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[/font][/color] With the example from Genesis I'm not saying that I think the 'darkness' mentioned is referring to evil specifically and would agree that it is a representation of the unknown. What I'm saying is that if one 'unknown'(the dark, shapeless mass) can exist without being created...

Two possibilities that I can think of then. The first one I alluded to earlier with the verse in Genesis which refers to the spirit of the Lord hovering over 'a shapeless mass'(paraphrasing off of the top of my head.) Could this be a hint that their are things in existence that are/were not...

[/font][/color] Yes, good point. One could argue that everything the serpent says is deceitful, however, the placement of the tree in the Garden and God's omniscence and foreknowledge seem to point pretty strongly to the possibility that God intended the fall(or at the least he did not seem to...

In a word I would say 'yes'. 'Is evil neccesary in order to know good?' I would say that human beings only know anything by comparing it to it's antithesis. 'Hot' is only 'hot' because it's referenced to 'cold.' So the way our brains seem to work, it would be impossible for us to truly...

You made a point to seebs about how the difference between an agnostic and an athiest is only in their minds, and in reality is just an illusion for their is no middle choice. I believe that when we're talking about belief systems it seems strange not to take into account why an individual might...

It's a good point, and I can see where your coming from Magisterium, however I would look at it this way. Lets say their was a vote tommorrow to decide whether or not their is a God. The theists vote yes, the atheists vote no, and the agnostics don't vote at all. Would the agnostic's non-vote...

Very well said Polycarp1, especially your last paragraph. We're told not to judge others, but some would say that we should judge the sin or act itself, but not the person. Even if this were true I think it's important to look at our own motivations for making judgement. Are we judging out of...

Hey Philosoft, Sorry for the delay, I've been pretty busy this past week. Absolutely, if their were less infant deaths the world would be better, however, to that statement I would also like to add "from our perspective". I'm not saying this to take away from the pain, sorrow, and loss of...

Understandable Could you give me some examples of acts that you think would fit the pattern? I think so. One option is to choose different means to come to a different end, but if you mean what I think you do then yes, I believe He could have also come to the same end through different...

Philosoft, You mentioned that that some of my arguments are faith based and leave the realm of philosophy and I would agree. I try to make it a point to say "my belief" or "my view" in instances where my arguments include my personal faith(without being backed up by a solid reason based...

A good point. My view would be that their are degrees of perception here and perhaps, looking at it from a Christian perspective, a certain amount of evil is neccesary to obtain a certain degree of understanding. In a blue room with a yellow thumbtack you are able to percieve the blue to the...

thanks Tom :) Bill

"Good cannot exist without evil." "We cannot appreciate God without knowing how horrible our condition is without Him." "Light is only beautiful when compared to the darkness." I've run across statements like these a few times and wanted to discuss them. They're a repeat of one general...

I believe their is a fine line to be walked between intellect and spirit, or in other words I believe God designed us to use both our spirit and our intellect together as one whole. I'm thinking of the verse "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies"(paraphrasing). In my view, this verse speaks...

Bodhisattva4eva, You said. " All of these men were geniuses - enlightened to the fullest extent. They were stuck in a world with savages and pigs who were confused. These great men saw these troubled souls and gave them hope and guidelines by which to live their troubled lives." You...

Aragorn, Now take these same conglomerate companies and add in the fact that through soft money contributions to political campaigns they effectively have much more control over government policy then we as voters do and you definately have a shade of oligarchy here. I don't disagree that...

Ok, this might sound strange but I have lucid dreams every few months or so. They don't usually start that way but in some part of the dream I realize that it is a dream and that I am in control of everything(may'be not everything, but a number of things). Sometimes I fly after this...(usually...

"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those others that have been tried from time to time." Winston...

In my view this renewal has alot to do with what is referred to as the death/rebirth archetype. Havoc is right, Christianity isn't the only religion that practices it. The belief is not that you are suddenly and wholly transformed, atleast not in my view, it is more like the undertaking of a...

sorry...double post.