Monday, April 27, 2009
Why I Became an Atheist
Four months after I began it, I FINALLY finished this book! Thank you, John Loftus, for such an excellent book. Well written, well argued, and respectful to people of all beliefs. It was an incredible comfort to read a book like this written by someone who's been on both sides of religion.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
But I wish...
I heard Julia Sweeney say the times in her life she grew the most were when she stopped believing what she wished were true, and just believed in what she knew was true.
A wise statement, applicable to faith in God and a lot of other things in life.
A wise statement, applicable to faith in God and a lot of other things in life.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thoughts on evil
So, I've finally gotten to the chapters in the John Loftus book about the problem of evil, and they are really well argued and well written.
Why is there evil? I was taught as a Christian that people were given free choice, so that they might love God freely, and thus not be, basically, robots or slaves. But there are at least a couple of problems with this, one being that our free choice can cause great harm which, to many rational people, might outweigh God's desire for people to love him.
God is supposed to be the be-all, end all. He is complete in and of himself, wholly knowledgeable, wholly powerful, and wholly good. How, then, could something that is completely absent any evil within himself, create something that could do evil? That is probably another question for another time, so I'll get to the next part, which Mr. Loftus discusses.
God is supposed to be our heavenly father, right? When you're a parent, you have to keep careful watch over your children. You start out by watching them every second, only allowing them to see and touch and do things that won't hurt them. You give them big, soft toys so that they won't hurt themselves or others. The example in the book goes something like this: if you gave a sharp knife to a 2 year old, would you not be culpable for how that child hurts himself or others? You knew that he would not be able to handle the responsibility of such a tool, and yet you gave it to him anyway.
God (to those who think he exists) is all knowing. He KNEW that if he gave that man over there a choice, he'd rape a little girl. He KNEW that if he gave that woman over there a choice, she'd abuse the elderly people in her care. He KNEW that if he gave those guys a choice, they'd kill thousands of people with a couple of airplanes. He knew these things, and yet, he let them make those choices anyway.
How is God's desire for our freely given love (DESIRE, not need, remember, because he is complete unto himself, and doesn't NEED anything) more important than all the pain and suffering that goes on every second in this world? Not only that, but in heaven, there is to be no more pain and suffering. The only way to avoid that, apparently, is to take away free will. He'd have to take away moral choices. If he can do that in heaven, why not on earth? Is this all just a big cruel game to him?
I have met some very selfish people in my life. But I don't think I've ever met anyone quite THAT selfish, and if I did, I'd wash my hands of them.
If he exists, that's not who I want to align myself with.
More later :)
Why is there evil? I was taught as a Christian that people were given free choice, so that they might love God freely, and thus not be, basically, robots or slaves. But there are at least a couple of problems with this, one being that our free choice can cause great harm which, to many rational people, might outweigh God's desire for people to love him.
God is supposed to be the be-all, end all. He is complete in and of himself, wholly knowledgeable, wholly powerful, and wholly good. How, then, could something that is completely absent any evil within himself, create something that could do evil? That is probably another question for another time, so I'll get to the next part, which Mr. Loftus discusses.
God is supposed to be our heavenly father, right? When you're a parent, you have to keep careful watch over your children. You start out by watching them every second, only allowing them to see and touch and do things that won't hurt them. You give them big, soft toys so that they won't hurt themselves or others. The example in the book goes something like this: if you gave a sharp knife to a 2 year old, would you not be culpable for how that child hurts himself or others? You knew that he would not be able to handle the responsibility of such a tool, and yet you gave it to him anyway.
God (to those who think he exists) is all knowing. He KNEW that if he gave that man over there a choice, he'd rape a little girl. He KNEW that if he gave that woman over there a choice, she'd abuse the elderly people in her care. He KNEW that if he gave those guys a choice, they'd kill thousands of people with a couple of airplanes. He knew these things, and yet, he let them make those choices anyway.
How is God's desire for our freely given love (DESIRE, not need, remember, because he is complete unto himself, and doesn't NEED anything) more important than all the pain and suffering that goes on every second in this world? Not only that, but in heaven, there is to be no more pain and suffering. The only way to avoid that, apparently, is to take away free will. He'd have to take away moral choices. If he can do that in heaven, why not on earth? Is this all just a big cruel game to him?
I have met some very selfish people in my life. But I don't think I've ever met anyone quite THAT selfish, and if I did, I'd wash my hands of them.
If he exists, that's not who I want to align myself with.
More later :)
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