bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pm
seeds wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:52 pm
bahman wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:38 pm
I agree with all you stated.
If you agree with all that I stated about the Catholic depiction of God, then can you not understand the problem with your thread title?
The title of this thread is about good God which includes the Catholic God too. I agree with what you stated that torturing people is not a good act. I am asking how a good God, such as the Catholic God, could possibly do evil.
seeds wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:52 pm
I mean, if your thread title is in reference to the Catholic God, and the Catholic God is apparently going to torture billions of defenseless souls for ETERNITY in a dimension of reality called hell,...
...then how can you begin with the premise (or assumption) that the Catholic God is good?
In other words, how can the Catholic God be used in a philosophical debate concerning a dilemma of how a “good” God could do something evil when, in fact, the Catholic God is allegedly going to perform an act of evilness that takes the definition of evilness to a level beyond our comprehension?
bahman wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:38 pm
My problem is the tension between goodness and freedom. Do you agree that there is tension?
I cannot understand your question. Please reframe it so that it makes more sense.
_______
They claim that God is good.
Okay, this makes sense.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmThey say God never wants individuals in Hell.
This also makes perfect sense.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmThat is individuals decisions that lead them to Hell.
What do you mean by, 'That is'.
Do you mean that God never wants individuals to make decisions that lead them to hell?
If yes, then, to me, this clearly makes perfect sense, from a perspective of what 'hell' actually IS, which, by the way, is NOT the definition that you and just about all adult human beings have imagined 'hell' is like.
If no, then what do you mean exactly?
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmWhat is my question is however something else. I am asking whether good God can do evil.
Will you accept that 'any God', by definition, can, or is able to, do anything?
If no, then what will you accept?
If yes, then the answer to your question is; Yes a 'good God' CAN do evil. BUT, being 'able to' do some thing does not necessitate that It will be done.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmSo we need to accept goodness as a premise.
If we need to, then okay.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmBy goodness, I mean that God always does good.
So, now you question, and correct me if I am wrong, is asking: Whether a God that always does good can do evil?
The answer is still the same; Yes an always good doing God CAN do evil.
Obviously that God has, hitherto, NEVER done evil, but It still has the ability to do evil and so It CAN do evil, in the future, if It so chooses to. Has this answered your question and cleared things up somewhat for you now?
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmGod is also considered as a free agent.
Okay.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmSo here is the problem: Does God always choose good over evil or He is not able to choose evil?
Firstly God is NEVER a 'he'.
Secondly, you yourself have defined a 'good God' as ALWAYS doing good, therefore, by your own definition, God would always choose good over 'evil', which is what God ALWAYS does do anyway. (Unless of course some examples that prove otherwise are provided.) However in saying that, God ALWAYS allows human beings to choose whatever they want to choose. So, some might say that a God, which allows human beings to choose to do 'evil' over good is an 'evil' act or 'evil' doing itself. But each to their own.
Also, although God is ABLE to choose 'evil', God, to me, NEVER chooses 'evil'.
bahman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pmI am sure you see the difference between these two questions. There is a tension between freedom and choosing evil. This is basically the first question.
I still do NOT see any 'tension' here.
To me, having the freedom to choose to do any thing certainly does not mean that that one HAS TO choose to do any particular thing either way.
God, and 'you', can certainly have the freedom to choose between doing good and right over bad and evil, without ever HAVING TO do one of those things.
If you still find your questions are not yet satisfactorily answered, then just explain why, and then I will answer in another way for you.