God allows evil so he looks better... WTF?

[rlrose328]

Someone on Facebook posted the story about the student who makes his professor look like an idiot.  One of the comments is this:

"Also, God allows evil to occur so that His goodness, mercy, and grace seem all that much more sweeter when we turn to Him for help and forgiveness. Moreover, evil occurs only because we are a fallen creation. If we did follow the rules, we wouldn't have so many problems with evil, would we?"

I have no words... maybe you do?  

[curiosityandthecat]

Right, the religious nutter version of "without the bitter, baby, the sweet just ain't as sweet." (And is likely a re-worded version of this.

Anyone with a penchant for logic wanna tackle this one? The stupid makes my head hurt.

[rlrose328]

The saddest thing was the half-dozen "hallelujah" and "you're so right" posts that followed.  

[Ihateyoumike]

Someone on Facebook posted the story about the student who makes his professor look like an idiot.  One of the comments is this:

"Also, God allows evil to occur so that His goodness, mercy, and grace seem all that much more sweeter when we turn to Him for help and forgiveness. Moreover, evil occurs only because we are a fallen creation. If we did follow the rules, we wouldn't have so many problems with evil, would we?"

I have no words... maybe you do?  :brick: says enough.

[Ninteen45]

Thank god for hitler.

[Man-ofGod]

Someone on Facebook posted the story about the student who makes his professor look like an idiot.  One of the comments is this:

"Also, God allows evil to occur so that His goodness, mercy, and grace seem all that much more sweeter when we turn to Him for help and forgiveness. Moreover, evil occurs only because we are a fallen creation. If we did follow the rules, we wouldn't have so many problems with evil, would we?"

I have no words... maybe you do?  

He would not be the first Christian to get it wrong and he wont be the last.

[Ihateyoumike]

He would not be the first Christian to get it wrong and he wont be the last.

Funny how the "christians" of the world can't even agree with each other. If you don't agree with a "christian" you aren't a true "christian" even if you call yourself a "christian".

What??  

[curiosityandthecat]

What was that thing about people from Scotland...

[Sophus]

No True Scotsman. Yes, apparently it is possible to become a Christian and still remain a heretic.

I think the best way to sum up this thread is with a Voltaire quote:

"The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost their power of reasoning."

[Whitney]

Someone on Facebook posted the story about the student who makes his professor look like an idiot.  One of the comments is this:

"Also, God allows evil to occur so that His goodness, mercy, and grace seem all that much more sweeter when we turn to Him for help and forgiveness. Moreover, evil occurs only because we are a fallen creation. If we did follow the rules, we wouldn't have so many problems with evil, would we?"

I have no words... maybe you do?  

She forgot about natural evils which are beyond human control.

The whole "you have to know evil to appreciate good" argument is pretty common.  We are pretty much trained to think dualistically and many can't break out of that box.

[Tanker]

That kinda makes me think of a wife beater saying "Why do you make me do this?" and "I'm doing this for your own good." while he beats the crap out of her.

[rlrose328]

She forgot about natural evils which are beyond human control.

The whole "you have to know evil to appreciate good" argument is pretty common.  We are pretty much trained to think dualistically and many can't break out of that box.

I mentioned the "natural evils" thing to another friend IRL and she came back with "God gives us those too so we know how powerful he is."  Wow, what a kind and caring god he is... all this and evil too.  There are manmade evils we can control but there are the ones that God gives us of his own accord because we (collectively) broke the rules in the garden.

Sins of the father... anyone?   No wonder so many groups seek reparations for past evils.  God set the precedent.

[MariaEvri]

that argument is not good for god's image
If I let someone suffer, and come help him later (IF I come) just so that I look good... then thiws means IM a selfish bastard who wants to appear good but really Im not. All I care about is my image

[PipeBox]

that argument is not good for god's image
If I let someone suffer, and come help him later (IF I come) just so that I look good... then thiws means IM a selfish bastard who wants to appear good but really Im not. All I care about is my image

Pshaw, you'd be giving them a lesson in humility.   :crazy:

[Sophus]

It's jaw-dropping what people are willing to believe, and I have a hard time believing it doesn't make them feel the dissonance, as well.  The problem of evil can be examined in an intellectual manner, but point-blank statement of how petty a god you believe in do not serve to reinforce your position (not to me, anyway).  Why is there evil?  Because God wants us to know we're wrong.  Question?  Non-answer!  

The crazy thing is that I've known some very intelligent people who actually buy into this garbage. That's what I can't figure out.