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From: tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Did Lord Frith make the world?
Message-ID: <343@cmu-cs-k.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 25-Mar-85 17:18:54 EST
Article-I.D.: cmu-cs-k.343
Posted: Mon Mar 25 17:18:54 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Mar-85 00:13:11 EST
References: <208@cvl.UUCP>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking
Lines: 23

It is amazing how many times you can refute an argument and have it spring
again to hideous life.  Perhaps we should create net.religion.undead.

In a nutshell: If you say that men are to blame for the problems of the
world (such as hunger) because they do not do anything to solve them, then
you are claiming that the following moral principle is valid:

"A being which has the ability to help other beings and does not do so is to
blame for the soluble problems of those beings."

Not too bad a moral principle, although not wonderful.  Regardless, let us
accept it for the sake of argument.

Now, apply the principle to God and see how it turns out.  God is supposed
to have the power to solve virtually all of the problems, and in particular
such major problems as hunger and disease, but God does not do so.

Therefore, if you wish to blame man for hunger, you will have to blame God
as well, or use an inconsistent moral standard.
-=-
Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking
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