The Problem of Evil

[m1n05_4]

Evil can't be defined. You can't explain a blind guy what light and colors look like or a deaf what music sounds like. Objective moral facts are standarized by mankind and by the actual society, so they have been defined more than once. I.E. In Ancient Times Human sacrifices weren't considered an evil deed. Nowadays they're considered an atrocity.

My point is that if we weren't living as we are now, we probably would call evil different things.

Life is not full of suffering and yet it can give great pleasures.

[The Editor]

Would life be worse without suffering?

[m1n05_4]

I would say yes, but i can not speak for other people. You may ask, who wouldn't like to live without suffering? They are...

Who's suffering anyway?

Do you think the kid that was born different is suffering? The man that lost his family? People can choose to feel miserable or else. People have the choice no matter what.

[The Editor]

Explain how life with suffering is better than life without.

I'd say that anyone suffering from a terminal condition or one that requires continuous treatment is suffering. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I, with my lung condition that is known to be terminal and requires continuous treatment, day in, day out, am suffering. And I'd also say that removal of this suffering would be a good thing. And this is just one example of suffering.

[m1n05_4]

Explain how life with suffering is better than life without.

I'd say that anyone suffering from a terminal condition or one that requires continuous treatment is suffering. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I, with my lung condition that is known to be terminal and requires continuous treatment, day in, day out, am suffering. And I'd also say that removal of this suffering would be a good thing. And this is just one example of suffering.

Let say your condition is due to smoking. You were a smoker before having children, but due to them you stop smoking. Now, they have left for good and haven't talk with you in years. Now you start smoking and get sick. Your children now spend the last days with you and you feel happy.

Would you say you are suffering? You may say, well that's not likely to happen. There are certain forces that can't be explain and those balance life, whether you think is god or universe itself makes no difference from the fact that you can always choose not to suffer.

I believe people should feel happy about being alive no matter what. Although i don't really feel like that way i know it's true.

[Qoorl]

Seriously, Mario's first point was right. Without evil, then good doesn't really have much value. Without a definite choice of right or wrong, then we don't have any free will and might as well not exist. If we were unfeeling, unthinking robots, there wouldn't be any evil, but then what would be the point. Evil gives everything purpose. In the words of the Vampie in Brooklyn, "Evil is GOOD!"

Actually I'm fairly Christian and I subscribe to the idea that God the Father is a bit of a jerk, it's in his other Aspect Our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, that we find concepts like mercy and goodness. The Old Testament doesn't really say God is good. In the TEN COMMANDMENTS, God's holy orders.. it doesn't say he is good, to the contrary, it says he's jealous. Of course is also doesn't say that there are no other gods, just that they aren't as important but hey I'm no theologist.

[Keke Le Cat]

Good point, Qoorl.

Reminds me of the Irish legend of Tir na Nog. It's a wonderful place without sadness, sickness, age or decay, but because there is no death or sadness there can be no happiness.

[Pink-kitty2]

Well, there'd be no happiness in comparison to sadness, but without sadness, what else would you be but happy?

[Keke Le Cat]

After several hundred years without any contrast... you'd be... well, probably bored. You need spice in your life.

[The Editor]

Unfortunately my condition isn't caused by smoking, it is genetic.

I think you might be confusing frames of mind with the idea of suffering. If you are optimistic about dying you are still suffering the degeneration of your body. Your outlook does not determine whether or not you are suffering, it shows how you deal with suffering.

Hence the reason why eternal life sucks

[m1n05_4]

You are talking about pain there. Degeneration can't be stop you are going to die either way. However, the pain can be cast aside, many people have managed this.

Yes, your body indeed is going through some painful process, luckily for you, the brain manage those impulses and the brain can do wonders.

So let me ask... why do we live if we are meant to die?

A cruel joke? Or a great gift? Which side of the glass are we looking at?

[Keke Le Cat]

All living things must die so that other things may live. It's the circle of life. It's how it's meant to be. You live so that you may die, you die so that others may live.

Maybe that is just my humanity struggling to fit in to the bigger picture. I've always sort of enjoyed the concept of death more than that of living.

Dead vipers bite no one.

Death comes for us all. We can only chose how to face it when it comes. If you must mount the gallows, give a jest to the crowd, a coin to the hangman, and make the drop with a smile on your lips.