Question for TJ - Anti-Theism & The Problem of Evil

[misjif2341]

Your thumbnail reminded me of Tom Cruise :o

[danieljliversLXXXIX]

There's a problem with evil?

[Nagneto]

Congrats on this getting responded to!

[nekotenma]

All powerful in itself is contradictory, since if you're all powerful there is nothing you can't do you can't make something you can't do, which means there's something you can't do and there for aren't all powerful

[canutellwhosthis]

he gave us free will

[Strutinan]

There is the argument from deception. If the deity is "all good" then can it lie?

If they answer yes, ask them how then can anybody believe ANYTHING it has purported to say, INCLUDING that it is "all loving" and "all powerful"? The counter "mysterious ways" is rebutted by "psychopaths say that too".

If they answer no, then ask them why there is ANY evidence pointing to things like a 4.5 billion year old earth, and NO evidence for their deity? Similar counter/rebuttal.

[Brained05]

The problem of evil cannot be resolved as theists have both defined God as having infinite characteristics and accepted the existence of evil. This leaves them with an irresolvable paradox as the only solution to the problem of evil is to place some limit on God’s power which their definition of God does not allow them to do. For over 2000 years theists have been trying to resolve the paradox and every attempt can be invalidated by the limit argument

[pointshit]

I hope he picks your question :)

[Foxcanine1]

A normal claim about god is omnipotence. Having omnipotence means that you have the power to do anything, including know anything. If god is omniscient, then any action that he takes in the future will be known therefore free will will be negated. Having no free will means that you aren't omnipotent since you don't have the power to choose.

If we try to muddle omnipotence down to some very powerful version, then god is subject to forces that he cannot control or determine. 

[The0d0r1c]

There's the omnipotence paradox (the stone so heavy he can't lift it bit), though theists have been able to get around that by claiming 'god is speshul' and above things like logic. Then there's the fact that there should be proof of the Christian God doing things today, but there isn't. Christians tend to belief in a personal God who does something for people, but he apparently only 'inspires'.

The problem of evil is still the best and easiest way to discredit most Christian God-concepts, IMO.

[ILYIAB]

I give you a thumbs up cos you are young and you really think it's a question worth answering.

Read more, and then ask.(No, Ask! Good for you!)

[ObsidianTeen]

Even though it's almost the same thing, I prefer the 'problem of suffering'. It avoids all the bullshit of "how do atheists define evil?"

(P1) God is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient, and such a god would want to eliminate pointless suffering, (P2) Pointless suffering exists in animals and little children, (C) Therefore, God cannot exist.

You could replace pointless with excessive; both are true IMO.

[supersmash43]

It seems like everyone is trying to ask TJ...

[BionicDance]

Q: If god is all-loving, explain why he continues to torture us with the presence of William Shatner.

[Strutinan]

@BionicDance He IS "all loving", he just loves our pain and misery MORE than he loves us upright monkeys ;)

Or maaayyyybe...William Shatner is god, and he is just like some childlike deity with a magnifying glass and an ant farm?

[bonnie43uk]

Q: If god is everywhere, .. is he in hell? 

[mnewf2002]

@bonnie43uk yes...for all eternity