[Thor]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

And this is precisely why I wanted to keep this example out of any discussion surrounding whether or not a belief in God produces "morality" or "kindness". I have no qualms at all with insisting that people are innately "good"—but also, paradoxically, innately "wicked"—but what intrigues me is the instinct itself and the timing in it all: Are you not ever awed by what an amazing stroke of coincidences your life experience amounts to?

Honestly for me, not really. There are moments of some coincidence where I'm impressed by the timing, but not in any way relating that to something intended or 'meant to be.' I have a hard time with pre-planned, intended outcomes or anything relating to fate or force that pushed me in some way. Free will and reason makes me doubt and look at these situations in a analytical way, not spiritual. Who knows, maybe as we learn more about the human mind we will find some deeper complication to our connections to other humans, maybe on something similar to the quantum scale/theory where some really weird stuff happens.

No question. This is a problem. But what I think it does say about God, if such a God exists is two things: first, we are probably wrong to think that God ever "intervenes". Second, I think that if there is a God, he is not "all-powerful" or "all-knowing", at least not in the sense that we would expect.

I agree fully, as I've stated before I love to discuss the latter with people who could conceive or believe in that god, I find that idea more interesting and plausible; albeit in honesty its still a reach for me as I could only get closer to having a complex definition in a god based on natural not supernatural origins.

I'll go back to Miller's statement about whether or not the "Divine author" can in fact "intervene in his world at any time". I am presently writing a dissertation which I intend to publish as a book after my graduation. It is my creation full of my ideas. I own it and I am free to do whatever I want with it. But does that really mean that I can "intervene at any time"? If I decided to insert on p. 37 the following sentance: "If you are reading this you are too close", or the following random sequence of letters: "ddcvbqipvbwovqsivb1wrcv1qpuivbquifv", this would be a mistake. Or consider this: If you ever choose to read my book, will you be capable of detecting where the "original" material exists? What parts have been supplemented? Expanded? Changed? If I am a good enough writer, you should not. Part of my work in dealing with ancient literature is detecting those places where authors and editors have in fact "intervened." I am presently working on six mss. from the Dead Sea Scrolls that all contain the same composition, and I have actually managed to locate three separate layers of tradition that have resulted from redaction, or "intervention." So, whether or not God does intervene or even can intervene is not the point. We probably would not nor could not recognize "divine intervention" even if it did take place. But the fact that there are promptings and "instincts" within us that move us inexplicably to act on behalf of humanity suggests that it is—as life is—so much more than merely the sum of its parts.

Can't wait to read it