Belinda wrote: ↑Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:15 am
Some governments are worse than others no matter whether they are plutocratic or socialist.
Of course. But you'll always find that any government is less efficient than private enterprise at getting the same things done. That's because governments rely on bureaucracies, and deal with other people's money; so they have no market-disciplines when it comes to spending. It's very easy to waste other people's money...that is, your money and mine.
I understand your objection but I am aware also of the rule of an upper class here in England, people who believe themselves naturally more entitled than others to better stuff.
I know that well. It's historical, since England has historically had an aristocracy. It's quite different in North America, where there has never been one. There are the wealthy, but they are not aristocrats, and merit-by-birth is essentially unknown there.
England is a bit like a small boat full of people: everyone expects everybody else to know their place in the lifeboat and stay there. And they get miffed if somebody moves too much, or if they can't locate their place on the boat. No wonder people left to go to America...by the 17th Century, all the land in England was already enclosed and owned, and social mobility was highly problematic. But it was never that way in America, where they had an open frontier, and social mobility was possible for anyone, with a little ingenuity and effort. So social mobility is not frowned upon there. It's actually celebrated. It's one of the better features of North America.
Democracy is the only known safeguard against corruption in government.
I agree. Unfortunately, Socialism cannot survive happily with democracy. Its mania for controlling every aspect of life takes over, and it cannot allow that some other democratically-elected alternative should gain power, something non-Socialist, so it quickly turns to totalitarianism.
True, Jesus was 'sent' to explain it all to us however Jesus, as far as I am aware, never explained the theists' problem of evil.
I find that a surprising statement, because He did. In fact, He came to address it personally.
But it's not just the Theist's problem. Evil is everyone's problem. For what is the Atheist explanation of evil?
Firstly my problem is that God who is a Person with desires and intentions would take the trouble of creating us and setting us free to suffer only to fetch us back again into His fold.
What problem do you perceive with that?
True, Jesus the Good Shepherd told us how to avoid moral evil but Jesus never told us how to avoid natural evil.
It depends on what you mean by "natural evil." I should ask you what you mean, since the term can mean more than one thing.
Secondly, I cannot imagine how God extends this grace to us. Our psyches are an alternative aspect of our bodies; we are animals.Even reason, which seems our best hope of accessing God's grace, waits upon emotion.
I confess I'm not sure how to understand this claim either. Sorry. Can you explain?