| Christian Apologetics A forum to discuss the systematic defense of the Christian belief system with other Christians. |
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3rd March 2010, 03:22 PM
|  | Regular Member
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Reps: 2,150 (power: 11) | | | I'm not a smart man, but I'll take a shot: Is God omni-benevolent? Yes. Why? Because He is God. I know that's a circular answer, so I'll explain.
What is right and good is not necessarily what is nice. A small child may want to pet a wolf, but we know it is best that they do not. The small child will think we are not nice because we aren't letting them pet the wolf. However un-nice we may seem, we are still right to not let the child interact with a dangerous animal.
The same is true of God. What God does is for the goodness of mankind, and it is right. Just because we may not think it is nice does not negate that it is right and good.
Or a simpler, more direct explanation: God is the Almighty God of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, the great I Am. And because God is God, what He chooses to do will always be right and good because He is the proscriber of what is right and good.
I don't know if that helps, but it's my interpretation to the best of my limited knowledge. |
4th March 2010, 12:30 AM
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 | | Join Date: 13th February 2007 Location: America
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Reps: 10,450,327,509,946,648 (power: 10,450,327,509,956) | | My philosophy "teacher" in college used a term to describe God when discussing "the problem of evil". That term was "omnibenevolent". In other words, it's the idea that God is absolutely good to absolutely everyone absolutely all of the time.
Are there any Biblical references that God fits the above definition, or am I simply missing them?
... that's a vague definition.... it depends on what "good" means.
if good is what God is, then God is omnibenevolent.
if good is not what God is, then God is not omnibenevolent.
either way, the problem of evil would persist through that. all it requires is that God remain consistent in his moral framework, or character, and that evil="not good". defining benevolence another way really wouldn't matter because that ultimate standard for "goodness" would still remain intact within God's character. . . . . . . in fact, the only way he could ever be not "omnibenevolent" in the most basic sense is for him to contradict himself. . . . . . so, your phil professor is right, at least on the definition.
Last edited by daniel777; 4th March 2010 at 12:50 AM.
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4th March 2010, 10:57 AM
|  | elman
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| | Join Date: 19th December 2003 Location: Texas
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Reps: 53,822,349,527,765,392 (power: 53,822,349,527,802) | | Originally Posted by rejectreality  I'm not a smart man, but I'll take a shot: Is God omni-benevolent? Yes. Why? Because He is God. I know that's a circular answer, so I'll explain.
What is right and good is not necessarily what is nice. A small child may want to pet a wolf, but we know it is best that they do not. The small child will think we are not nice because we aren't letting them pet the wolf. However un-nice we may seem, we are still right to not let the child interact with a dangerous animal.
The same is true of God. What God does is for the goodness of mankind, and it is right. Just because we may not think it is nice does not negate that it is right and good.
Or a simpler, more direct explanation: God is the Almighty God of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, the great I Am. And because God is God, what He chooses to do will always be right and good because He is the proscriber of what is right and good.
I don't know if that helps, but it's my interpretation to the best of my limited knowledge.
I agree God can be trusted to be loving and good all the time and I agee we may not on any given occasion be able to see the purpose behind what is happening. I don't agree God is good simply because He is all powerful. Might does not make right even in spiritual matters.  |
5th March 2010, 11:23 AM
|  | everlovin' shiner of light in dark places Angels Team
     
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Originally Posted by Skellington My philosophy "teacher" in college used a term to describe God when discussing "the problem of evil". That term was "omnibenevolent". In other words, it's the idea that God is absolutely good to absolutely everyone absolutely all of the time.
Are there any Biblical references that God fits the above definition, or am I simply missing them? If there aren't any, then who is God "nice" to, and where do we get this idea that "God is good, all the time"?
There are a few Bible verses in here that would challenge that idea:
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"If the pace and the push, the noise and the crowds are getting to you, it's time to stop the nonsense and find a place of solace to refresh your spirit." ~Charles Swindoll "Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul,
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8th March 2010, 12:57 AM
|  | My solace my terror, my terror my solace.
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Reps: 27,354,533,772,047,632 (power: 27,354,533,772,067) | | Originally Posted by Skellington God is just
So if given evidence to the contrary, why would this hold?
__________________ Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you"
That is BEFORE, not WHEN.
Life starts before conception. Supporting a woman's right to choose to not fertilize an egg, giving her the ability to choose to let a life die, is pro-choice, not pro-life.
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