> You wrote:
> >
> > geez, how easy does it get.
> >
> > Evil = man
> >
> > wipe man off the face of the earth and evil goes away.
>
> Geez, Tim. You keep coming up with these simple answers for free, you're
>gonna put a lot of theologians out of work.
>
> That is actually one of the common answers: evil is due to humanity.
>
> The problem, in Christianity, is now we have to reconcile three
>overlapping principles:
> - God is good and loving
If creation is considered an act of love fine.
> - God is all-powerful
Creation is all-powerful
> - People have free will
umm... yeah, if they understand what they are up against.
In a way this train of thought is the double edged sword of our being. Lets
take the "be here now" principal. One way of looking at that is I can do
anything I want because only this moment matters. So why not kidnap and
rape the babe that works at the coffee shop? When I'm done I'm done. So
what?
On the other hand, you could take that as being "be here now" in the realm
of a all powerful infinite force in the universe, in which everything is
connected.
> which I would argue is possible, though perhaps not obvious.
>
> For Tim, I think the problem is:
> - The Universe is Good
> - People are Evil
> - There is no external, personal source of evil (i.e., Devil)
>
> So, where does evil come from? Did man invent it himself? Is not man a
>part of the universe?
Yeah. Man did. As far as man being a part of the universe. No he is not.
Since we are not infinite and the universe is, we are finite guests in a
infinite space.
If you want to get really heavy about it that is what most of the bible is
trying to say, starting with the garden of eden. Man is going to commit
acts of evil. And other men are going to have to suffer for them. The
concept of Satan "tricking" man is a metaphor for the physical ( finite)
realities on earth. Evil or Satan takes a physical form (finite) to
"tempt" man.
I've always thought about the little beaver. Imagine man as the beaver. We
build our little damn, then others destroy it because we built too good of
a damn, then we pollute the waters around the damn, then we kill each other
fighting over who owns the damn, etc.
Given that, you would have to say beavers were pretty stupid animals and
wonder how they survived.
So modifying your 3:
The Universe just "is." It is infinite. We as finite beings can't really
understand this principle.
Man is Evil
There is no external, personal source of evil.
I once read a good explanation of Evil. If your dogs needs it's tail cut
off and you have it cut off that is not evil. Cutting it off one inch at a
time over many weeks is evil.
Tim
-
Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
-Toa Te Ching
<>tbyars@earthlink.net <>