Ego Tripping

If God is All, God is also Evil.

But, God is often related in every Religion and Belief to be related to Light and Love.

What is Negativity and Evil and what do you feel its here for (if anything)?

If God is All, is God also Evil?

What is Negativity and Evil?

Discuss.

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snapshot

In Aristotle's theory (pulling name out of my ass. I did learn this in History of Philosophy 230-something) that:

God is All-being. All things emminate from God.

The further away from God something is, the less being it is, or has, and;

there's a heirarchial chain to God. Things like evil and material are things that are furthest from God.


Humans are the closest living thing because, we assume (or he assumed) that humans we're the most advanced (or some other semantical form) species on earth. Like species, the further away from God you went, the more material things became. A tree is not God, but it is closer to God than a rock because it has more being. It is alive.

I didn't really throw morality into there. That's either completely intrinsic or it's own separate issue entirely (at least in my head).
Etc. discuss.

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We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

Ego Tripping

A serial killer has almost orgasmic feelings in another persons "hell." Thus, does even Evil have to Love?

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UltraFace

Tough question for someone who believes in none of the subjects.

snapshot

Feelings are strictly material and rely on chemical reactions, which rely on bodily functions functioning properly, that rely on the brain, that relies on the being (or state) of the person.

I just drew a 5-degree line from 'feelings' to 'being.' 5-degrees of separation is almost 6; which is as far as you can go before exploding exponentially far from the center: 'being.' My logic may only apply to this particular situation, but I applied it, dammit.

The closer to being, the closer to God. Evil relies on someone to be evil. For that someone to be evil they have to want to do evil, and for that to happen, their body must have a rewards systems for what we could consider amoral actions. Through the chemical actions and reactions, evil can be justified. Evil might even feel good. In fact, it should, physically, "feel" good. And physically, it should also "feel" bad. Anything with any "feeling" at all is closer to "evil" than not feeling. As feeling is strictly material, and relies on our bodies; so does being rely on God.


I'm not high so it either made no, perfect, or some sense at all.

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We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

snapshot

You don't have to "believe" in semantics to unwittingly argue semantics.

On the contrary, you know exactly what those words mean, and their connotations. Whether you believe them, or in them, does not matter.

Our words and beliefs will not negate their meaning.

I see this argument as purely semantic, until you start to get deep into the uncharted territories of philosophy and theology; where belief systems crumble and faith begins to take over; but, like a tub of hot water, one can ease themselves in without getting burned, or one can jump right in and want to jump right out again.

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We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

SweetSativa

I have said that I do not believe in evil, but I am not so sure from here. If I believe in evil, I believe in it as an energy... and IF everything were/ is created by God, then evil is also created by God. If we believe that man has the ability to create, then man may have 'created' evil... by charging neutral energy in a 'negative' (subjective term) way. In behavioral science, negative does not connotate 'bad' but rather 'absence of' or 'taking away'... if the primary source of energy comes from something that we will call 'God' and is indeed 'love' (as was written in the bible) then when the qualities that make it up are taken from it, it becomes less like love and more like something else... possibly evil.

Truly, I cannot say what God is. I can speculate what I feel (which is also in a constant state of flux) but I truly see no need to define God. This world is one of duality (or so it is said); and remains in balance. Most evil in this world is subject to harsh judgement and a lack of attempt at understanding. We think of evil in terms of human behavior. If someone hurts another, we say that it is 'evil', thereby explaining it in RELIGIOUS terms rather than disecting that particular behavior in order to better understand. What makes us do this? FEAR of understanding 'evil'. Fear that if we wake to our 'dark side' in order to empathize with another, we will become fixed there and ourselves become evil. I do not adhere to this but many do and this is the reason that there is such dogma surrounding various practices within spirituality and the 'decent God-fearing Christians' (and I don't mean to dump on Christians here) are quick to judge, to point fingers and whisper rumors, etc. It all becomes relative... are drugs evil (some think so), are "bad words" evil? Most people believe that it is wrong to hurt another person without just cause ... but then, what is just cause? Is there just cause when that person has hurt a family member or has hurt you? How about in cases of self-defense? What if they said something bad about your mother or your girlfriend or your sister? It's all a matter of personal boundaries that we sit. I know that I am rather straying from the original topic a bit but my point is that it is difficult to answer the question when evil is not defined. If I were to define 'evil'; it would be a system sat up prohibiting freedom and the persuit of happiness... of LIBERTY. Where certain truths are exploited into weapons of mind control through fear and judgement by men who know truth but want it all for themselves... or in their souls know truth but hide it even from themselves ...

"There is one question I'd really love to ask
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
who has hurt all man-kind
just to save his own belief?" Bob Marley- One Love

"The system" is religion... "WE" are the government.... all we have to do is to realize it... all at once.

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"Why is it that when people talk to God, we call it praying but when God talks to people, we call it crazy?"- Touched by an Angel
http://www.youtube.com/user/immelody.../0/DDRj93dQ0O0

snapshot

Why not define God as the all-inclusive, being?

Non-being=non-existance. I really can't conceive anything unconceivable, ie-non-existent. So I can only deduce that the opposite of the non-being, unconceivable/inconceivable would be the all-being, all-existent "GOD".

Ss, I think you're more making love to the gray areas surrounding the given words rather than the words themselves. I try to really have mental intercourse with the words. Let them spray their juices all over your brain and indulge in the delicacies of the subtle mind.


Or just put aside your belief systems and start making shit up and try to make it sound logical like I did.

