Is our God in jail?

[relaxeus]

A friend of mine brought up the possibility that God could be behind bars. There may be a vast number of beings in existance that have a great amount of power, let's call them gods. They may assemble together and create laws and moral standards and such. Maybe our God broke one too many rules, such as "do not create a universe where evil exists". The assembly of the Gods could have gotten together and ruled that our God be imprisoned for 500 billion years for his crimes.

Sounds wild, but I would argue that this theory has as much weight as any other theory dealing with God and is on an equal footing with such religions as Christianity and Islam.

Thoughts?

 

[WingsOfTheNeophyte]

Well if we look at Sumer, Marduk (the God) was reprimanded once or twice, and had to leave Babylon in exile (and once almost got buried alive by the other Gods), during that time for Babylonians their God was really behind bars

But no seriously God, the one and only behind bars........hmm........ im doubtfull

Your theory is not on equal footing, it has no miracles and does not lead anywhere apart from


PAAAAAAAAARTEEEY!!!!!!!


a direction pointless in theology

 

[relaxeus]

Your theory is not on equal footing, it has no miracles

But the fact that there is a lack of miracles in our world only gives this theory support. If God is behind bars, he can't perform miracles.

and does not lead anywhere apart from


PAAAAAAAAARTEEEY!!!!!!!

Or suicide, perhaps. Some people need a god in their lives. If they found out ours was in prison they may kill themselves. It depends on the individual and what path they are on.

a direction pointless in theology

But parties are fun

 

[Marz Blak]

I pretty much agree with you: sounds no more or less implausible than any other personal-god theology I've heard. Well, actually, in light of your point about the dearth of miracles in recent history I'd say it may have some an advantage in explanatory power over some theologies I've been exposed to.

Also, it explains who God might have been talking to in Genesis when He expressed His concern with the prospect of Adam and Eve becoming 'as Gods.'

Hmmm....

 

[Multi-Elis]

I only see one problem: the premis that "do not create a universe where evil exists" is something that would put him behind bars. Maybe it would, but then I suppose that he would figure that it's worth it.
It just ignores the fact that love has no real meaning where there is no evil, and it presuposes that the evil in this world is not our fault.
All the great exestentialists insist on human kind taking responsability for their actions, and the strength of character cannot exist without the challenge.
So what I am saying is that -- yes, in terms of trying to explain the way the world works as a parable does have equal footing with other religions, but I would expect us enlightened people to not stoop to easy blame throwing and superficiality.

 

[relaxeus]

I only see one problem: the premis that "do not create a universe where evil exists" is something that would put him behind bars. Maybe it would, but then I suppose that he would figure that it's worth it.

It just ignores the fact that love has no real meaning where there is no evil, and it presuposes that the evil in this world is not our fault.
All the great exestentialists insist on human kind taking responsability for their actions, and the strength of character cannot exist without the challenge.

I don't see why evil is necessary for love to exist. Personally, I would much prefer a world where there was zero evil and plenty of love. Forget evil. Evil sucks.

 

[Multi-Elis]

I guess I'm specifically influenced by Scott Peck, who was in turn influenced by many others, but basically the logic goes like this: in a place where there is no possibility of evil, what does saying "I love you" really mean? Does it mean anything? but in a place where you could have the choice of not loving, that is, being hatefull or indiferent, choosing to love, especially when it's hard, makes love a precious thing.

It's not a thinking and a theory that I would defend to my death: I don't think evil should exist. But I can't help considering it.

 

[wmc1982]

it was only a heavenly misdemeanor so He'll be out in a few hundred thousand years

 

[Ave Maria]

God is not limited in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Marz Blak]

I guess I'm specifically influenced by Scott Peck, who was in turn influenced by many others, but basically the logic goes like this: in a place where there is no possibility of evil, what does saying "I love you" really mean? Does it mean anything? but in a place where you could have the choice of not loving, that is, being hatefull or indiferent, choosing to love, especially when it's hard, makes love a precious thing.

