> Hmm, I believe than humans are basically good not evil and yet I consider
> myself a christian as well. I'll have to work on this.
Gene: Well sir, I am afraid you are in disagreement with both Catholics and
Protestants in this, if that means anything to you. You actually think
that you, yourself are basically good?
I believe that everyone is basically good. Perhaps the 'standard'
christian belief has to presume otherwise but I wonder how many christians
would agree/disagree with me.
Gene: After living with yourself for how long? A "basically" good person
would not do anything wrong that is not the result of ignorance. Can you
honestly say that this is true for yourself? If so, you are a better man
than all those I have yet met in person.
There are no perfect people but to presume that people are born sinful is
something I disagree with. That people in their interactions with society
change and both for the better or worse seems obvious to me.
Pim:
> Which is to a certain extent a contradiction. Can God not fight those
> battles for us ? Can God not defeat evil ? If not then he is not all
> powerful, if yes then he appears to be uncaring.
Gene: Yes He could fight these battles for us, but He chooses not to. Why
not?
Well that was the extent of my question.
Gene: Perhaps it is because we *need* the battles, the experience of
fighting
nad losing against sin, to teach us something important.
Perhaps but it surely appears to be an uncaring god who allows his people
to suffer when suffering is not necessary.
Gene: I let my kids go out and climb trees and hurt themselves in the
process because it teaches them something about reality (and gravity).
And there are plenty of better parental examples of this--I would let my
child fail an exam when my help might allow him to pass or do well because
I'm not doing him any
favors by doing his work for him.
but if you could prevent your children from getting hurt ? Would you not
do this ? If there was no reason to get hurt ?