My Dental Challenge

[trophy33]

It seems this is a difficult question to answer...

AV probably meant that God does not need satan (either we consider him to be a real being or just a personification of our evil inclinations) for Him as such. God does not have any needs as a being/substance.

He needs satan for the created world, to represent what is evil, though. So, he is needed for a specific purpose in that world.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Time out, chief.

I thought you were an old Navy man. Can't you see Kylie is an Ensign?

 

[AV1611VET]

I thought you were an old Navy man. Can't you see Kylie is an Ensign?

Good point! Looks like Captain's Mast for me!

 

[AV1611VET]

AV probably meant that God does not need satan (either we consider him to be a real being or just a personification of our evil inclinations) for Him as such. God does not have any needs as a being/substance.

Kylie wanted to know why God didn't just annihilate Satan, and that would be the end of it.

But insurrections don't work that way, and I pointed out that another angel would just take his place.

Now she wants to know why God doesn't just annihilate the whole shebang.

You answer one question, and the questions just get worse.

Eventually you just have to quit responding and roll with the punches that come afterward.

 

[trophy33]

Kylie wanted to know why God didn't just annihilate Satan, and that would be the end of it.

But insurrections don't work that way, and I pointed out that another angel would just take his place.

Now she wants to know why God doesn't just annihilate the whole shebang.

You answer one question, and the questions just get worse.

Eventually you just have to quit responding and roll with the punches that come afterward.

The answer is quite simple - because Satan serves his purpose. Like for example wolves serve their purpose.

Demanding the immediate destruction of everything that is unpleasant to us is childish and too simplistic.

 

[AV1611VET]

The answer is quite simple - because Satan serves his purpose.

Who's purpose? Satans, or God's?

God certainly didn't purpose Satan.

God purposed Lucifer.

But Lucifer exercised his freewill and rebelled, and a third of the angelic realm rebelled with him.

Should God annihilate Satan, I'm sure there are many candidates willing to take his place.

 

[trophy33]

Who's purpose? Satans, or God's?

God certainly didn't purpose Satan.

God purposed Lucifer.

But Lucifer exercised his freewill and rebelled, and a third of the angelic realm rebelled with him.

Should God annihilate Satan, I'm sure there are many candidates willing to take his place.

Everything is designed, from past to future, to serve its purpose. Nothing is out of control, not even our will.

 

[Kylie]

AV probably meant that God does not need satan (either we consider him to be a real being or just a personification of our evil inclinations) for Him as such. God does not have any needs as a being/substance.

He needs satan for the created world, to represent what is evil, though. So, he is needed for a specific purpose in that world.

Why have evil in the first place though?

And if Satan hadn't gone against God, what would God have done? Would God have created some entity specifically to be evil?

 

[Kylie]

Kylie wanted to know why God didn't just annihilate Satan, and that would be the end of it.

But insurrections don't work that way, and I pointed out that another angel would just take his place.

Now she wants to know why God doesn't just annihilate the whole shebang.

You answer one question, and the questions just get worse.

Eventually you just have to quit responding and roll with the punches that come afterward.

Seems that the questions aren't getting worse, they are getting unanswerable (for you, at least).

 

[AV1611VET]

Would God have created some entity specifically to be evil?

No.

 

[Kylie]

Who's purpose? Satans, or God's?

God certainly didn't purpose Satan.

God purposed Lucifer.

But Lucifer exercised his freewill and rebelled, and a third of the angelic realm rebelled with him.

Should God annihilate Satan, I'm sure there are many candidates willing to take his place.

And again I ask why God doesn't just get rid of all the candidates as well.

 

[AV1611VET]

Seems that the questions aren't getting worse, they are getting unanswerable (for you, at least).

You should see me try to answer algebra questions!

 

[AV1611VET]

And again I ask why God doesn't just get rid of all the candidates as well.

I give up.

Why?

 

[jayem]

I haven’t read every post in this thread. My question may have already been addressed.

If Adam had absolutely perfect teeth, why would he be seeing a dentist?

 

[AV1611VET]

I haven’t read every post in this thread. My question may have already been addressed.

If Adam had absolutely perfect teeth, why would he be seeing a dentist?

Routine checkup.

 

[jayem]

Routine checkup.

But you said he'd never yet eaten:

He lists his age as 20 years old, says he has never eaten yet, and you examine him.

Someone claiming to be 20 years old, who says he's never eaten, would need way more than a routine dental checkup. He'd need a full medical, neurological, and psychiatric exam.

 

[AV1611VET]

Someone claiming to be 20 years old, who says he's never eaten, would need way more than a routine dental checkup. He'd need a full medical, neurological, and psychiatric exam.

I take it voting MIRACLE is not an option then?

 

[jayem]

I take it voting MIRACLE is not an option then?

I'd vote DEBACLE. In the intellectual sense. It saddens me that in the 21st century, some people still believe in ancient myths.

 

[AV1611VET]

I'd vote DEBACLE. In the intellectual sense. It saddens me that in the 21st century, some people still believe in ancient myths.

I would say, that if what happened in the OP happened tomorrow, all "ancient myths" can take a hike.

I'm just wondering how you would explain it, if you were the dentist.

If you said it didn't happen, then you'd be lying to yourself.

If you said it did happen, but it reminded you of some "ancient myth" isn't really assessing your experience properly.

 

[Kylie]

I give up.

Why?

You tell me. You're the one who is claiming he's not doing it.

As for me, I don't need the same religious explanation you seem to require to explain why there's evil. When a religion claims there is an all powerful God who is also all knowing and all loving, then the existence of evil is an insurmountable problem. There can be no answer that stands up to any scrutiny. That, I think is why you have refused to answer the question - because you know you can't provide one.

But from an atheistic point of view, the answer is very simple. There is no God, there is no devil, and people are sometimes just really horrible. No need to invent evil spirits to explain it.