It's not a thinking and a theory that I would defend to my death: I don't think evil should exist. But I can't help considering it.

This is of course the Free Will Defense all over again, which I don't want to derail the thread by arguing, but which I felt compelled in seeing again to point out.

Of course, the FWD has been around for centuries and has been controversial for all that time, and there's no evidence that it will not remain so into the foreseeable future.

Especially given that as the understanding of causality (and acausality) in physics and the mechanics of choice processes in cognitive science have grown, it looks less and less like libertarian free will is really tenable as a theory.

Theology demands it, though, so I don't think people will ever give it up.

 

[strikerchris0411]

A friend of mine brought up the possibility that God could be behind bars. There may be a vast number of beings in existance that have a great amount of power, let's call them gods. They may assemble together and create laws and moral standards and such. Maybe our God broke one too many rules, such as "do not create a universe where evil exists". The assembly of the Gods could have gotten together and ruled that our God be imprisoned for 500 billion years for his crimes.

Sounds wild, but I would argue that this theory has as much weight as any other theory dealing with God and is on an equal footing with such religions as Christianity and Islam.

Thoughts?

It just sounds so out there. God is an al powerful being {at least to me] why would anything like that happen. Also I don't believe in a whole bunch of Gods

 

[strikerchris0411]

it was only a heavenly misdemeanor so He'll be out in a few hundred thousand years

Lol that was funny

 

[JesusWalks78]

But the fact that there is a lack of miracles in our world only gives this theory support. If God is behind bars, he can't perform miracles.

Who says an omnipotent God cannot perform miracles behind bars? How do you put an omnipotent God behind bars?

Who says there are no miracles.

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html


http://www.catholic-forum.com/catholicteacher/MIRACLES.htm

http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/phenomena.asp

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/practices/honoring_saints/canonization.htm

 

[relaxeus]

Who says an omnipotent God cannot perform miracles behind bars? How do you put an omnipotent God behind bars?

Who says there are no miracles.

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html


http://www.catholic-forum.com/catholicteacher/MIRACLES.htm

http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/phenomena.asp

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/practices/honoring_saints/canonization.htm

Perhaps omnipotence is an attribute God doesn't possess

 

[WingsOfTheNeophyte]

perhaps omnipotence is relative, inside the bars it is still omnpotent, outside the power decreases exponentially with distance, and the bars are on the other side of the universe?

 

[JesusWalks78]

Perhaps omnipotence is an attribute God doesn't possess

He revealed himself as having it.

 

[Luminaire]

1). If God is not omnipotent then he is not God.

2). I really have no idea where people get this absurd notion that evil is required for love to have meaning, pain is required for happiness to have meaning. The world has never been perfect, so how can we claim to even begin to imagine what a perfect world would be like? People say the world would be "boring" or "meaningless" without struggle and suffering to contrast with the good things, but no one really knows that, because no one has lived in such a world. It's just a way to justify/explain evil existing.

 

[WingsOfTheNeophyte]

1). If God is not omnipotent then he is not God.

Im pretty sure that Marduk was god to the Babylonians (until his exile)

He wasnt omnipotent, but he was still worshipped, same goes for Zeus and many many other Gods who had followers, why should your God be differet?

 

[EmbracingHim]

Hmmm...not sure why your friend would suggest such a thought? Perhaps he is frustrated in Faith and perhaps with this system.

God as the Alpha and Omega can not be behind bars. He creates all...but did not create evil. The world was without evil originally, but satan rebelled and evil exists, man followed and now death exists. There is no death in Heaven. Satan is no longer of Heaven, but here on earth and his time is short -- as is our walks on this earth (recall the scriptures state that 1000 of our days are but one day in God's time).

God is love and He is 'good' -- likewise He is incapable of breaking any rules...let alone being imprisoned or conducting 'evil.' He is righteous as our creator and we are fortunate to have such a God -- versus an evil god.

You 'can' have a world without evil in it...''''just believe'''...that is all that God requests of us.