The artificial intelligence MEGATHREAD

[I Have Questions]

I'd be interested to hear your take on "the arguments that would try and persuade one to look at God as a 'monster'." Would you like to to quote Old Testament passages that show your god behaving in a way, and commanding actions, that I think most of us non- and ex-Mormons would consider to be reprehensible?

I think you might be aware of Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster.

This might be a good place to start:

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid= ... HQAAAAAQDA

On a board like this, malkie, I'm not willing to spend the time necessary to answer each and every question, especially when I know that there are obvious differences of opinion readily available to anyone willing to do the research/footwork.

For me, it is just plain common sense that the God of the Universe would have the welfare of all His children in mind as He set up 'the plan'. He wasn't born yesterday. Some folks seem to think God is dumb or something.

Regards,
MG

This is the second "link and run" I've reported. I'm surprised this behaviour is being allowed again.

[Dr. Shades]

This is the second "link and run" I've reported. I'm surprised this behaviour is being allowed again.

[MODERATOR NOTE: With respect, he described the other end of the link as a starting place for "Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster." Therefore, I do not see it as "link-and-run."]

[Gadianton]

The description is wrong. The other end of the link is a web search for "Was the".

And further, MG linking to google searches is kind of ridiculous, especially when he hasn't read any of the material himself.

[I Have Questions]

This is the second "link and run" I've reported. I'm surprised this behaviour is being allowed again.

[MODERATOR NOTE: With respect, he described the other end of the link as a starting place for "Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster." Therefore, I do not see it as "link-and-run."]

I respectfully but wholeheartedly disagree with your assessment. Malkie followed the link, did he find anything related to “Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster”? Your response suggests you didn’t investigate the link yourself. Which I would have thought was a prerequisite when investigating whether or not it was a link and run. Also see Gandianton’s response.

[MG 2.0]

This is the second "link and run" I've reported. I'm surprised this behaviour is being allowed again.

[MODERATOR NOTE: With respect, he described the other end of the link as a starting place for "Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster." Therefore, I do not see it as "link-and-run."]

The link worked from my end malkie. Sorry it broke for you. Anyway, as you ended up saying (you said you were capable of doing it), is typing in to Gemini, "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?", and you will find that things spread/flesh out into a deeper reflection and series of possibilities than simply pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.

As it is, one of the primary reasons many people leave the Judeo-Christian God behind is because they may have a limited/jaundiced view of Him as they read the Old Testament firsthand/first time without any further exploration or thought other than what they hear/read others have said in the negative.

Regards,
MG

[malkie]

[MODERATOR NOTE: With respect, he described the other end of the link as a starting place for "Old Testament scholarship that defends the God of the Old Testament and shows Him to be someone other than a monster." Therefore, I do not see it as "link-and-run."]

The link worked from my end malkie. Sorry it broke for you. Anyway, as you ended up saying (you said you were capable of doing it), is typing in to Gemini, "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?", and you will find that things spread/flesh out into a deeper reflection and series of possibilities than simply pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.

As it is, one of the primary reasons many people leave the Judeo-Christian God behind is because they may have a limited/jaundiced view of Him as they read the Old Testament firsthand/first time without any further exploration or thought other than what they hear/read others have said in the negative.

Regards,
MG

As I already pointed out, I could have googled (or used the Gemini AI) if I had wanted a generic answer to "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?" That was not what I wanted or asked for.

Remember this:

This is preposterous. God and an afterlife are not necessarily related. That there is a God doesn't equal that there's an afterlife. That there's an afterlife doesn't require there to be a God. Some folks believe in God without worrying themselves about an afterlife; others believe in afterlife without necessarily thinking there's an all-powerful God. Why anyone would think one requires the other is a mystery. Are you really so naïve?

Guess so. I’d be interested in your counter arguments.

Regards,
MG

Not so different from what I was asking you, right? If I recall correctly, Morley responded. You excused yourself from responding.

======

Talking about "pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.":

...
For me, it is just plain common sense that the God of the Universe would have the welfare of all His children in mind as He set up 'the plan'. He wasn't born yesterday. Some folks seem to think God is dumb or something.
...

