A question for atheists part 2

[Kenny]

I wouldn’t ask God to do the impossible, I would just ask for what I see as practical.

I think your prayers were answered Kenny!

The response was not in reference to prayers, but about what I would want God to be like if he existed. On my second response I gave a list of what he would be like.

Ken

[Storyteller]

This is three part - Do you want there to be a God? Why/why not? What would he or she be like if the answer is yes?

Good question! I don’t think I’ve ever considered that question. Now that I thought about it, I think it depends upon what this God is like. For the most part, I don’t think I would want there to be one; I am happy with things as they are. I’m sure it would be cool and all as long as he is your friend, and is on your side, but what happens if he turns on you and is no longer on your side? Doesn’t sound good.

If God were to exist, I would prefer he were the type to just stay out of our business and allow humankind to sink or swim with the decisions we make.

Ken

So your god would be indifferent and detached from human suffering?

He would never interfere with us. The most horrific acts would elude him?

So he would be more like an impersonal force of some kind?

Say you just saw the person you love the most in the world about to get tortured and raped and it continue for years on end.

Would you not choose your God to be personal and capable of choice?

To be powerful enough to stop it if no human being could?

I’m going to change up on my previous response. If God were to exist, I would prefer he have the ability of the God as described in the Bible, but would do things differently. He would do the opposite of what I previously said and keep in constant contact with mankind giving us a consistent message of what he expects of us and who he is, thus preventing the establishing of false Gods to worship. This would likely end all the hatred, killing, and pain associated with opposing religious beliefs.
[He does, through the Bible, and prayer.

He would also have created a world where it is easier to do the right thing because there would be no Satan, Devil, or forces that work against him to tempt his creation to doing the wrong thing. This would make life a bit more peaceful

Where would our freedom to choose be?

[/quote="Kenny"]He also would have created a world where all the water is useful for the survival of his creation and fruits and vegetables would grow wild the way crabgrass and useless weeds do now, thus ending starvation and all the the violence and suffering associated with it

I think I'm correct in saying that there is enough food and water on this planet for us all, if only we shared.

He would have created the Universe in a way that is not 99.99999% hostile to human life

And yet here we are. And you still really believe this was an accident?

Parasites would not exist because he would create a world where useless and harmful insects would not exist,

He also wouldn’t be the type of God that requires worship. He would be too modest to insist his creation fall to their knees, and grovel at his feet in a way that I wouldn’t expect from my dog; just knowing his creation loves him would be enough for him

Where does He insist on us falling to our knees and grovel? I love and respect God. Why wouldnt I want to show that?
That’s enough for now, perhaps I will think of some more later


Ken

[Storyteller]

sorry, on kindle so difficukt to quote.

[Byblos]

I wouldn’t ask God to do the impossible, I would just ask for what I see as practical.

I think your prayers were answered Kenny!

The response was not in reference to prayers, but about what I would want God to be like if he existed. On my second response I gave a list of what he would be like.

Ken

Kenny you're no fun any more when even sarcasm escapes you.

[Kenny]

This is three part - Do you want there to be a God? Why/why not? What would he or she be like if the answer is yes?

Good question! I don’t think I’ve ever considered that question. Now that I thought about it, I think it depends upon what this God is like. For the most part, I don’t think I would want there to be one; I am happy with things as they are. I’m sure it would be cool and all as long as he is your friend, and is on your side, but what happens if he turns on you and is no longer on your side? Doesn’t sound good.

If God were to exist, I would prefer he were the type to just stay out of our business and allow humankind to sink or swim with the decisions we make.

Ken

So your god would be indifferent and detached from human suffering?

He would never interfere with us. The most horrific acts would elude him?

So he would be more like an impersonal force of some kind?

Say you just saw the person you love the most in the world about to get tortured and raped and it continue for years on end.

Would you not choose your God to be personal and capable of choice?

To be powerful enough to stop it if no human being could?

I’m going to change up on my previous response. If God were to exist, I would prefer he have the ability of the God as described in the Bible, but would do things differently. He would do the opposite of what I previously said and keep in constant contact with mankind giving us a consistent message of what he expects of us and who he is, thus preventing the establishing of false Gods to worship. This would likely end all the hatred, killing, and pain associated with opposing religious beliefs.
[He does, through the Bible, and prayer.

He would also have created a world where it is easier to do the right thing because there would be no Satan, Devil, or forces that work against him to tempt his creation to doing the wrong thing. This would make life a bit more peaceful

Where would our freedom to choose be?

