1090
submitted 10 months ago by bobby_hill@lemmy.world to c/atheism@lemmy.world
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] joseangel@lemmy.world 75 points 10 months ago

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - Epicurus

[-] Syrc@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

~~Ackshually~~ it was probably not Epicurus, but Sextus Empiricus. From the surviving writings it seems Epicurus was really not fond of Atheists.

(Doesn’t change that it’s a great argument, I just hate that we don’t have a definite source for it)

[-] TheFonz@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

As an atheist I take issue with Epicurus statement, which gets floated around a lot. I think it's because in Epicurus's framing of the universe evil has agency, whereas christian apologetics will respond with evil representative of a lack of goodness. Then there's the issue of free will to contend with.

[-] ThisGuyFromThatPlace@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I'm not sure I follow. If you see evil as "a lack of goodness", the argument stand. If he's benevolent, why is goodness not everywhere?

[-] TheFonz@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

I mean, the answer I've heard from apologetics is the benevolence is a paternal type of benevolence. Kind of like a parent who will let their child touch a hot stove so as to not deprive them of free will. I'm probably doing a terrible steel man of the position because I don't quite buy it

[-] Saltblue@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

evil representative of a lack of goodness

I love the mental gymnastics of that argument, you start asking what do they mean by that statement, and they start spewing bullshit like some parrot.

[-] joseangel@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

If goodness supposedly has agency because of God, when why evilness wouldn't have it? Supposedly it also does, because of the devil. If good and evil don't have agency, then it's just karma and there is no God or devil.

[-] TheFonz@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago

Well yes ok. But the way I've heard I described is evil is a lack of goodness the same way darkness is the absence of light. There is no "non-light", there is less or more light.

this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023
1090 points (94.9% liked)

Atheism

3889 readers
1 users here now

Community Guide


Archive Today will help you look at paywalled content the way search engines see it.


Statement of Purpose

Acceptable

Unacceptable

Depending on severity, you might be warned before adverse action is taken.

Inadvisable


Application of warnings or bans will be subject to moderator discretion. Feel free to appeal. If changes to the guidelines are necessary, they will be adjusted.


If you vocally harass or discriminate against any individual member, you will be removed.

Likewise, if you are a member, sympathizer or a resemblant of a group that is known to largely hate, mock, discriminate against, and/or want to take lives of any other group of people, and you were provably vocal about your hate, then you you will be banned on sight.

Provable means able to provide proof to the moderation, and, if necessary, to the community.

 ~ /c/nostupidquestions

If you want your space listed in this sidebar and it is especially relevant to the atheist or skeptic communities, PM DancingPickle and we'll have a look!


Connect with Atheists

Help and Support Links

Streaming Media

This is mostly YouTube at the moment. Podcasts and similar media - especially on federated platforms - may also feature here.

Orgs, Blogs, Zines

Mainstream

Bibliography

Start here...

...proceed here.

Proselytize Religion

From Reddit

As a community with an interest in providing the best resources to its members, the following wiki links are provided as historical reference until we can establish our own.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS