How do we know that God is good?

[Benadam]

Your mind must be an interesting place. A shrink would probably label you a schizophrenic, but your symptoms sound more like a mix of hallucinations and OOBs (Out of Body Experiences). While interesting, these can be caused by brain tumors. If this is recent-onset stuff in particular, medical attention, not a trip to the priest, is advisable, if only to rule out things you don’t want.

I am not a qualified medical practitioner, but I have studied the workings of the brain and worked with a couple of neurological specialists on technical projects. I would give both of my friends the same recommendations I offered you— likewise myself.

In the meantime, keep a detailed journal of your experiences.

If I had a dream with a angel and the beings you describe, I would use every nickel I have, and sell some stuff, and buy gold and silver.

 

[greylorn]

greylorn;8302470:

Spiritual direction from the parish will begin with psychological evaluation. Going to a doctor first may only address the half of it. And the symptoms were more like remote viewing than OOB experience.

I disagree, but could be wrong. My experiences with remote viewing brought up no similarities to the described symptoms. Without the ability to interview the guy, there was nothing else to go on. I was suggesting a neurological evaluation, not a visit to a shrink. Given that individuals have been known to die within a few days after initial neurological symptoms, to suggest anything else would have been irresponsible.

 

[jonfawkes]

Martyrs are the exception rather than the rule…

Look at every revolution - they are paid for in blood. Freedom isn’t free.

 

[tonyrey]

Look at every revolution - they are paid for in blood. Freedom isn’t free.

Not every country has a violent revolution. The vast majority of people prefer to settle their problems without resorting to bloodshed. The most effective revolution of all was that of Jesus who advocated love rather than physical force, hatred and revenge. That is the highest form of freedom…

 

[jonfawkes]

Not every country has a violent revolution. The vast majority of people prefer to settle their problems without resorting to bloodshed. The most effective revolution of all was that of Jesus who advocated love rather than physical force, hatred and revenge. That is the highest form of freedom…

You do realize they tortured and killed Jesus. Blood. Even God knows the cost.

 

[tonyrey]

Not every country has a violent revolution. The vast majority of people prefer to settle their problems without resorting to bloodshed. The most effective revolution of all was that of Jesus who advocated love rather than physical force, hatred and revenge. That is the highest form of freedom…

God does not expect **all **of us to be tortured and killed in order to be free… It is not true that “freedom is paid for with blood, always has been, always will be”. Sometime freedom is paid for by suffering on earth for many years - like Nelson Mandela…

 

[jonfawkes]

God does not expect **all **of us to be tortured and killed in order to be free… It is not true that “freedom is paid for with blood, always has been, always will be”. Sometime freedom is paid for by suffering on earth for many years - like Nelson Mandela…

LOL! - Do you think Nelson Mandela was the only person who suffered under Apartheid?

Freedom doesn’t = security.

God expects all to bear our own cross.

[BIBLEDRB]Luke 17:33[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[tonyrey]

LOL! - Do you think Nelson Mandela was the only person who suffered under Apartheid?

Freedom doesn’t = security.

God expects all to bear our own cross.

Apartheid would not have been eliminated without people like Mandela.

Security **entails **freedom.

Bearing a cross doesn’t necessarily entail dying.

Not all revolutions have been violent…

 

[jonfawkes]

Apartheid would not have been eliminated without people like Mandela.

Security **entails **freedom.

Bearing a cross doesn’t necessarily entail dying.

Not all revolutions have been violent…

Nor would it been eliminated without the all the others in the streets.

You can be secure without being free. Guild the cage anyway you’d like, still doesn’t make you free.

Life entails dying.

All revolutions have people who are willing to lay down their lives for change.

 

[das17]

Your mind must be an interesting place. A shrink would probably label you a schizophrenic, but your symptoms sound more like a mix of hallucinations and OOBs (Out of Body Experiences). While interesting, these can be caused by brain tumors. If this is recent-onset stuff in particular, medical attention, not a trip to the priest, is advisable, if only to rule out things you don’t want.

I am not a qualified medical practitioner, but I have studied the workings of the brain and worked with a couple of neurological specialists on technical projects. I would give both of my friends the same recommendations I offered you— likewise myself.

In the meantime, keep a detailed journal of your experiences.

If I had a dream with a angel and the beings you describe, I would use every nickel I have, and sell some stuff, and buy gold and silver.

Good Luck!

You are not a person of God. For you to write this is obviously discounting anything holy. Chances are you won’t be in heaven with the Holy Family or with me.

 

[das17]

You are not a person of God. For you to write this is obviously discounting anything holy. Chances are you won’t be in heaven with the Holy Family or with me.

For you to write this is incredibly disrespectful. And I am going to report you to the site administrators. Look up Lion of Judah. You don’t want to see that coming towards you one day and I suggest you apologize.