[/quote="Kenny"]He also would have created a world where all the water is useful for the survival of his creation and fruits and vegetables would grow wild the way crabgrass and useless weeds do now, thus ending starvation and all the the violence and suffering associated with it

I think I'm correct in saying that there is enough food and water on this planet for us all, if only we shared.

He would have created the Universe in a way that is not 99.99999% hostile to human life

And yet here we are. And you still really believe this was an accident?

Parasites would not exist because he would create a world where useless and harmful insects would not exist,

He also wouldn’t be the type of God that requires worship. He would be too modest to insist his creation fall to their knees, and grovel at his feet in a way that I wouldn’t expect from my dog; just knowing his creation loves him would be enough for him

Where does He insist on us falling to our knees and grovel? I love and respect God. Why wouldnt I want to show that?
That’s enough for now, perhaps I will think of some more later


Ken

Storyteller
[He does, through the Bible, and prayer.

Ken
When I said “give a constant message” I was referring to all of mankind, not just the those who read the bible. If such a message were given to everyone, I doubt false religions would have even been able to get started.

Storyteller
Where would our freedom to choose be?

Ken
Our freedom would still be intact as now, we just wouldn’t have Satan attempting to lead us astray.

Storyteller
I think I'm correct in saying that there is enough food and water on this planet for us all, if only we shared.

Ken
Sharing isn’t enough when you have people in power who care more about their power than they do about those who need help. The US and UN evolvement in Somalia proved that. If food and water were much easier to get to like in my scenario, those in power would not have been able to control the food and water thus nobody would have starved.

Storyteller
And yet here we are. And you still really believe this was an accident?

Ken
I never said anything was an accident, just that the vast majority of the Universe is useless to us.

Storyteller
Where does He insist on us falling to our knees and grovel? I love and respect God. Why wouldnt I want to show that?

Ken
I love and respect my father, but if I were to get on my knees, he would be offended.

Storyteller
That’s enough for now, perhaps I will think of some more later

Ken
Looking foreword to more of your replies


Ken

[Dazedandconfused]

kenny,

I have been following some of these threads, and I have a some questions for you.

I noticed that you deny objective morality, and you believe subjective morality is what exists.

So,
I would like to see if your morality worldview is consistent.

If you will answer some questions, I can attempt to find out.

According to your morality, are the following, good or bad? Simply put a "good" or "bad" after each word. If you find that any of the words aren't good or bad, then you can say so. But, they're pretty black and white words.

Love
Hate
Selfishness
Altruism
Murder
Rape
Truth
Lies

[Kenny]

kenny,

I have been following some of these threads, and I have a some questions for you.

I noticed that you deny objective morality, and you believe subjective morality is what exists.

So,
I would like to see if your morality worldview is consistent.

If you will answer some questions, I can attempt to find out.

According to your morality, are the following, good or bad? Simply put a "good" or "bad" after each word. If you find that any of the words aren't good or bad, then you can say so. But, they're pretty black and white words.

Love
Hate
Selfishness
Altruism
Murder
Rape
Truth
Lies

Good question! As I said before, I define morality as the ability to understand the consequences of actions and how they affect your neighbor. And it starts from the position that what is harmful to your neighbor is bad, and what is helpful to your neighbor is good.
Of the list you provided; Love, Altruism, and Truth are what I consider helpful to your neighbor, all the rest on the list I consider to be harmful.

Ken

[Dazedandconfused]

kenny,

I have been following some of these threads, and I have a some questions for you.

I noticed that you deny objective morality, and you believe subjective morality is what exists.

So,
I would like to see if your morality worldview is consistent.

If you will answer some questions, I can attempt to find out.

According to your morality, are the following, good or bad? Simply put a "good" or "bad" after each word. If you find that any of the words aren't good or bad, then you can say so. But, they're pretty black and white words.

Love
Hate
Selfishness
Altruism
Murder
Rape
Truth
Lies

Good question! As I said before, I define morality as the ability to understand the consequences of actions and how they affect your neighbor. And it starts from the position that what is harmful to your neighbor is bad, and what is helpful to your neighbor is good.
Of the list you provided; Love, Altruism, and Truth are what I consider helpful to your neighbor, all the rest on the list I consider to be harmful.

Ken

Thank you Kenny.

Before we continue, I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.

You have a kind of unorthodox definition of morality. Are you comfortable with this basic dictionary definition of morality?

Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.

And,

According to your subjective morality beliefs, truth, altruism, and love are good.

And hate, selfishness, murder and rape are bad.

Is that accurate?

[Kenny]

kenny,

I have been following some of these threads, and I have a some questions for you.

