Evil is the absence of God.

[Marcus]

. . I don't know whether there is a God or not, and whether there is an afterlife. I just don't care one way or the other. . . The fact is that we don't know anything about those matters, and we will never know. . .

All fine and good, Endo, but that is a statement of your faith, what you believe. Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

You don't know? Others do know:

I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.

I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were given.

[Odin!]

Why did it distress Moses, John Calvin and Martin Luther?

[Marcus]

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

[Odin!]

...Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

They were burned at the stake for heresy?

[Marcus]

...Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

They were burned at the stake for heresy?

Ummmmmmm . . not Greg and Tom!

Jan or Joan maybe but surely not Greg or Tom . .

[Odin!]

...Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

They were burned at the stake for heresy?

Ummmmmmm . . not Greg and Tom!

Jan or Joan maybe but surely not Greg or Tom . .

That's right! They starved under Cromwell's beliefs in Ireland.

[Marcus]

...Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

They were burned at the stake for heresy?

Ummmmmmm . . not Greg and Tom!
Jan or Joan maybe but surely not Greg or Tom . .

That's right! They starved under Cromwell's beliefs in Ireland.

So what's with all this Calvin/Luther/Cromwell horse-puckey?

Waxy,* is dat you? Are we gonna do the "Protestant devils" thingy again over here this time? If so, I'm your hucklberry!

Or is dat you, Loki? . .

• *If it is waxy, trust me, I did not invite him/her.

[Odin!]

...Others believe differently . . why should that distress you?

Why did it distress John Calvin and Martin Luther?

Maybe the same reason it distressed Greg and Tom? . . .

They were burned at the stake for heresy?

Ummmmmmm . . not Greg and Tom!
Jan or Joan maybe but surely not Greg or Tom . .

That's right! They starved under Cromwell's beliefs in Ireland.

So what's with all this Calvin/Luther/Cromwell horse-puckey?

Waxy,* is dat you? Are we gonna do the "Protestant devils" thingy again over here this time? If so, I'm your hucklberry!

Or is dat you, Loki? . .

• *If it is waxy, trust me, I did not invite him/her.

I am ODIN! and I created you. You will submit.

[Nonc Hilaire]

I am ODIN! and I created you. You will submit.

No reason to be such a Thorhead.

[Typhoon]

I am ODIN! and I created you. You will submit.

No reason to be such a Thorhead.

Very good.

[Demon of Undoing]

I am ODIN! and I created you. You will submit.

No reason to be such a Thorhead.

He's Freya to do as he like.

[Typhoon]

Have to say I don't understand statements such as "Evil is the absence of God".

History has plenty of examples of both believers and non-believers committing acts of enormous evil.

All I can conclude from my own experiences is that the more ideological an individual [or group] and the more binary their "me [us] vs everyone else" perception of the world,

the more they are capable of acts of evil.

[Odin!]

Have to say I don't understand statements such as "Evil is the absence of God".

History has plenty of examples of both believers and non-believers committing acts of enormous evil.

All I can conclude from my own experiences is that the more ideological an individual [or group] and the more binary their "me [us] vs everyone else" perception of the world,

the more they are capable of acts of evil.

Indeed, the existence of evil is as much a problem for those gods who claim certain omnipowers as is free will.

[Odin!]

I am ODIN! and I created you. You will submit.

No reason to be such a Thorhead.

He's Freya to do as he like.

A Nørse is a Nørse of cörse of cörse.

[Parodite]

Evil is the absence of God is maybe just the title of a good thriller. Something to do with Missing

V3Sx8yl4pKk

[Nonc Hilaire]

Have to say I don't understand statements such as "Evil is the absence of God".

The concept is evil is like a shadow, or a hole in your pants. Real, but not a physical existence. It is a lack of goodness, not something which is can be defined without relationship to goodness. A shadow cannot exist in darkness, nor can the hole exist without the pants.

The idea came from Augustine, who was arguing against the Manichean (and prevalent in most other non-Hebrew religions) idea that the world was a battle between good and evil. The core of the belief system is God creating order out of chaos.

[Odin!]

Have to say I don't understand statements such as "Evil is the absence of God".

The concept is evil is like a shadow, or a hole in your pants. Real, but not a physical existence. It is a lack of goodness, not something which is can be defined without relationship to goodness. A shadow cannot exist in darkness, nor can the hole exist without the pants.

The idea came from Augustine, who was arguing against the Manichean (and prevalent in most other non-Hebrew religions) idea that the world was a battle between good and evil. The core of the belief system is God creating order out of chaos.

By that theodicy, God's good can only exist as a comparative. It also seeks to change the subject by equivocation - good is not "order", "chaos" is not evil.

[Marcus]

Don't step in cow pies, Nonc . .

[Miss_Faucie_Fishtits]

"......The fact is that we don't know anything about those matters, and we will never know. If when I die I find out that indeed there is a God, a cosmic plan, and an afterlife, fine. I will then ask what I'm supposed to do and try and do it as well as I can. If there isn't, I will be beyond caring....."

An inkling of which, will come back to the living and profoundly affect what they think of their lives and of the world where they are living.....'>........

[Odin!]

"......The fact is that we don't know anything about those matters, and we will never know. If when I die I find out that indeed there is a God, a cosmic plan, and an afterlife, fine. I will then ask what I'm supposed to do and try and do it as well as I can. If there isn't, I will be beyond caring....."

An inkling of which, will come back to the living and profoundly affect what they think of their lives and of the world where they are living.....'>........

What's a Buddhist's reason for thinking the future will resemble any past?

[Odin!]

Don't step in cow pies, Nonc . .

Ironic you should mention that. In more than one context...

[Miss_Faucie_Fishtits]

"......The fact is that we don't know anything about those matters, and we will never know. If when I die I find out that indeed there is a God, a cosmic plan, and an afterlife, fine. I will then ask what I'm supposed to do and try and do it as well as I can. If there isn't, I will be beyond caring....."

An inkling of which, will come back to the living and profoundly affect what they think of their lives and of the world where they are living.....'>........

What's a Buddhist's reason for thinking the future will resemble any past?

It's not so much whether the cat is alive or dead, but whether one thinks it is or not........

[Nonc Hilaire]

Have to say I don't understand statements such as "Evil is the absence of God".

The concept is evil is like a shadow, or a hole in your pants. Real, but not a physical existence. It is a lack of goodness, not something which is can be defined without relationship to goodness. A shadow cannot exist in darkness, nor can the hole exist without the pants.

The idea came from Augustine, who was arguing against the Manichean (and prevalent in most other non-Hebrew religions) idea that the world was a battle between good and evil. The core of the belief system is God creating order out of chaos.

By that theodicy, God's good can only exist as a comparative. It also seeks to change the subject by equivocation - good is not "order", "chaos" is not evil.

I'm trying to accurately explain Christian doctrine, not argue it or convince you to believe it.
All that is made is inherently good and is of God. God's order is good; God is goodness itself. There is no comparative, unless you wish to compare the Creator with His creation.
God creates by putting chaos into order, and he has enjoined mankind to take part in the maintenance of His creation. This is not changing the subject. It is elucidation.
What is Odin!'s definition of good and evil?

[Marcus]

What is Odin!'s definition of good and evil?

Lewis makes several references to ancient Norse morality in his summation of Natural Law:

'In Nastrond (= Hell) I saw... murderers.' (Old Norse. Volospá 38, 39)

'Brothers shall fight and be each others' bane.' (Old Norse. Account of the Evil Age before the World's end, Volospá 45)

'Nothing can ever change the claims of kinship for a right thinking man.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2600)

'This first I rede thee: be blameless to thy kindred. Take no vengeance even though they do thee wrong.' (Old Norse. Sigdrifumál, 22)

'I saw in Nastrond (= Hell)... beguilers of others' wives.' (Old Norse. Volospá 38, 39)

'In Nastrond (= Hell) I saw the perjurers.' (Old Norse. Volospá 39)

'Anything is better than treachery.' (Old Norse. Hávamál 124)

'There, Thor, you got disgrace, when you beat women.' (Old Norse. Hárbarthsljóth 38)

'I sought no trickery, nor swore false oaths.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2738)

'Courage has got to be harder, heart the stouter, spirit the sterner, as our strength weakens. Here lies our lord, cut to pieces, out best man in the dust. If anyone thinks of leaving this battle, he can howl forever.' (Anglo-Saxon. Maldon, 312)

'Death is better for every man than life with shame.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2890)

[Odin!]

What is Odin!'s definition of good and evil?

Lewis makes several references to ancient Norse morality in his summation of Natural Law:

'In Nastrond (= Hell) I saw... murderers.' (Old Norse. Volospá 38, 39)

'Brothers shall fight and be each others' bane.' (Old Norse. Account of the Evil Age before the World's end, Volospá 45)

'Nothing can ever change the claims of kinship for a right thinking man.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2600)

'This first I rede thee: be blameless to thy kindred. Take no vengeance even though they do thee wrong.' (Old Norse. Sigdrifumál, 22)

'I saw in Nastrond (= Hell)... beguilers of others' wives.' (Old Norse. Volospá 38, 39)

'In Nastrond (= Hell) I saw the perjurers.' (Old Norse. Volospá 39)

'Anything is better than treachery.' (Old Norse. Hávamál 124)

'There, Thor, you got disgrace, when you beat women.' (Old Norse. Hárbarthsljóth 38)

'I sought no trickery, nor swore false oaths.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2738)

'Courage has got to be harder, heart the stouter, spirit the sterner, as our strength weakens. Here lies our lord, cut to pieces, out best man in the dust. If anyone thinks of leaving this battle, he can howl forever.' (Anglo-Saxon. Maldon, 312)

'Death is better for every man than life with shame.' (Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf, 2890)

"

Veit ek at ek hekk vindga meiði a
netr allar nío,
geiri vndaþr ok gefinn Oðni,
sialfr sialfom mer,
a þeim meiþi, er mangi veit, hvers hann af rótom renn.

I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run.

"





Which is all well and good, but I have an inkling that Uncle Hilare may not speak for the entire Body of Christ on this limited question.


“Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. They can therefore go astray. Indeed, they have sinned. Thus has moral evil, incommensurably more harmful than physical evil, entered the world. God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. He permits it, however, because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it.” - CCC 311

Do you accept this as a matter of Faith Marcus?