TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
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User ID: 616
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
Have you looked into Orthodoxy? I had similar issues with Catholicism and found a home in the Orthodox church.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
I’m sorry you couldn’t make it but I hope you were able to feast today. Christos anesti!
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
First off, I’m not worried about getting “dangerously close” to Henotheism or other issues. I’m Orthodox, we have a pretty relaxed view about the omnipotence of God compared to Catholics, or really the ability for us to know much about God beyond what Christ directly told us at all.
In regards to a God of love allowing evil - yes! That’s the fundamental paradox of the world! The thing is, this idea that God is love comes from direct mystical experience, and of course the revelation of Christ & the apostles.
It’s not even limited to Christianity. Many sects of Buddhism also posit a sort of “loving kindness” quality inherent to the Tao, or the Ground of Being. Yes it’s confusing as to why a God of Love would allow evil.
My personal answer is something like - suffering is inherently voluntary, whether we understand that or not. With the right mindset or view, this world would be Paradise, despite all the limitations. You see this in the great mystics and Saints who take the worst outcomes like torture, martyrdom, etc with a smile on their faces.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
I dont think Musk’s side has very many supporters in this theoretical breakdown.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
Perhaps before you publicly denounce other worldviews, you should make an effort to steelman them instead of fighting against caricatures.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
It is indeed a reason, there are active agents in the world that are evil, and want to hurt us. That's a reason even if you don't think it's a good, or comforting one.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
As I said to @Hoffmeister25
These are all basically the problem of theodicy written over and over. Nature's Wrath has a long history in Jewish lore of being God's wrath. God created nature, remember.
As to the reason - I don't know! Nobody truly knows the answer to theodicy. Some say it's because the devil is still at work in the world with his demons, implying God isn't fully omnipotent as we might understand it. Others say evil exists to help teach us to become good. Still others say that we couldn't have free will without evil existing in the world.
There are many answers. All I know is that I believe that God allows evil in the world for a reason.
You are basically just restating the problem of theodicy. The fact that you think it's a slam dunk against faith shows that you have not really looked into the history of the Christian church, or frankly almost any other religion, more than at a surface level. Theodicy or the problem of evil is the obvious issue with all religious faith. Religious people don't just brush it under the rug and pretend evil doesn't exist. Of course we have thought about this issue deeply, and come up with various answers to it.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
These are all basically the problem of theodicy written over and over. Nature's Wrath has a long history in Jewish lore of being God's wrath. God created nature, remember.
As to the reason - I don't know! Nobody truly knows the answer to theodicy. Some say it's because the devil is still at work in the world with his demons, implying God isn't fully omnipotent as we might understand it. Others say evil exists to help teach us to become good. Still others say that we couldn't have free will without evil existing in the world.
There are many answers. All I know is that I believe that God allows evil in the world for a reason.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
It doesn't have to be "grand" necessarily, but if you believe the universe is filled with purpose by God, I think it's one of the only ways you can see the world as a religious person. You may not understand the religious worldview as well as you think.
TheDag
Per Aspera ad Astra
11mo ago
However, the clear implication of “everything happens for a reason” is that every event has a deeper, spiritual purpose in God/Allah/Jehovah/Xenu/the universe’s plan - which is obviously nonsense, but would be profound and insightful if it was true.
This is... a very bad example to choose here. One man's "obvious nonsense" is another man's treasure. I do, in fact, believe that everything happens for a reason.
Hmm I think the schisms are a tough one man. On the one hand yes I do think being inclusive is good... on the other hand the OP was complaining about how churches are too inclusive and that has been a big problem. I think Protestantism is the shining example frankly. Once you throw open the doors to including other churches, you lose the ability to have real standards on what represents the actual Church.
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