I noticed that you deny objective morality, and you believe subjective morality is what exists.

So,
I would like to see if your morality worldview is consistent.

If you will answer some questions, I can attempt to find out.

According to your morality, are the following, good or bad? Simply put a "good" or "bad" after each word. If you find that any of the words aren't good or bad, then you can say so. But, they're pretty black and white words.

Love
Hate
Selfishness
Altruism
Murder
Rape
Truth
Lies

Good question! As I said before, I define morality as the ability to understand the consequences of actions and how they affect your neighbor. And it starts from the position that what is harmful to your neighbor is bad, and what is helpful to your neighbor is good.
Of the list you provided; Love, Altruism, and Truth are what I consider helpful to your neighbor, all the rest on the list I consider to be harmful.

Ken

Thank you Kenny.

Before we continue, I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.

You have a kind of unorthodox definition of morality. Are you comfortable with this basic dictionary definition of morality?

Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.

And,

According to your subjective morality beliefs, truth, altruism, and love are good.

And hate, selfishness, murder and rape are bad.

Is that accurate?

Yes

[Nessa]

kenny,

I have been following some of these threads, and I have a some questions for you.

I noticed that you deny objective morality, and you believe subjective morality is what exists.

So,
I would like to see if your morality worldview is consistent.

If you will answer some questions, I can attempt to find out.

According to your morality, are the following, good or bad? Simply put a "good" or "bad" after each word. If you find that any of the words aren't good or bad, then you can say so. But, they're pretty black and white words.

Love
Hate
Selfishness
Altruism
Murder
Rape
Truth
Lies

Good question! As I said before, I define morality as the ability to understand the consequences of actions and how they affect your neighbor. And it starts from the position that what is harmful to your neighbor is bad, and what is helpful to your neighbor is good.
Of the list you provided; Love, Altruism, and Truth are what I consider helpful to your neighbor, all the rest on the list I consider to be harmful.

Ken

Thank you Kenny.

Before we continue, I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.

You have a kind of unorthodox definition of morality. Are you comfortable with this basic dictionary definition of morality?

Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.

And,

According to your subjective morality beliefs, truth, altruism, and love are good.

And hate, selfishness, murder and rape are bad.

Is that accurate?

Yes

Looking forward to seeing further exchanges between you two..

Oh and 'dazedandconfused'...I seriously doubt your name always rings true from what I see so far

[Storyteller]

Good question! I don’t think I’ve ever considered that question. Now that I thought about it, I think it depends upon what this God is like. For the most part, I don’t think I would want there to be one; I am happy with things as they are. I’m sure it would be cool and all as long as he is your friend, and is on your side, but what happens if he turns on you and is no longer on your side? Doesn’t sound good.

If God were to exist, I would prefer he were the type to just stay out of our business and allow humankind to sink or swim with the decisions we make.

Ken

So your god would be indifferent and detached from human suffering?

He would never interfere with us. The most horrific acts would elude him?

So he would be more like an impersonal force of some kind?

Say you just saw the person you love the most in the world about to get tortured and raped and it continue for years on end.

Would you not choose your God to be personal and capable of choice?

To be powerful enough to stop it if no human being could?

I’m going to change up on my previous response. If God were to exist, I would prefer he have the ability of the God as described in the Bible, but would do things differently. He would do the opposite of what I previously said and keep in constant contact with mankind giving us a consistent message of what he expects of us and who he is, thus preventing the establishing of false Gods to worship. This would likely end all the hatred, killing, and pain associated with opposing religious beliefs.
[He does, through the Bible, and prayer.

He would also have created a world where it is easier to do the right thing because there would be no Satan, Devil, or forces that work against him to tempt his creation to doing the wrong thing. This would make life a bit more peaceful

Where would our freedom to choose be?

[/quote="Kenny"]He also would have created a world where all the water is useful for the survival of his creation and fruits and vegetables would grow wild the way crabgrass and useless weeds do now, thus ending starvation and all the the violence and suffering associated with it

I think I'm correct in saying that there is enough food and water on this planet for us all, if only we shared.

He would have created the Universe in a way that is not 99.99999% hostile to human life

And yet here we are. And you still really believe this was an accident?

Parasites would not exist because he would create a world where useless and harmful insects would not exist,

He also wouldn’t be the type of God that requires worship. He would be too modest to insist his creation fall to their knees, and grovel at his feet in a way that I wouldn’t expect from my dog; just knowing his creation loves him would be enough for him

Where does He insist on us falling to our knees and grovel? I love and respect God. Why wouldnt I want to show that?
That’s enough for now, perhaps I will think of some more later


Ken

Storyteller
[He does, through the Bible, and prayer.

