Are ALL goods perfected endlessly (infinitely) in God?

[Thomas_Jennings]

(This is also in the Philosophy forum)

1. Are ALL goods perfected endlessly (infinitely) in God? If not, how do we KNOW what goods aren’t? I read (today) in the book quoted below that we can be mislead into thinking a pleasure can be located in certain things…but every other pleasure is part of God and, hence, infinite (literally so) because God is endless in all perfections. WHAT is a misleading pleasure (I can’t think of any- we can always ‘over do’ pleasures but that’s a different thing entirely…) and how do we know? If God is all goods to an infinite degree, is a small part of Him the endlessly perfected fulfillment of, say, Dracula? (Genuine question- if anyone finds that insulting, it’s not meant to be. I worship god like the rest of you.)

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2."…the first sort we shall have in greater measure, because whatever reality is in any created thing is there by the gift of God. It is therefore, in infinite perfection, in God Himself, and with Him we shall be in living contact."- Theology for Beginners F.J.Sheed

Does that mean literally ‘infinite’ (rather than the author just using hyperbole- how would we know? A well-educated friend of mine said we can never know for sure if someone means ‘infinite’ as literal or as hyperbole)…
Is this generally accepted as an attribute of God- that He is the infinite (without bounds) version of EVERY good thing (rather than just specific goods, like ‘Love’ for instance)? In which case, my question 1st question remains…

 

[DavidFilmer]

but every other pleasure is part of God and, hence, infinite (literally so) because God is endless in all perfections. WHAT is a misleading pleasure (I can’t think of any- we can always ‘over do’ pleasures but that’s a different thing entirely…) and how do we know?

You came SO CLOSE. You came MUCH closer than most could achieve, but you lost it in the end, when you dismissed your own observations. You were right to begin with! You strive to be a philosopher, but retreat from your instincts. Don’t do that. You were right to begin with. You didn’t even give yourself a chance. Here is the tiny bit of philosophy that you were missing:

God is infinite in every virtue. Can we “over do” virtue? Can we be TOO loving, or TOO merciful, or TOO honest?

Pleasure is not a virtue. It is the result of favorable circumstances. A person might seek TOO much pleasure, to the point of gluttony. If something (in excess) can be a sin, it cannot (in moderation) be a virtue, and it cannot thus be a property of God, who is infinite in every virtue. If an excess of pleasure (gluttony) is a sin, and God possesses infinite pleasure, then God is guilty of infinite gluttony. Which is nonsense, of course (and that’s the bit of philosophy that you missed).

Trust your instincts, and then explore them. Don’t dismiss them outright.

 

[aragonjohn1]

(This is also in the Philosophy forum)

1. Are ALL goods perfected endlessly (infinitely) in God? If not, how do we KNOW what goods aren’t? I read (today) in the book quoted below that we can be mislead into thinking a pleasure can be located in certain things…but every other pleasure is part of God and, hence, infinite (literally so) because God is endless in all perfections. WHAT is a misleading pleasure (I can’t think of any- we can always ‘over do’ pleasures but that’s a different thing entirely…) and how do we know? If God is all goods to an infinite degree, is a small part of Him the endlessly perfected fulfillment of, say, Dracula? (Genuine question- if anyone finds that insulting, it’s not meant to be. I worship god like the rest of you.)

---

2."…the first sort we shall have in greater measure, because whatever reality is in any created thing is there by the gift of God. It is therefore, in infinite perfection, in God Himself, and with Him we shall be in living contact."- Theology for Beginners F.J.Sheed

Does that mean literally ‘infinite’ (rather than the author just using hyperbole- how would we know? A well-educated friend of mine said we can never know for sure if someone means ‘infinite’ as literal or as hyperbole)…
Is this generally accepted as an attribute of God- that He is the infinite (without bounds) version of EVERY good thing (rather than just specific goods, like ‘Love’ for instance)? In which case, my question 1st question remains…

yes, “God Is the perfect being and form of all that Is Good in Love.” St. augustine paraphrased. sin, is the only pleasure that God does never creates that is not Good.

• Good/Love
• why sin is not

God bless

 

[DavidFilmer]

You strive to be a philosopher, but retreat from your instincts.

FWIW, to help you on your philosophical journey, I would highly recommend a short book (an essay, really) by the protestant philosopher C.S. Lewis, titled “The Screwtape Letters.” It is an imagined collection of “letters” written by a senior demon-tempter (Screwtape) to his novice nephew, offering demonic advice. It is a masterpiece of philosophy, although most readers would not realize that it is a philosophical work.

The “letter” on gluttony (and toast!) is especially enlightening.