I know it’s not entirely on topic, but biblical physics seems like a more important test of the Bible’s truth than God’s morality. If God does not follow the arbitrary laws of human society, what does that prove? Nor does the Bible wrongly saying that God is merciful mean much—what would you do if you were God and had to write a book? But if the Bible accurately states the age of the Universe, that’s something. In the end, the only important issue is whether you’re going to hell or heaven.
I actually think it’s rather irrational for someone to think that God’s cruelty is an argument against His existence, and this seems a common opinion among atheists. I mean, I believe in Stalin, who also claimed to be a milkmaid’s best friend while executing anyone who looked at him funny.
I don’t think God’s cruelty in the Bible is evidence that there isn’t any god, but it is evidence against the benevolent, omniscient, personal, omnipotent kind of theism that Christians and Jews would argue for.
Out of the list of adjectives it’s evidence only against the “benevolent” part and that’s really just the old problem of theodicy (why does God permit evil).
If he isn’t omniscient or omnipotent, then it could be some of the bad things he does are the most benevolent that he could do given his limited abilities.
I know it’s not entirely on topic, but biblical physics seems like a more important test of the Bible’s truth than God’s morality. If God does not follow the arbitrary laws of human society, what does that prove? Nor does the Bible wrongly saying that God is merciful mean much—what would you do if you were God and had to write a book? But if the Bible accurately states the age of the Universe, that’s something. In the end, the only important issue is whether you’re going to hell or heaven.
I actually think it’s rather irrational for someone to think that God’s cruelty is an argument against His existence, and this seems a common opinion among atheists. I mean, I believe in Stalin, who also claimed to be a milkmaid’s best friend while executing anyone who looked at him funny.
I don’t think God’s cruelty in the Bible is evidence that there isn’t any god, but it is evidence against the benevolent, omniscient, personal, omnipotent kind of theism that Christians and Jews would argue for.
Out of the list of adjectives it’s evidence only against the “benevolent” part and that’s really just the old problem of theodicy (why does God permit evil).
If he isn’t omniscient or omnipotent, then it could be some of the bad things he does are the most benevolent that he could do given his limited abilities.