Atheist reply to religous "question".

[Smackman]

i was equating malevolence to evil in all my statements... dunno where you guys got happiness from.

basically if god is all powerful why do half of his children have to burn for eternity? thats the equivalent of a father tying his son up in the basement permanently and whipping him daily for not mowing the lawn

[Valithan]

i was equating malevolence to evil in all my statements... dunno where you guys got happiness from.

maybe because you're a non-factor now and the discussion is moving on past you. Because you know, maybe this isn't about you — heaven forbid.

basically if god is all powerful why do half of his children have to burn for eternity?

"God" might not have to directly 'punish' anyone, the 'burning for eternity' may just be a person reaping the consequences of their own choices. Kids can be told a number of things not to do (don't wrestle near the stairs, don't touch the stove its hot, etc, etc) that aren't necessarily 'punishment', but if the advise/rules are ignored, then pain and suffering may result. If he is "all good" then he has to abide by rules, even his own rules. I certainly don't see how 'discipline' and 'consequences' are malevolent. If a person cannot, or will not act on their word, such as parents, then they have no real power.

I agree with you about progression, but I see progression as a means of attaining happiness, if that makes sense.

I agree with that sentiment. In my posts I'm pretty much just trying to present perspectives. And some of that is trying to get a build up on how "All Good" may work out for a Deity figure as I do not agree with sentiments that "All Good" must mean to the exclusion of 'Evil'.

[Smackman]

i was equating malevolence to evil in all my statements... dunno where you guys got happiness from.

maybe because you're a non-factor now and the discussion is moving on past you. Because you know, maybe this isn't about you — heaven forbid.

basically if god is all powerful why do half of his children have to burn for eternity?

"God" might not have to directly 'punish' anyone, the 'burning for eternity' may just be a person reaping the consequences of their own choices. Kids can be told a number of things not to do (don't wrestle near the stairs, don't touch the stove its hot, etc, etc) that aren't necessarily 'punishment', but if the advise/rules are ignored, then pain and suffering may result. If he is "all good" then he has to abide by rules, even his own rules. I certainly don't see how 'discipline' and 'consequences' are malevolent. If a person cannot, or will not act on their word, such as parents, then they have no real power.

I agree with you about progression, but I see progression as a means of attaining happiness, if that makes sense.

I agree with that sentiment. In my posts I'm pretty much just trying to present perspectives. And some of that is trying to get a build up on how "All Good" may work out for a Deity figure as I do not agree with sentiments that "All Good" must mean to the exclusion of 'Evil'.

okay so now we just need to find the missing link between having sex before marriage and being set on fire

[BlueLight]

Why? Anyways it seems that males start turning in to jerks after sex out side of marriage.

[Valithan]

okay so now we just need to find the missing link between having sex before marriage and being set on fire

From the perspective that it isn't 'direct punishment' from the hand of God and just a consequence kinda deal, that could be related to sexually transmitted diseases and various other urethra infections and pelvic problems. A number of them have symptoms along the lines of 'burning'

From a less silly standpoint, I've conversed with several acquaintances over the years and from those discussions I've gotten the impression that the biblical picture painted from "burning for all eternity" might be a bit exaggerated. IIRC "eternity" is just another name for "God" and based on how you translate and place some of the subject/modifier/verb relations the biblical notion of "suffering for eternity" might rather mean that people who 'sin' will be subject to "Godly Suffering" which may relate to various accounts of a son of God suffering to pay for the sins of mankind.

[talin]

okay so now we just need to find the missing link between having sex before marriage and being set on fire

From the perspective that it isn't 'direct punishment' from the hand of God and just a consequence kinda deal, that could be related to sexually transmitted diseases and various other urethra infections and pelvic problems. A number of them have symptoms along the lines of 'burning'

From a less silly standpoint, I've conversed with several acquaintances over the years and from those discussions I've gotten the impression that the biblical picture painted from "burning for all eternity" might be a bit exaggerated. IIRC "eternity" is just another name for "God" and based on how you translate and place some of the subject/modifier/verb relations the biblical notion of "suffering for eternity" might rather mean that people who 'sin' will be subject to "Godly Suffering" which may relate to various accounts of a son of God suffering to pay for the sins of mankind.

So I might be right about the bible, true or not, simply being a book full of stories trying to convey morals and advice on how we should all love, if not tolerate, each other?
(no, that was NOT a brony reference, no one make it one!)

Why? Anyways it seems that males start turning in to jerks after sex out side of marriage.

In our defense, it feels good enough to create several industries devoted to it and spring entire networks of forums and websites based on that topic. At least some of us TRY not to be jerks when we get shut down and that's hard when girls are getting hung up on that stereotype and assume we'll just treat them like dirt after. It's degrading and annoying, even if it is common.