God is Not Dead #3 - The Offended God

"And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence." - Bertrand Russell

This is one expression of an often argued point of view that the Christian God is, if real, a vain being who creates beings such as ourselves for no other reason than to worship and give him praise.

That, I'm afraid, is one powerful argument.  After all, we all know, that our lives, if we are followers of the way, is to glorify the Name of God.

But, before we concede this point, let us look at the assumptions in this philosophy to make sure they are solid.

Bertrand Russell contends that God is offended by those who doubt his existence because of his vanity.

Vanity according to the dictionary is: "the quality of people who have too much pride in their own appearance, abilities, achievements." - Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Ok, it might seem that God has pride in his achievements, as he is, time and time again, described as "good" and the works of his hands he "saw was good", the earth and all the creatures. How could you have "too" much pride in what you have done, if everything ever made, you made?  How can it be too much, if there is not competition?

Bertrand Russell then contends that God is Offended by our lack of faith, and according to the dictionary, offend is: "to cause (a person or group) to feel hurt, angry, or upset by something said or done." - Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Got me there.  He is hurt or upset by those of us who chose to deny him, but it is not out of pride or vanity.  It is out of love.  You don't have to go too far past John 3:16 to see how much God loves us.  

God made us and knows how we work.  He gives us the choice to live according to our call, with the promise that all things work together if we are answering his call, or to deny him and walk away. He knows that if we praise and worship him, we can be near him, and enjoy him, and be at peace even while we are in the flesh here on earth.  So that praise and worship is part of the call, so we can have the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding.

Or, contrary to the rules of vain and hurt people, he gives us free will to reject the call.

So now you have to decide.  Is God Vain, and therefor not God at all, or does he love you, just as he says.

Ring.

Ring.

Answer the call or push ignore.

God is (not) Dead - Part 1: Evil in the World

In 1955, J.L. Mackie, in Evil and Omnipotence, formulated the argument against the existence of God that still resonates in free thinkers of today, and can not be ignored. 

Why can't it be ignored? 

Firstly, if you don't know both the argument and the answer, if there is one, to the argument, your faith is not well founded and it will be difficult to pass on.  

Second, if what you believe is true, it can and should stand up to tests. 

This is what Mackie's argument looked like:

1. God exists, is all good, all knowing, and all powerful.

2. Such a being has no limits to its ability.

3. A good being will always eliminate all the evil that it can.

4. Evil exists, so God must not.

Scientist are taught to look at all the assumptions before you even start an experiment or proof, for if you start your project on shaky or weak ground, your final product is already weak and shaky. So lets look at this proof, from a non Christian perspective, since it is non Christians who believe it.

1) Do you accept that if God exists, he is good, all knowing and all powerful.

I do, because the word of God says so, so it is easy to stipulate this one.

2) Such a being has no limits to its ability.

Yes?  No?  Is God limited. On the surface, I would say no, siting the same source, the Word of God.  (Matthew 19:26 English Standard Version “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”) However, the first assumption states that God is Good.  That means he has a moral code that he follows.  If he breaks this code, he is no longer good.  A logical conundrum for this argument.  So no, 2 is not totally true.  God, as all moral beings do, constrains his actions.  He can do whatever he wants, he is God, but he is Good, all the time.

3)  A good being will always eliminate all the evil that it can. 

Wow.  That's humanism, not theology. No where does the word of God say that he will always, at all times, eliminate all evil.  Rather, the world tells us that he can not tolerate evil and that evil must be separated from God.  As in not near him.  It also says he made all things, even evil things or things that act with evil intent: Proverbs 16:4 (ESV) "The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble."  

If God eliminated all evil, then there would be no free will or no relationship, and we know that both of these things are the inheritance of mankind, with respect to our relationship with God. So, NO, #3 is just wrong.  Galatians 5:13 (NIV) "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love."

4) Based on #3, evil exists so God does not.

The mistake is #2, that God has no moral code.  If his moral code disallows evil, then this argument is true, but the bible never claims that God disallows all evil. In fact, his moral code includes that he keeps his word, his promises, and one of them is free will (Gal. 5:13 and Prov. 16:4).  He also wants relationships, but he can not stay in same area as evil.  That is the problem of God.  Not that evil exists, but what to do about.

When you toss the assumptions, #2 and #3, the conclusion is baseless.

So, on the basis of this argument alone, God is still kicking.

God 1, Mackie 0

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There is a famous movie series of this title, God's not dead.  Find it at: 
God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness
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