Ken
When I said “give a constant message” I was referring to all of mankind, not just the those who read the bible. If such a message were given to everyone, I doubt false religions would have even been able to get started.
Thats why evangilism is important. To ensure the message is heard.
Storyteller
Where would our freedom to choose be?

Ken
Our freedom would still be intact as now, we just wouldn’t have Satan attempting to lead us astray.So you believe in Satan but not God?

Storyteller
I think I'm correct in saying that there is enough food and water on this planet for us all, if only we shared.

Ken
Sharing isn’t enough when you have people in power who care more about their power than they do about those who need help. The US and UN evolvement in Somalia proved that. If food and water were much easier to get to like in my scenario, those in power would not have been able to control the food and water thus nobody would have starved.You dont know that. We have more than enough now yet greed and corruption still exists.

Storyteller
And yet here we are. And you still really believe this was an accident?

Ken
I never said anything was an accident, just that the vast majority of the Universe is useless to us.
Which makes it even more miraculous.
Storyteller
Where does He insist on us falling to our knees and grovel? I love and respect God. Why wouldnt I want to show that?

Ken
I love and respect my father, but if I were to get on my knees, he would be offended.
But do you worship him? Would you bow to royalty? Its a sign of respect. I dont think God cares if you kneel, sit or stand not if you worship Him.
Storyteller
That’s enough for now, perhaps I will think of some more later

Ken
Looking foreword to more of your replies


Ken

hope the colour works, easier than quoting on kindle.

[Kenny]

Storyteller
Thats why evangilism is important. To ensure the message is heard.

Ken
But if a constant message were given you wouldn’t need flawed, sinful, and imperfect men who give messages that contradict to evangelize.
Evangelizing is like putting a flawed bandage on a wound where as giving a constant message is like preventing the wound in the first place

Storyteller
So you believe in Satan but not God?

Ken
I’m speaking hypothetically

Storyteller
.You dont know that. We have more than enough now yet greed and corruption still exists.

Ken
You don’t remember the humanitarian effort the US and the UN attempted in Somalia in 1992? That stuff really happened!
Again; trying to feed a corrupt country rather than them being able to feed themselves is putting a flawed bandage on a wound rather than preventing the wound in the first place.

Storyteller
Which makes it even more miraculous.

Ken
Would you prefer miraculous and useless, or unmiraculous and useful?

Storyteller
But do you worship him?

Ken
I worship nobody.

Storyteller
Would you bow to royalty? Its a sign of respect.

Ken
I am American; we believe all men are equal. If I bow to royalty out of respect, he better bow back to me out of respect. I find it offensive for another man to expect me to bow to him because he has royal blood but I do not. Never!



Ken

[BGoodForGoodSake]

Not to throw a wrench into things but...

Love can be harmful. As everyone expresses love differently, it can lead to serious misunderstanding and misgivings.

Hate can be beneficial. It's a raw emotion which can help someone survive harrowing situations.

Selfishness can be beneficial. A mother's desire to care for her child at the cost of another can ensure that the child lives on. A Pharoh's quest for immortality, can lead to great achievements appreciated by countless others in the distant future.

Altruism can be harmful. The one who receives could be filled with pride, and this can generate ill will and hatred.

Murder, well that's just bad. But unlike the above, this isn't an emotional state. I don't think it belongs in this list.
Rape same as murder.

Truth can be harmful. If a person went around being honest all the time, I am sure that many will find this offensive.

Lies can be beneficial. A certain amount of it is necessary to keep the peace. If a friend shows you their art and is obviously proud, most people would say they love it because they love their friend. There's the truth(love of friend), and there's the truth(objectively hideous art).

[abelcainsbrother]

Truth can be harmful. If a person went around being honest all the time, I am sure that many will find this offensive.

Who cares about being offensive if you have the truth? The truth is the only way to know the truth,if people get offended from hearing the truth? So what. I'd much,much rather believe the truth and be in the minority than be in the majority believing lies.

Plus the majority has been wrong so many times in history for both believers and non-believers God has nothing to do with it,it is a man problem only for years later to be discovered wrong and then you realize all of the people that were duped living at that time and yet they were wrong. It still happens today too just like in history and so the majority of people claiming something is true need to be scrutinized the most today.

[Nessa]

Who cares about being offensive if you have the truth? The truth is the only way to know the truth,if people get offended from hearing the truth? So what. I'd much,much rather believe the truth and be in the minority than be in the majority believing lies.

Bible does say to speak the truth in love

Ephesians 4:15