| Jay520 said:
1. The Creator is all-powerful - 2. The Creator is all-knowing - I don't understand this at all. Just because a being started something doesn't mean they would forever know everything about their creation. It's possible that the Creator let his creation flourish without constant, absolute surveillance. 3. The Creator is all-loving - Again, I don't understand this belief at all. Why must a Creator love his Creation? 4. The Creator is everywhere - Just because He created everything, does that mean he has to be everywhere? 5. There's only one Creator - What's the logic behind believing in one Creator rather than multiple Creators? 6. The Creator has a plan for humanity - |
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "Creationist." I do believe God created humans, but did so through a long and complicated process that we are discovering today. (without the need for silly notions like "intelligent design") I see science and the universe, and our fascinating and complex biological history, as a gift, a mystery to be cherished and enjoyed, not disregarded and vilified. So as I fully embrace ideas like the big bang and evolution, I doubt I'm what you're looking for. But I'll share my thoughts anyway.
#2, 4, and 5 all go back to #1. If a being is indeed all-powerful, then it must, logically, also be all-knowing, essentially existing in all places at the same time, and there must then be only one. Even if there are, in some sense, multiple gods, if they all share the characteristic of being all-powerful(and therefore knowing all and existing everythwere), then they must co-exist as one. Another possible way some may think of it is: God IS the universe....or the universe is (part of?) God.
#1, 3 and 6 are religious beliefs, plain and simple. They can be nothing more. Assuming the existence of an all-powerful creator(which can only be an assumption), then a loving creator is likely, based on the fact (or belief) that we have free will* and we haven't been utterly destroyed yet. It also goes to the question of why we exist, some, perhaps many, believe it is due to love.
*unimpeded, unrestricted free will. This is the answer to questions like "how could God allow this tragedy to occur?" Without true free will, there can be no faith. Without faith, there is no need for God. A creation without free will is has no meaning to an all-powerful creator.
As for a plan...there's debate, even among the religious. Some believe the events described as apocalyptic have already happened and/or that they don't, in fact, describe the end of everything. Others believe that humanity will spiral out of control and eventually all will come to an end. Still others, of course, believe the end is immenent. (that's nothing new)
I like to beleive that, with our freedom and courage and determination, humanity will accomplish great things in the future. But, regardless of religion, I do worry that we will destroy ourselves as we discover and invent more and more ways of doing so. If that's the case, perhaps it would be better if a higher power stepped in to save us from the destruction that we bring upon ourselves.
