Religion

marylandblue

(12,344 posts)

5. Before I became agnostic, I concluded that.God was

Mon Nov 6, 2017, 10:54 AM

Nov 2017

either not omnipotent or not all good. I did not get many followers among theists, yet this is the near universal conclusion of non-Abrahamic religions since antiquity. In many ways, monotheism is a step backwards, because it creates a God even further removed from our ordinary experience than the pagan gods. Pagans understood that life was chaotic, so the gods are chaotic. Monotheists expect everything to be ordered and get upset when it is not.

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Was Yesterday's Mass Shooting in Texas Part of "God's Plan?" [View all] MineralMan Nov 2017 OP

Your second paragraph says it all. 3catwoman3 Nov 2017 #1

Yes Zambero Nov 2017 #2

Always, the escape clause... longship Nov 2017 #3

Thoughts and prayers? Are they a waste of time, then? MineralMan Nov 2017 #4

It goes to the concept that there's some spooky guy in the sky to pray to. longship Nov 2017 #12

Before I became agnostic, I concluded that.God was marylandblue Nov 2017 #5

I transitioned through agnosticism quickly. MineralMan Nov 2017 #6

I am stuck with agnosticism I think marylandblue Nov 2017 #14

Atheists don't have to be 100% certain of anything. Mariana Nov 2017 #36

Depends on the usage of 'atheist' and 'agnostic'. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #50

Humans are a flawed and failed species. democratisphere Nov 2017 #7

Well, "nature" has a plan, and it ain't pretty. The same flaws over god(s) are going to kill us Nay Nov 2017 #47

Your argument is pseudo-profound doo-doo. DetlefK Nov 2017 #8

Thank you for your assessment. Really. MineralMan Nov 2017 #9

I could have used a different word, but I think "doo-doo" properly conveys my feelings. DetlefK Nov 2017 #10

Well, we all use the words that are in our active vocabulary. MineralMan Nov 2017 #11

Hehe. You said "vocabulary". DetlefK Nov 2017 #13

God works in mysterious ways. Accept it, just like FOX News. Hoyt Nov 2017 #15

And like Fox News, I don't have to accept anything. MineralMan Nov 2017 #16

Our relationship with God... yallerdawg Nov 2017 #17

Circular reasoning. MineralMan Nov 2017 #19

Oh, bullshit. Act_of_Reparation Nov 2017 #21

Same kind of thing Satan said to Jesus high on a mountain! yallerdawg Nov 2017 #22

Good point. True Dough Nov 2017 #28

For claiming not to be a Christian, trotsky Nov 2017 #23

Broadly condemning and provoking Christians and their beliefs... yallerdawg Nov 2017 #24

"thoughts and prayers" keeps us from even having a discussion about... trotsky Nov 2017 #25

I and many others can feel compassion and empathy. yallerdawg Nov 2017 #29

None of what you said addresses my post. trotsky Nov 2017 #41

I addressed your post exactly... yallerdawg Nov 2017 #48

Nope, you didn't. trotsky Nov 2017 #56

One of the most devistating stories from the Bible Lordquinton Nov 2017 #34

I'm glad you can synopsize the Bible in a couple misinformed sentences. yallerdawg Nov 2017 #39

Why do all counter arguments leave out the important detail Lordquinton Nov 2017 #82

AND YET, god prevented adam and eve from eating from the tree of life. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #51

Start with The Fall... yallerdawg Nov 2017 #63

Not granting the claimed situation is real, but if I were given a choice between free will AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #65

See? yallerdawg Nov 2017 #67

I would have the same choice that humans illustrated in the bible had. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #72

At that level, that's not a choice. yallerdawg Nov 2017 #78

I would choose to reject knowing what I know now. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #80

"You would choose to sin and put your soul in eternal jeopardy." trotsky Nov 2017 #83

God does not work that way. safeinOhio Nov 2017 #18

See. You used reason, rather than prayer. MineralMan Nov 2017 #20

Sounds like the semi- religious logic of a Republican... Kleveland Nov 2017 #64

No that is always the bullshit easy way out gopiscrap Nov 2017 #26

The shooter was an atheist Not Ruth Nov 2017 #27

But the people in the church weren't. smirkymonkey Nov 2017 #33

Not known at this time. The facebook 'screencap' indicating such, was fabricated. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #52

That has not been shown to be true, as far as I know. MineralMan Nov 2017 #70

Someone on another thread said "All accounts I've seen indicate he was an atheist." Not Ruth Nov 2017 #71

I'm sorry, but that isn't really evidence of anything. MineralMan Nov 2017 #73

I suppose that I could have challenged it Not Ruth Nov 2017 #74

That's OK. I just did, although I don't expect any evidence to MineralMan Nov 2017 #76

You state that like it's a bald fact. Mariana Nov 2017 #84

Updated as requested Not Ruth Nov 2017 #85

Same thing regarding True Dough Nov 2017 #30

Those cancer filled babies had free will. Checkmate. n/t Fix The Stupid Nov 2017 #75

So if you say that while standing over the body of a dead child Doreen Nov 2017 #31

Permit me to quote my response to another post... Binkie The Clown Nov 2017 #32

Makes no sense at all zipplewrath Nov 2017 #35

There is either logic or there is not. MineralMan Nov 2017 #37

Logic is the beginning of wisdom zipplewrath Nov 2017 #38

Faulty premise; faulty logic. MineralMan Nov 2017 #40

Faith based reasoning zipplewrath Nov 2017 #42

I'll just let you think about that. MineralMan Nov 2017 #43

You're not as clever as you imagine. zipplewrath Nov 2017 #55

Hmm...your three steps are not the ones I followed at all. MineralMan Nov 2017 #59

You may not have zipplewrath Nov 2017 #62

Lack of faith. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #54

Neither was the OP claim zipplewrath Nov 2017 #57

Easy to understand things that don't exist. 'Hey it doesn't exist!'; understanding achieved. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #53

I wasn't quoting the bible zipplewrath Nov 2017 #58

Sorry, it seemed like an intentional usage. AtheistCrusader Nov 2017 #61

Why, yes, of course. God needed 26 more angels since he's got special Nay Nov 2017 #44

I haven't a clue what God's plan is... HopeAgain Nov 2017 #45

I would have to be arrogant as hell to profess to know God's will. zipplewrath Nov 2017 #60

Exactly. I understand what he does for me, HopeAgain Nov 2017 #66

People question me about deities zipplewrath Nov 2017 #81

That's the Calvinist view of God bobbieinok Nov 2017 #46

You're right of course. MineralMan Nov 2017 #49

Epicurus from so long ago rurallib Nov 2017 #68

Yes. I'm familiar with that. Thanks! MineralMan Nov 2017 #69

The pastor and his wife seem to think so radical noodle Nov 2017 #77

Free will is the answer. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #79

Isn't everything? Iggo Nov 2017 #86