The problem with those that bring up "the problem with evil"

[SGWessells]

It’s not mine because I don’t believe it!
.It’s not my box but the inevitable consequence of **belief **in a universe which exists for no reason, a life which has no purpose and a destiny which has no value - unless you can explain how you get out of the box!

You persist in limiting the options to only two: believing in God, which inevitably provides life with meaning, the universe with purpose, and a value to our destiny; or disbelief in God, which can only mean a life without meaning, a universe without purpose, and a destiny of extinction.
Now you might not be able to imagine how those who doubt or disbelieve in God’s existence can have a meaningful life, a sense of purpose, a feeling of awe at the majesty of the cosmos, or a determination to make one’s life count by improving the world, but it can, and does, happen. You are not entitled to simply assume that no atheist or agnostic can possibly feel anything but meaningless, hopeless despair, because it simply ain’t so.

 

[SGWessells]

It’s highly significant there has been no attempt to explain how purposeful activity has been produced by purposeless activity. Evolution doesn’t come into it at all for the simple reason that the notion of “semi-purposeful” is absurd - unless an example of semi-purposeful activity can be given… It would be far more logical to assert that purpose is an illusion and that everything happens for no purpose in spite of what we think!

Activity becomes purposeful when the acting agent intends an eventual result to be produced by it. This only requires a certain level of intelligence and basic tool-making activity. Ravens have been observed using tools to crack nuts open. How is that not purposeful activity? An action doesn’t have to be grand and cosmic, fraught with eternal destiny, to be purposeful; all it has to do is envisage some end to be achieved by a given activity. Thus any purposing agent can be produced by evolution, even though no overarching purpose can be seen for the whole process.

 

[SGWessells]

A Brick wall will never comprehend or accept your arguments tonyrey, no matter how reasonable you are. Thats not to say however that your efforts have gone unnoticed by worthier minds. Between us, nihilism has been explained several times, and each one of those explanations have been ignored by the atheists on this forum. Anything that is not consistent with their human fantasy gets brushed aside without any evidence of serious contemplation or understanding. Nobody likes the idea of losing their value. In this case the atheists want to be the root of their own true value and significance. Its not surprising really. I suppose we all at some point have gone through the immature phase of wanting to be our own Gods. Be satisfied that you can see through the hypocrisy. Many of the atheists on this site clearly think its okay to indulge in fantasy, even though they like to disguise it in pretty language. They are okay with that, so long as you don’t bother them with God.

“Worthier minds” eh? Is that an example of Christian humility? Your supposed explanations of nihilism are caricatures defined with emotionally loaded words designed to move readers’ responses in a Christian direction without showing any reason for them to do so. By defining your opponents as you would like them to be, not as they are, you assume a virtue you haven’t earned.
As for hypocrisy and fantasy, are you familiar with a psychological phenomenon called “projection,” by which a person attributes feelings in himself which he cannot face to an opponent, allowing him to oppose them safely while pretending to be immune? Well, congratulations! You have given us a classic example.
If you can give us an example of loving your enemies too, you’ll be batting a thousand.

 

[MindOverMatter2]

“Worthier minds” eh? Is that an example of Christian humility?

How can you understand humility in any relevant sense if you reject the very foundation of its meaning. Words are either reflective of the objective nature of things or they are not. When making judgments about what people say or do be sure that your words are not empty ramblings with no objective significance.

 

[MindOverMatter2]

“Worthier minds” eh? Is that an example of Christian humility? Your supposed explanations of nihilism are caricatures defined with emotionally loaded words designed to move readers’ responses in a Christian direction without showing any reason for them to do so.

It is either objectively true that your life has moral value, or it is objectively true that it does not. If it does not, then any belief or behavior or attitude to the contrary is fantasy and make-belief; lying to yourself. Its not difficult to understand. Twisting the meanings of words to suit your humanitarian fantasy and making false empty accusations does not count as a refutation. It either reflects your deceptive attitude or shows us that you are unable to understand the arguments presented to you.

Thats not my problem; its yours.

As for hypocrisy and fantasy, are you familiar with a psychological phenomenon called “projection,” by which a person attributes feelings in himself which he cannot face to an opponent, allowing him to oppose them safely while pretending to be immune? Well, congratulations! You have given us a classic example.

Its not without a sense of irony that you are giving a classic example of yourself.

You came here looking for weak minded catholics that you could intellectually beat-up and bully, so that you could feel morally good and rational about being an atheist. Now you are panicking because you found the opposite. I am happy to make you look like a fool.

If you can give us an example of loving your enemies too, you’ll be batting a thousand.

If you recognize the existence of true virtue and you understand the true objective difference between right and wrong, then it is you that is in denial. Not me.