Is God good?

[Timefortruth]

I just can't get the question out of my mind. Mostly because I think I know the answer.

Note to atheists: I'm married to one of you and well know your perspective. It won't help.

[ScholarSeeker]

1. I don't believe God intervenes either way for good or bad

She just watches as we do our will.

[Mikimouse]

2. Good is relative

By what criteria would you have us make the assesssment. I am serious, by the way; would you evaluate God by what the man-written literature says, or by the things that we can see all around us after we imagine all of the manmade fixtures of 'civilization' to be absent.

[Barry_G]

3. Programmer.

God's probably like a programmer....history and time is the program...he/she/it/they probably only intercede when there is a serious program error.

[Timefortruth]

10. Isn't now a serious program error?

So why does God allow this to continue?

Thanks for making your first post a thoughtful one to me.

The kids need the computer so I gtg, as they say.

[Fenris]

4. Which theodicy would you like?

I'll go with Iranean. God is good, but the world is designed as a soul-making place, or a soul-breaking case, therefore, evil exists.

Or how about Augustinian. God is good, and evil is a punishment for sin.

[ProudGerman]

5. That's a personal opinion

You can't ask anyone that question. You have to answer it yourself.

There's no real point in me going into it really. I don't know the guy. And this atheist isn't gonna base his judgement on other people's impressions. Other than that, there isn't much to go on. I know plenty theists, the book/books won't help.

[SOteric]

6. Yes.

But mankind, who interprets god, is not always.

[Fenris]

7. I like that

:D

[EXE619K]

8. That's a good question.

But, I don't know if a pre-emptive strikes on cities where the population is deemed "immoral" without the consultation of your advisors could be a good thing.

[FDRrocks]

9. I'm an atheist, and no Biblical scholar...

but alot of the stuff in the Old Testament makes me question the intentions of "God". Jesus Christ however, as depicted, is the man.

[supernova]

11. Yes and no

I believe God's intentions are good, as in it was a good idea to create the universe and eventually us.

But we have such limited vision, what appears to be evil to us may be part of a larger picture. We can't know for certain because we lack his/her point of view.

I also belive this world the way it is was created as a way to as was said earlier "create souls". We are here to learn. Some of us take the bait and find our way, others have trouble accepting that premise and remain unschooled and angry or defensive.

[Nostradammit]

12. Is Infinity good? Is Eternity good?

Is Love good?

Praise the existence of shadows, without which we could not perceive light.

[Timefortruth]

13. The thoughtful replies are very welcomed.

But the kids are demanding space beyond their free speech zone which means I have to sacrifice the computer.

I want to continue this conversation later, if anyone is interested.

[dweller]

14. no, of course not

but, since you gotta go...
be sure to bookmark the thread so you can find it again later.

dp

[OneBlueSky]

15. if you believe that . . .

God = Creation = The Universe, then yes, God is good . . . it is a benevolent and bountiful Universe we inhabit, and Creation will rush to your assistance in every way if you put in the effort to live a loving and giving life . . . at least that's what I believe . . .

[gbwarming]

16. Good at What? nt

edit (just kidding around - I know what you mean)

[Insider]

17. finally, the correct thread for this answer

GAIL O'GRADY. God is great.

[TrogL]

18. I forgive God

apparently this is heresy

[BigDaddyLove]

19. Yes.......

in my opinion God is good.

[F-5]

20. Well, if you love God and believe Him...

then yes, God is good.

As for all the evil that's going on right now, God isn't the one that's causing it. It's the evil people (Republicans) who are exploiting God for their evil purposes. Their time will come and they will be punished severly, if that's what you believe in. :)

This is just my belief.

On edit: I used the wrong form of "their"

[salinen]

21. 'when god finally grows up and stops

behaving like a brat, maybe.

[elperromagico]

22. Well, Pat Robertson says God is voting for Bush this year,

so he can't be all that good.

I hear he smells great, though. A class act, all the way.

[camero]

23. Why do we keep seeing God as this old man in the sky?

It could be Karma, which can be good or bad. Bad karma being evil.

Or as I see it. All the smallest particles in the universe working in concert. And the largest. When anything happens to upset the balance, bad things happen or bad people reign.

You wouldn't believe what we are finding out about sub-atomic particles. Amazing.

[JackDragna]

24. Yes, he is.

He gave me some wine, some weed and played some chess with me. I really like the guy.

[slack]

25. After Auschwitz?

No.
There was a gate with an inscription. It was 'Jedem das Seine', that means (I think) each to their own. It has a deeper meaning in german, that means everybody gets what he deserves. That's really cynical in my eyes. It means more than only to kill the jews, it means to make jokes of it.
There are two possibilities, god didn't exist, or he(or she) has a kind of humor I don't understand.

Today I read about a young mother, she detonate near Erez, Gaza-Strip.
Daily insanity.
In the western world, we die because we are eating to much, meanwhile one billion of people is hungry.
I don't understand such things.
Only three examples, but the whole history of mankind seems to be a chain of insanity of such a kind.
If god exist, I don't think I like him (or her). Nevertheless I would call myself an agnostic.
Sorry if my english isn't very good, it's not my native-language.

[elperromagico]

26. I've often found myself thinking that.

Either God has a strange sense of humor or He just likes to test our capacity for suffering.

[slack]

28. And I have been testet.

I saw my first child dying, my doughter dies during the birth.
It's difficult to keep an optimistic view after such an experience.

[dweller]

27. Your words are clear, and true

and the feeling you express needs no translations.

peace,
dp

[matcom]

29. Clapton? oh HELL yeah he is good!

:D

[arwalden]

30. 1) There Is No God. --- 2) The "God" Perceived By Believers...

is only as "good" as the believers want it to be.

I'm undecided if this overall godly-goodness factor is directly related to the goodness/spitefulness/pettiness of each believer, however.

Those who believe in a vengeful god may have created that image based on their OWN imagination (although they aren't themselves vengeful) or it could be that the hateful and vengeful god image was planted there by someone else... and as they grew older, their minds never questioned that which was so easily and readily believed as trusting children.

If indeed there is some correlation to be found between the personality ascribed to the god by each believer and the believer's own personality... then certainly it doesn't apply to everyone.

What IS certain, however, is that most all of you are going to hell (or any other version of "eternal damnation") for not believing in the "right god" or for not believing in the "right way" and for not following the "right traditions" and for not eating the "right food" and for not worshiping on the "right day" and for not making the "right sacrifices" and for not praying in the "right manner" and for not proselytizing "right away" and for not donating the "right amount".

Seems every group has their own idea about what their god wants humans to do and how their god wants humans to act. -- How can they all be right? Which one is right? And what makes that ONE version of a god the correct one, and all the others wrong?

They can't ALL be right... BUT they can certainly all be WRONG.

Something to think about on this cold cold January morning.

-- Allen