__________________
We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

SweetSativa

^hmmmm.... maybe. I do enjoy reading your posts... they're thought provoking and what-not. I do play in the gray because everything (even a word) is not black and white. My personal belief is that words carry great power (spirit) when written in spirit. I have always felt (from having others shove crap down my throat that I just couldn't swallow.... metaphorically speaking of course ) that thoughts of a spiritual nature should be open to interpretation and that none is necessarily wrong.... that 'the way' is different for everyone and 'the light' shines for each of us, in a very personal way (the light= the way=clarity/ the dark= confusion). Well anyway, I enjoy reading every post and pov because it expands my own when it is read in a way in which, "It may be 'right'/ it may be 'wrong' but it's fun to imagine the possibilities. I have only my own eyes through which to see and that is why I love to read the words that come directly from that of someone else. I know that there is NO WAY to view the world objectively but I still strive to do so. From my view (and this may not really relate to what you are referring to) doctrines are taken many times at face value instead of seeing the possiblity that they may have held a higher meaning ("I am the way, the truth, and the light... no man shall come unto the kingdom of heaven but through me") or a different meaning than the way that they are read. Therefore, Jesus is God and unless you worship him (the man, Jesus) as God... you will not find the way to heaven. So, this is the basis in my writing... the way that I feel and the way that I 'feel' that some others will relate to me.... our interpretations are what CAUSE US to be individuals and having everything force-fed (even without our knowledge from the time of birth) takes from us, that creativity/ that individuality and the beauty of our unique spirit. To me 'evil' and 'good' are subject STRONGLY to individual interpretation. I also cannot imagine anything outside of existance and love the first part of your post. Actually... I guess that we ALL DID imagine NOTHING... but it is still SOMETHING ...

blah, blah, blah... sorry 'bout that ... we each have our own way to view the world and the words. In the beginning was the word... and the words was with God and the word was God.

__________________
"Why is it that when people talk to God, we call it praying but when God talks to people, we call it crazy?"- Touched by an Angel
http://www.youtube.com/user/immelody.../0/DDRj93dQ0O0

JahBohl

The problem is that when one defines their "god" as all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good, it contradicts the reality of suffering and evil. Why would a perfectly "good" god allow for such pain and suffering? I would contend that there are two possibilies: either this "god" is a twisted evil bastard for allowing all these atrocities to occur (especially the ones in his name), or there is no god. Apologetics will cry something along the lines of free will, or some bullshit about how God allows for evil in order to achieve greater goods. It's an interesting argument on both sides.

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"If you know what life is worth, then you would look for yours right here on Earth" ~Peter Tosh

I'm in favor of it as long as it's multiple choice. ~Kurt Rambis, on drug testing

Ego Tripping

The minute you say "god" you are defining it as something seperate and external from you.

To define God is to define yourself.

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snapshot

Also, IF YOU HAD READ WHAT I WROTE EARLIER (how many times have you heard that before), I explained evil as more "not good" than it's own device.

I didn't say that God was "A" being. I said that God was "being" or, in the infinitive form, to be. In other words, "God is." Like Ego said, you are apart of God (at least in our definition). God is a verb. Not a noun. God does not have a penis, God is all penises, all-at-once.

P.s.It's apologists. I have no idea what an apologist is, though.

Maybe you should try knocking the idea out of your head (for a while) that God is not a person, does not have thoughts independent from our own, and has character/personality traits, such as "twisted" and "evil".

Now, come back and give me your best interpretation of God.

__________________
We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

Waves

they seem like good ideas but i dont practice any of them. good and evil exists only in our minds so while im living here i think im going to stick to objective concepts, like dont let anyone shoot me. Throwing your morals to the side is a great exercise in freedom.

JahBohl

I read what you posted (no need to be snippy). I think you're caught up in semantics. Are you trying to say that evil does not exist? Pain and suffering aren't "evil", they're just "not good"?

My post was more of a reference to the traditional religious view of "God" as some sort of being/creator. You want to define god as everything in the universe....that's fine.

Apologetics:
1 : systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine)
2 : a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity

My interpretation? God is a man created concept, as real as an invisible flying elephant......i.e non-existent. Can you conceive that?

__________________
"If you know what life is worth, then you would look for yours right here on Earth" ~Peter Tosh

I'm in favor of it as long as it's multiple choice. ~Kurt Rambis, on drug testing

Waves

Good thinkin

snapshot

That's right, pain and suffering are not good, but I'm not caught up in semantics. That's the most offensive thing I've heard all day. I know I'm using semantics. When other people point out that I'm using semantics though, I get confused. My arguments are sound, but who cares if they're semantical. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. The point of talking isn't to convince you of mine or someone else's beliefs. Then I'd be "using" semantics, or coersion through logic. I'm trying to open your mind to my beliefs, not close it.

I think you kids should've been brought up on quantum mechanics before being brought up on God.

__________________
We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

snapshot

No! No it's not!

Please get me all and bothered and fan flames.


Anyway, pink elephant. Same as the number one. Can you go out and find be THE number 1. No, but you can show me a symbol and call it "one." It won't be One. Just a representation of it.

__________________
We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

snapshot

What happened to hot and bothered? Fanned flames?

In conclusion, flying elephants exist just as much as God, except God is everywhere you look and flying elephants are everywhere that you don't look.

__________________
We are all atheists about most of the gods that society has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
-Richard Dawkins

JahBohl

Using your logic: You can show me everything and call it "god". It won't be everything, just your representation.

In conclusion, both god and flying invisible elephants are in your imagination.

__________________
"If you know what life is worth, then you would look for yours right here on Earth" ~Peter Tosh

I'm in favor of it as long as it's multiple choice. ~Kurt Rambis, on drug testing

UltraFace

Good job Jahbohl, I knew you could articulate better than myself.

To me good and evil are just human concepts that are perceived, and only exist in the human mind.