From: Naturesid@aol.com
Date: Wed Jun 24 1998 - 20:47:39 MDT
<< In a message dated 6/23/98 4:07:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
allsop@swttools.fc.hp.com writes:
<< What, like faith that it is impossible to (or that we
shouldn't) overcome evil and all that which ails us? After all, if
there is a God, we must find some way to justify why God hasn't
overcome evil. If an all powerful God can't (or shouldn't) overcome
evil, we must abandon all hope that we can (or should) overcome evil
with our science. If God can't, how can we?
>> >>
The problem with this argument is that the only people it confounds are those
without any knowledge of theology whatsoever. From a fundamentalist point of
view, evil exists only because we created it and choose to let it exist. The
Fall (eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil) happened because
God created us as beings of free will. Adam and Eve's act of disobedience God
is why evil exists. God can, of course, overcome evil, and in the
fundamentalist view, eventually will thru the Rapture and the overthrowing of
the Beast. Then Pat Robertson & Jerry Falwell will rule the earth (shudder).
In a less fundamentalist view, the Eden story is seen as allegorical, free
will exists in us because if it did not, we would simply be extension of God
rather than independent creatures (and what would be the point in creating us
if that's so?) and evil will cease to exist once mankind rids himself of it.
One might say that God can defeat evil, and we just happen to be his tool for
doing so. From my point of view, Transhumanist thought is a giant step in
that direction.
Sid
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