Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxn.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxn!pez
From: pez@pyuxn.UUCP (Paul Zimmerman)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.religion.christian
Subject: Byron Howes discusses gnosticism in relation to the Damager-God
Message-ID: <346@pyuxn.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 08:43:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxn.346
Posted: Tue Sep 17 08:43:03 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Sep-85 04:21:14 EDT
References: <8508172148.AA02946@sdcc6.ARPA> <308@pyuxn.UUCP> <2195@sdcc6.UUCP> <324@pyuxn.UUCP> <184@well.UUCP> <811@mcnc.mcnc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Piscataway, N.J.
Lines: 20
Xref: watmath net.religion:7678 net.religion.christian:1317


	Jay Kinney and now Byron Howes have written about how maltheism
is (at least in some ways) related to gnostic notions about the God we
know being just an intermediary deity who may only think He is the ultimate
God, dwarfed by a truly ultimate deity who is the ultimate benevolent power.

	The problem I see with this idea is that it falls prey to the same
misconception as standard God whorship: that the ultimate power and force
MUST be good because we want it to be. Unfortunately, the evidence contradicts
that. Perhaps, as Byron says, there is an ultimate God who is very different
from the heinous evil Damager-God who wreaks havoc in all our lives. But,
sadly, it is that Damager-God we must face every day. As Byron says, we would
have no direct contact with the ultimate deity he describes. Anyway, if He
was truly good, wouldn't He take steps to eradicate the pig monster God
who maltreats this planet and its people?

Be well,
-- 
Paul Zimmerman - AT&T Bell Laboratories
pyuxn!pez


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com