 

[greylorn]

For you to write this is incredibly disrespectful. And I am going to report you to the site administrators. Look up Lion of Judah. You don’t want to see that coming towards you one day and I suggest you apologize.

I won’t apologize for doing my best to be helpful to someone who appeared to need it, but I am certainly sorry that I bothered.

 

[Benadam]

I disagree, but could be wrong. My experiences with remote viewing brought up no similarities to the described symptoms. Without the ability to interview the guy, there was nothing else to go on. I was suggesting a neurological evaluation, not a visit to a shrink. Given that individuals have been known to die within a few days after initial neurological symptoms, to suggest anything else would have been irresponsible.

You make a good point. I can’t say if that kind of focus on physiological explanations happens.

 

[mirandum]

This is a very simple questions which I don’t think requires a lot of explanation.

I want to know how we know that God is good, as opposed to just powerful.

I think that God is good. A thing can be either good or bad. But in as far as it is - it must be good. Whatever that exists is as far as it exists, and nothing is ultimately bad as far as it exists. In order to exist - a thing must be good. In fact - there cannot be anything completely bad. Now God is the fullness of being and therefore He must be perfectly good. It means that God is not only good - but He is the Supreme Good.

I believe that this is also the proof of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.

What do you think of this?

 

[tonyrey]

I think that God is good. A thing can be either good or bad. But in as far as it is - it must be good. Whatever that exists is as far as it exists, and nothing is ultimately bad as far as it exists. In order to exist - a thing must be good. In fact - there cannot be anything completely bad. Now God is the fullness of being and therefore He must be perfectly good. It means that God is not only good - but He is the Supreme Good.

I believe that this is also the proof of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.

What do you think of this?

A warm welcome to the forum!

What do you mean by “Whatever exists is as far as it exists, and nothing is ultimately bad as far as it exists.” Surely a thing either exists or it doesn’t exist?

 

[greylorn]

I think that God is good. A thing can be either good or bad. But in as far as it is - it must be good. Whatever that exists is as far as it exists, and nothing is ultimately bad as far as it exists. In order to exist - a thing must be good. In fact - there cannot be anything completely bad. Now God is the fullness of being and therefore He must be perfectly good. It means that God is not only good - but He is the Supreme Good.

I believe that this is also the proof of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.

What do you think of this?

Zdrastvoi!, with apologies for the English version.

Regrettably, I must disagree with you. Your hope that there is no thing which exists which is evil is not justified by the behavior of human beings.

Your ideas about the Creator must accommodate the reality of evil.

Dos vedania

 

[maggiedoc]

These may not be intellectual ways to answer this question, but:

1. Listen to Bach’s music, then ask what kind of a Creator would produce him & his music.
2. Look at any beautiful natural scene then ask the same question
   2.Look at a leaf, a water droplet or a hair under a microscope and ask who would create this order and complexity.
   4Listen to DVD’s of Jean Vanier, Mother Theresa or John Paul II and ask about the God who worked to produce such people. Is this God good or bad as reflected in his creatures?
3. watch a mother and a newborn and ask the same question.

These are some of the ways that convince me that God is good.

 

[razredge]

I think the only way we know God is good is from divine revelation and not reason.

Is that correct, or are there philosophical arguments suggesting that God must be absolutely good?

I don’t have time to read the entire thread

 

[das17]

Thanks.

 

[TarkanAttila]

Zdrastvoi!, with apologies for the English version.

Regrettably, I must disagree with you. Your hope that there is no thing which exists which is evil is not justified by the behavior of human beings.

Your ideas about the Creator must accommodate the reality of evil.

Dos vedania

Zdravstvuytye a ty.

Certainly greylorn? But what IS evil?

As Thomas tells us, IIRC, evil is the absence of something. If God exists, then evil doesn’t exist, so to speak. That is, evil is a lack of a trait, not a trait unto itself.

One might say evil is good lacking its full purpose or protection. It’s twisted. Malformed. For example, contraception, fornication, masturbation, adultery, homosexual acts, and non-vaginal intercourse are all sinful because while they are acts of bonding (I would not call it love, as love is sufficient, not deficient) between the two persons engaging in it, they lack the procreative aspect and the unitive aspects that vaginal intercourse within marriage has - not to mention married sex is pleasing to God because He knows it will work.

(As I mean it up there, bonding is different from uniting, as bonding is the building of a relationship built on common interests. Uniting is not merely building a relationship; it is cementing, making permanent and impervious a relationship.)

So fornication and the rest are depraved not because they are unique actions that are morally offensive, but because they lack some very vital aspects that make married sex good. Kinda the way failing a few classes in college, however trivial, can keep you from garnering a diploma.