Christians, how would you counter this quote by Epicurus?

reply to post by Seed76

Further i have a feeling that is a troll thread about how the christian God is evil etc,

The fact, which you point out, that the OP is conspicuously absent from the tread, supports this idea.

Originally posted by IEtherianSoul9

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” - Epicurus

thinkexist.com...

God punishes the evil but if he prevented all evil from happening he would be eliminating free will. If man was not allowed to act, he would be living in a prison. Also God does not view evil the same way you do. A tiny bird is spooked by loud noises and thinks it is danger, you on the other hand do not think loud noises are evil, but perhaps a nuissance, God views nothing as a nuissance but certain evil as error.

"If God is great he is not good, if God is good he is not God, take the even take the odd."

These are the words of the more cynical of the two opposing characters in Archibald MacLeish's play, J.B., working off the biblical story of Job.

My answer would be, 'He is God, just not exactly the same sort of god as the one of modern mythology.'

You can remember Corinthians, so try to recall 2-6-10.

What is joy?

GOD'S RESPONSE
Let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy. Psalm 68:3

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 2 Corinthians 6: 10

✤ Joy is the celebration of walking in God's presence. It is an inner happiness that lasts despite the circumstances around you because it is based on a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are a believer, this gives you absolute confidence that God is personal and involved in your life, that evil will one day be defeated forever, and that heaven is a reality. With this new perspective, you realize that your feelings may go up and down, but joy runs so deep that nothing can take it away.

reply to post by IEtherianSoul9


His premise is wrong. GOD works EVIL to people, nations, and races as well. In other words, God does what He wants, when He wants, and your belief or non-belief in Him is of no consequence to any one other than yourself. Hope you choose your side wisely.

Free will. I find it funny when people put up these quotes, or question, Gods power, expecting Gods power to be in the realm of human imagination or possibility. You cant comprehend it, you cant understand it. Try to explain to a cockroach what its like to be human. Or try to get a dog to explain what its like to be a dog to you. Ill wait.

Originally posted by IEtherianSoul9

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” - Epicurus

thinkexist.com...

Romans 3:8

And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

bibleresources.bible.com... mit.y=0&version=9&page=1

Originally posted by IEtherianSoul9

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” - Epicurus

thinkexist.com...

Why do you ask people? Why don't you ask it to Himself?

Originally posted by IEtherianSoul9

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” - Epicurus

thinkexist.com...

Epicurus said that matter cannot dissolve into "nothing" because "something" cannot come from "nothing" so "something" cannot become "nothing" because atoms (the building blocks of matter) are "complete" in nature. He also believes that the entire universe is made up of atoms and therefore the Universe is complete and if it is complete then there is nothing lacking or needed.

My theory (not as a Christian.. cause im not ) is that our current state of awareness is "incomplete" and the illusion of evil comes from our "incomplete state of consciousness" we see ourselves as individuals instead of being a part of the whole.

Its like an artist wanted to make a picture to express how great he felt and we are all random colors that make up the picture..now each color is different but together make the beautiful work of art that spawned from the artist great feeling..if the artist gave each color its own "mind", brown may not like yellow because yellow stands out more or red may only like blue out of all the other colors (sorry for the poor example :lol but the colors wouldn't even realize that they are part of a complete picture inspired by a good feeling.

to take it further, the colors may not even know their true nature..that they are all frequencies and wavelengths of visible light.. so....with all that thurr....i think Evil comes from our incomplete state of consciousness...