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Originally Posted by LichGRIFFIN  That's true and that's why we seek the most that we are convinced with and it leads to satisfaction rather than suffering and confusion in most cases ,what i mean i'm a muslim and both of us have different views on the religion but that doesn't mean you're suffering because i see you're following a false truth?! (no offence i mean as an example ,i do respect other religions but believe in mine more than any) |
Ah, but if most religions contain truth and people live by those truths that it follows they will be happy doesn't it? The issue is whether they also live by any of the false truths in their religion. One of the most fascinating things I have learned about studying religion is just how similar certain "truths" are from religion to religion (if not outright identical). It shouldn't be to surprising when you consider that every main religion now days can be traced directly to Abraham, the religion he followed, and his influence (including the Vedic ones).
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Originally Posted by Luminous Could be more eloquently worded, but it's an honest question. Even in a slightly old "If you were ruler of the world" thread we had here at AO, people said they'd attempt to do great things like feeding starving children in Africa. If a deity exists, surely they have that power. And yet they don't. Basically, it's the Problem of Evil. Either God doesn't exist, or God isn't good. |
An honest question and one there is a simple answer for if you follow through the consequences of the alternative. The answer is that the right to choose what you will do and who you will be is a God given right called "agency". We determine by our choices whether we will do good or evil. Because everyone has that choice and there are those who will choose evil consequently there will be those who cause pain and suffering for others. Now consider what it would take to prevent that....
The only way to prevent anyone from choosing to hurt someone else would to take away that right of choice. It would require not the punishment of someone's actions but
their very thought before they could even act. We would live in a world where anyone who even thought of stepping out of line would be punished instantly thus condemning us to remain mentally as little children perpetually disciplined for all of existence. An eternity of enslavement to the whims of a single all powerful dictator.
Ironically in my religion it is believed that that is exactly what Lucifer wanted to do, the ultimate evil, destroying the agency of man. "Send me and I will force everyone to do good." Thank you no. I would rather be able to choose my own fate and accept the consequences of not only my own actions but others as well then live in that kind of slavery.
If God
forces us to be "good" then "good" ceases to exist, if he feeds the hungry, clothes the poor, and succors the sick and wounded then we ourselves have no
opportunity to do good. Even children have to learn sometime. God is good and so we can be.