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ORIGINAL: DeviantlyD

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ORIGINAL: SuzeCheri

And what if, we as humans, are fully capable of comprehending, what if the reason that there is no answer is because there is an answer, and the answer is that Christianity is a false doctrine, God, if he exists, is not the God taught by Christianity.

That's the easy answer.

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ORIGINAL: SuzeCheri
You are the third person to basically say "you can't know, so don't ask, just believer" I'm sorry, but that is the biggest cop out of them all. That simply doesn't wash the clothes with me.

No, I didn't say that. You're choosing to see it how you wish and not how it is. I haven't expressed my opinion on theology here, so you're making assumptions as to what my beliefs are or are not.

And that's as far as I'm going in this thread. Your counter is more argument than debate.

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ORIGINAL: Edwynn
Putative dissociation from "god," religion, etc.
But the concept of "evil!" is first and foremost in mind here, even after such imagined 'liberation.'
Right.

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anyway I am tired

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ORIGINAL: LadyPact

I don't know so much if it's that we 'can't' know, Cheri.  I see it more as I'm probably just not able to comprehend it.  I figure, there's Me, who's just a person compared to this being that does things like creates the universe, knows the entire puzzle of DNA, and all the other stuff that frankly, is a heck of a lot bigger than Me.  Truth is, I'm probably not on the same level, so there's going to be a lot of things that I don't understand.  Even the questions that you're asking here, I have to try to find simplistic answers for so that they can make sense.

It is really hard to accept that bad things happen.  When we're in pain, which Valerie's death obviously caused you, I think it's very natural to wonder why God doesn't prevent things like that.  I don't think that it's a matter of the power doesn't exist.  I think it's a matter of it isn't exercised.  Why that would be or the reason behind it is, I honestly can't say.  My best guess is that it really is all part of some kind of plan that hopefully something good will come out of it in the end.  Since I'm not knowledgeable enough to know how this whole thing turns out, that's really the best I can do.

I'm actually not one of those folks who will sit here and attempt to convince you of the things that I think you *have* to believe.  While I think faith is a good thing and can help in those times that just believing in something is beneficial, that choice is really yours.  Whatever you decide is right for you, I hope it brings you peace.

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ORIGINAL: Edwynn

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ORIGINAL: SuzeCheri

I don't have a god, remember, I'm the apostate, that is what we are discussing. My premise is not flawed, it is your god that is grossly flawed.

Why does evil exist?

Too funny.

Putative dissociation from "god," religion, etc.

But the concept of "evil!" is first and foremost in mind here, even after such imagined 'liberation.'


Right.

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My best guess is that it really is all part of some kind of plan that hopefully something good will come out of it in the end.

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ORIGINAL: SpanishMatMaster

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ORIGINAL: Edwynn
Putative dissociation from "god," religion, etc.
But the concept of "evil!" is first and foremost in mind here, even after such imagined 'liberation.'
Right.

The concept of evil is previous to any concept of God and is not bound to it. You do not need a God to have a concept of good and evil.

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ORIGINAL: SuzeCheri

Thank you LadyP, I do appreciate all you've said.One thing in particular stood out, this part.

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My best guess is that it really is all part of some kind of plan that hopefully something good will come out of it in the end.

This is an important point really, if it is part of a plan, then that means God wanted it to happen, and that is incompatible with the doctrine of free will. And without the excuse of free will, the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of God, which doesn't mesh with being good and just.

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its precisely the same time the septillionth of a second the distinction is made.  LOL

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unlike your thread seeking an answer to a very difficult issue she appears to want someone to simply argue with her about a decision that she has already made and has no intention of changing even if God brought her friend back to life.

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ORIGINAL: Real0ne
unlike your thread seeking an answer to a very difficult issue she appears to want someone to simply argue with her about a decision that she has already made and has no intention of changing even if God brought her friend back to life.

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ORIGINAL: Edwynn
The concept of spiritual underpinning to the physical world preceded any status religion by several thousand years. Every autocthonous or indigenous people display this behaviour. They also display a sense of societal norms, and concept of 'good' and 'bad.'

"Evil!" as a particular area of concern to which the masses could be easily directed is the product of religion. Some have a difficult time escaping that.

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ORIGINAL: SuzeCheri
This is an important point really, if it is part of a plan, then that means God wanted it to happen, and that is incompatible with the doctrine of free will. And without the excuse of free will, the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of God, which doesn't mesh with being good and just.