Posted by rpcman on November 23, 1999 at 12:40:45:
In Reply to: please explain the gymnastics. posted by Ryan on November 23, 1999 at 12:25:11:
: But I
: learned from it. I grew and developed abilities
: I wouldn't have otherwise.
In this simple example at least. However, how does someone who is tortured and then killed learn from the experience?
: So, if you have kids, I would be interested in
: your parenting philosophies.
I do and they are similar to your father's. They are very different from any sort of personal god's though. (At least any sort of personal god that I have witnessed.)
: If you were refering to some altogether different
: mental gymnastics, I would be interested in hearing
: your elaboration
This is the general philosophical 'proof' against the existence of the typical version of the Christian God.
1.God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent.
2.If God exists, then there exist no instances of an ultimately evil natural law.
3.It is probable that the law of predation is ultimately evil.
4.It is probable that there exist instances of the law of predation.
Therefore, it is probable that
5.God does not exist.
So in other words, a personal god of this universe can't possibly be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent at the same time given the actions that we witness in nature and in the history of humanity. To believe in a god that is all these things requires mental gymnastics that violate the laws of logic and/or ignore the world around us.