Testing defence theodicy and Free will

termina
Posts: 54
Joined: 2010-03-02
User is offlineOffline
Testing defence theodicy and Free will

Hello


One of the most common defence againt narual evil argument is the
testing one: through disasters, sickness, and malformation,
God wants to check if believers won't rebell against/abandon Him and if their faith isn't based only on convenience or comfort.

==>We can reply that since God is defined as omnipotent, why can't He just "analyse" believers' hearts to check if their faith is genuine?  (indeed, abrahamic scriptures often ascribe to God the power of knowing -by "reading" our heart-  our deepest and hidden intentions/desires/wished/thoughts ).

Theists admit this power but deny it would be an accurate tool for genuinefaith-detection, because this would violate free will:
eg: suppose I'm a believer and God is seeing now I'm having a little amount of hypocrisy and doubt hidden in my mind against God. And yet,  this don't guarantee Him I will keep these defects forever; I may ultimately decide to change and become a better believer.


===>However, if we read scriptures don't we find that after killing Noah's people, God explained to Noah that He knew those people  would have never become believers, anyway;

whether He violated free will at that moment or not, this contradicts apologist's point:

so isn't sensible to think He can use his mind-reading power to test our faith instead of natural evil?

 

What do you think about it?


bes1966
Posts: 6
Joined: 2010-08-02
User is offlineOffline
I think that's as valid an

I think that's as valid an argument as any.  I feel the premise, however, is flawed.

What I'm saying is, why does he feel the need to "test" the faith of his followers anyway, whether by their actions or their thoughts?  For an omnipotent, omniscient being, he certainly is insecure... without constant reassurance and affirmation, he'll throw a temper-tantrum?  I wouldn't put up with that level of behavior in a child, nor in a lover; I surely won't tolerate it in a deity!

Maybe he (or, more accurately, his followers) should just grow up!

~Brian

 

 

My head is neither in the clouds, nor in the sand. I hold it high and make good use of it to sense, wonder about, consider, treasure, and attempt to understand my reality.