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The Problem of Evil

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    #16
    Re: The Problem of Evil

    Bad things happen, and we each have our perspectives and strategies for navigating the times when bad things happen. My perspective has changed over time, and not necessarily in any coherent way, at times believing that everything happens for a reason and at other times believing that there is no reason for anything, and

    Tahemet, here's the other thread. Lots of wonderful answers in there.

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      #17
      Re: The Problem of Evil

      Thank you for linking the other thread, and thanks everyone for responding--I'm already feeling a lot better just discussing and considering this stuff. Makes it feel less emotional and scary! I wonder if despair is there to prompt contemplation, ha.

      Oh, just as a side note, thalassa, I was meaning to refer to Epictetus. He has a passage on how a man may overcome torture using his ability to reframe (not the words he used, obvs) the situation in his mind. I thought he was considered a Stoic, but I may be mistaken.

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        #18
        Re: The Problem of Evil

        In relation to the question of why do my gods and goddesses (who I consider mostly good) 'allow' this, the answer is because they are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. They don't 'allow' it because it's not within their control. It's one of the big reasons I'm a hard polytheist.
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          #19
          Re: The Problem of Evil

          Originally posted by Maythe View Post
          In relation to the question of why do my gods and goddesses (who I consider mostly good) 'allow' this, the answer is because they are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. They don't 'allow' it because it's not within their control. It's one of the big reasons I'm a hard polytheist.
          I agree with you. My god cannot be everywhere at once plus he has only a handful of followers, so while he can take care of us he cannot protect everyone and everything.

          But on a more detailed note I have to say that morality is shaped by biology, reason, and experience, so there a few things all humans and even animals tend agree with each other. We do not think about good and evil because they are objective things, but we think about them because our brains are hardwired to do so. Perhaps not with words, and perhaps not as expected by language, but the "ideas" are there: To avoid the suffering of others, to "do the right thing", to save someone from danger. Love and friendship also exist in nature, just in a different guise.

          The reason good and evil trouble humans is due to the fact that we have time to think about it and thus take on a perspective that is not naturally occurring. We are not the slaves of reason, reason is our slave. Thus when we color reason the way we want we end up with a myriad of contradictory philosophies and thoughts.
          Originally posted by Tahemet1491 View Post
          I wonder if despair is there to prompt contemplation, ha.
          Personally I would say that while despair is not "necessary" it can lead you there, yes.

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