Atheists say that the presence of evil in the world is the greatest problem for defending the Christian faith. On the other hand, if they're in the Denying God's Existence mode, you'll have a hard time getting atheists to admit to the existence of evil. Unless of course it's something that religion has done or unless it's happened to them. Then evil becomes quite real.
Well, evil is a good one all right. But is it a problem just for us?
Buddhists think evil is just an illusion to be avoided
Hindus say evil is somebody else’s fault
Marxists say that evil is just something that happens on the way to a socialist utopia
Islam sees evil as something that will exist until all the people of the world are forced to become Muslims - and atheists?
Well, atheists, bless their hearts - Get into a discussion with an "most" atheists (that "most" is for you Mixter) about the existence of evil and it won’t be more than three sentences before you’ll hear, “God did it.”
God created evil.
God is evil.
God commands evil to happen.
And you thought that God didn’t exist in the atheist world-view? Ah, that’s only when life is good. Let grandmother pass away. Let an earthquake shake things up. Let a relationship break down or a child become gravely ill and, yep, “God did it. It’s God’s fault that bad things happen.”
Aren’t atheists just the cutest? It makes you want to smoosh up their witto wozy cheeks.
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Atheists say that the presence of evil in the world is the greatest problem for defending the Christian faith. On the other hand, if they're in the Denying God's Existence mode, you'll have a hard time getting atheists to admit to the existence of evil. Unless of course it's something that religion has done or unless it's happened to them. Then evil becomes quite real.
::Sigh:: You really are a boor, aren't you?
1) Evil is a mortal concept.
2) Your religion embraces it as a concept.
3) if we are to accept your story of a just, kind, loving god and your story about the origins and presence of evil, then we must ask: how are these things not mutually exclusive?
If you're peddling a mythology where your god hates grumbleflumps and even considering how good they taste will cause him to destroy you, and then you further add that grumbleflumps exist and were created by your grumbleflump-hating god, then I do not need to accept that grumbleflumps exist in order to prove that your acceptance of them invalidates the rest of your silly mythology.
Also, I have very strenuously pointed out that regardless of whether or not what you consider "evil" has happened to me, I still don't believe it. But you've ignored that just like you've ignored every other assertion from the various people that have posted here who disprove the core elements of your "arguments."
Seriously, I don't know why you even allow comments. If you want to scream in your bigoted little echo chamber, why even bother to allow other people to chime in?
Atheists don't believe in god(s), Makarios. "God did it" is a theist explanation. God isn't evil; he doesn't exist.
However, in the Bible, God not only allowed evil things to happen (i.e., Job) but was also the cause of evil. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He murdered all the people, including all the innocent children. God murdered David and Bathsheba’s first-born son after 7 days of his life to punish the parents. In Hosea, those who rebelled against God fell by the sword, the little ones dashed to pieces, expectant mothers ripped open.
Of course, there are many more examples in the Bible of the God of Love commanding or committing evil acts. Atheists may be using those examples when discussing evil; however, atheists don't actually blame God for evil because they don't believe God exists.
Mixter
Right
Comrade, my little atheist bumpkin, how can you accuse me of ignoring you? Not at all! Banish the thought Comrade. Ever since you told me that evil doesn’t exist I’ve lain awake at night in agony - literal agony Comrade trying to come to terms with the contrast between what I know now, because of you, and the foolishness that I once believed.
Snerk! Not! What do you expect me to do, change what I believe because of you - because YOU have told me something.
So Mixter what do you think? Comrade here says “no evil.” He and I have danced to this tune before. Back then he told me that even if someone cleaned out his bank account or stole and killed his child, he wouldn’t call it evil.
Am I right Comrade? That was you wasn’t it? I’m sorry Mixter, all you atheists look alike that I can’t, well, anyhow, what do you say Mixter? I hear you that God is not a convenient concept at this point in our discussion but what about evil? I got away with one with Comrade, apparently he hasn’t actually experienced the scenarios that I suggested. I won’t get that lucky a second time, but you know what I’m getting at. Is evil just a human construct?
Makarios: Evil, to me, is bad behavior, behavior that causes harm, behavior that I would consider to be immoral (yes, atheists have morals!); behavior done by humans, and only by humans. I don't believe in Satan or other supernatural evil forces, just like I don't believe in gods.
Not knowing your definition of evil, I can't say that I agree or disagree with you on the concept of evil.
Mixter
"Evil, to me, is bad behavior, behavior that causes harm, behavior that I would consider to be immoral"
So on Darwinism what's the purpose of behaviours that you label evil? Why do we harm another, sometimes for pleasure? In Darwinism, why do small children hit other children with no provocation?
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yes, atheists have morals!)"
I know that. I could ask anybody and they'd tell me what a nice person you are.
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behavior done by humans,"
Tell me about that.
Two animals take food from another animal. For one animal it's fine, even good. For the human it's stealing.
Two male animals fight two other male animals over a female. One of the males from each species dies. For the one animal it's fine, even good. For the human it's murder.
Two animals ensure that their genes are carried into the next generation. For the one animal it's fine, even good. For the human it's rape.
Why is that? Do Darwinists think that most animals are not doing a very good job so they think that humans need rules to make us behave properly? How do you know what to call evil? Comrade doesn't think any behaviours are evil. Do you agree?
and only by humans. I don't believe in Satan or other supernatural evil forces, just like I don't believe in gods.
I'm not a "Darwinist." I'm an atheist.
Mixter
I always thought that either one begets the other.
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