Is God willing to prevent evil, but he can not?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both willing and able?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able or willing?
Then why call him God?
Is God willing to prevent evil, but he can not?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both willing and able?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able or willing?
Then why call him God?
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The musings of Epicurus scant though they are , are as valid (or not) as the musings of any one who has lived.
It's hard not to like a chap who strove for happiness through freedom from fear and absence of pain.
One doesn't have to agree with all that is quoted from him but drink it in and carry on musing.
As we do.
It's hard not to like a chap who strove for happiness through freedom from fear and absence of pain.
One doesn't have to agree with all that is quoted from him but drink it in and carry on musing.
As we do.
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An interesting pic I seen a while back, says it really! http://
Khandro, now I’m confused. In one post you decry the philosophy of Epicurus as ‘infantile nonsense’ and in another eagerly offer his name in support of your claim that ‘The subject of evil begins and ends with man’.
You’re not being a little picky here by any chance? You know, as religious people often are?
You’re not being a little picky here by any chance? You know, as religious people often are?
//Then whence cometh evil?//
Maybe 'good' in God's eyes is exactly how things are, the place is just how he likes it and he's absolutely loving it.
Humans find fault with it, but then humans find fault with pretty much everything, wanting 'better' is in our inherent nature and of course why not.
Maybe he prevents dastardly evils on a daily basis just to keep this world at the 'kinda crap' level that most humans think it's at. But of course we don't notice that because all we know is what happens, reality, not what doesn't happen.
I don't think subjective value judgements on the perceived state of the world can count as evidence against the existence of God.
Maybe 'good' in God's eyes is exactly how things are, the place is just how he likes it and he's absolutely loving it.
Humans find fault with it, but then humans find fault with pretty much everything, wanting 'better' is in our inherent nature and of course why not.
Maybe he prevents dastardly evils on a daily basis just to keep this world at the 'kinda crap' level that most humans think it's at. But of course we don't notice that because all we know is what happens, reality, not what doesn't happen.
I don't think subjective value judgements on the perceived state of the world can count as evidence against the existence of God.
Naomi, what you describe as 'perverse' is just that gap between what you perceive as happening in the world and what you think should be happening in the world if God exists.
To somebody else that gap will be wider or narrower, does that mean that God is more likely or less likely to exist? To true believers there is no gap, hence they believe in God.
Perception gaps are not a measure of anything and that's why I don't think that any judgement based on 'the evil world' or suchlike is any sort of evidence either way.
To somebody else that gap will be wider or narrower, does that mean that God is more likely or less likely to exist? To true believers there is no gap, hence they believe in God.
Perception gaps are not a measure of anything and that's why I don't think that any judgement based on 'the evil world' or suchlike is any sort of evidence either way.