...
once ‘God’ is specified as a good, personal creator of moral agents, the hypothesis of an afterlife becomes a natural and arguably expected consequence of that God’s character and purposes, rather than a disconnected add‑on. I was just talking to someone today in my neighborhood who is an atheist. Has been for forty years or so. I mentioned that I went through a period of time 'in the same boat' as he. I said that that to me it doesn't logically follow that a 'good God', a perfectly moral God, the creator of agents with moral judgement, would simply annihilate us at death.

It just doesn't make any sense to me.

If there is a God it seems reasonable to believe that this God has a purpose in mind for His creations which includes moral agency to choose/grow/progress.

...

I could go on, but I think that these two examples of you telling god what he is should be enough. So I'll repeat my question/observation: what gives you the right to tell god what he is, yet denies others a similar right - especially when the others are referring to an entity they explicitly or implicitly describe as hypothetical, while you claim that the entity you refer to is real.

[MG 2.0]

The link worked from my end malkie. Sorry it broke for you. Anyway, as you ended up saying (you said you were capable of doing it), is typing in to Gemini, "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?", and you will find that things spread/flesh out into a deeper reflection and series of possibilities than simply pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.

As it is, one of the primary reasons many people leave the Judeo-Christian God behind is because they may have a limited/jaundiced view of Him as they read the Old Testament firsthand/first time without any further exploration or thought other than what they hear/read others have said in the negative.

Regards,
MG

As I already pointed out, I could have googled (or used the Gemini AI) if I had wanted a generic answer to "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?" That was not what I wanted or asked for.

Remember this:

Guess so. I’d be interested in your counter arguments.

Regards,
MG

Not so different from what I was asking you, right? If I recall correctly, Morley responded. You excused yourself from responding.

======

Talking about "pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.":

...
For me, it is just plain common sense that the God of the Universe would have the welfare of all His children in mind as He set up 'the plan'. He wasn't born yesterday. Some folks seem to think God is dumb or something.
...

...
once ‘God’ is specified as a good, personal creator of moral agents, the hypothesis of an afterlife becomes a natural and arguably expected consequence of that God’s character and purposes, rather than a disconnected add‑on. I was just talking to someone today in my neighborhood who is an atheist. Has been for forty years or so. I mentioned that I went through a period of time 'in the same boat' as he. I said that that to me it doesn't logically follow that a 'good God', a perfectly moral God, the creator of agents with moral judgement, would simply annihilate us at death.

It just doesn't make any sense to me.

If there is a God it seems reasonable to believe that this God has a purpose in mind for His creations which includes moral agency to choose/grow/progress.

...

I could go on, but I think that these two examples of you telling god what he is should be enough. So I'll repeat my question/observation: what gives you the right to tell god what he is, yet denies others a similar right - especially when the others are referring to an entity they explicitly or implicitly describe as hypothetical, while you claim that the entity you refer to is real.

I'm perfectly willing to recognize that you have your own viewpoints towards God, as do I.

Regards,
MG

[malkie]

As I already pointed out, I could have googled (or used the Gemini AI) if I had wanted a generic answer to "Is the God of the Old Testament a monster?" That was not what I wanted or asked for.

Remember this:

Not so different from what I was asking you, right? If I recall correctly, Morley responded. You excused yourself from responding.

======

Talking about "pointing a finger at God and telling him what He is.":

<snip>

I could go on, but I think that these two examples of you telling god what he is should be enough. So I'll repeat my question/observation: what gives you the right to tell god what he is, yet denies others a similar right - especially when the others are referring to an entity they explicitly or implicitly describe as hypothetical, while you claim that the entity you refer to is real.

I'm perfectly willing to recognize that you have your own viewpoints towards God, as do I.

Regards,
MG

missing the point

[MG 2.0]

I'm perfectly willing to recognize that you have your own viewpoints towards God, as do I.

Regards,
MG

missing the point

I don't think I am.

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

missing the point

I don't think I am.

Regards,
MG

I agree, I don’t think you think you are missing the point. Of course, that doesn’t rule out the fact that you are missing malkie’s point. The problem is either your sociopathy, or your well-documented comprehension deficiencies. But I’m not criticising you as a person.