The Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BCE ) leaves Christian theologians scrambling for explanations. Epicurus said:Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.Christians desperately want to believe their God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. After all, if he doesn't measure up to these most basic standards, then he can't be much of a God. Without these attributes answers to prayer, eternal life, resurrection, the rapture and Jesus 2nd coming are at best, questionable. Yet, here we are with America's worst mass killing of innocent people in our history. The latest count from Las Vegas is 58 dead and 527 wounded. This is evil personified. If God is everything that Christians want to believe, then where was this God on that fateful Sunday night? An omniscient God would have known in advance what the killer Mr. Paddock planned. An omnipresent God would have watched Mr. Paddock acquire semi-automatic weapons and then rent a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel bringing some 23 guns. Certainly an omnipotent God could have stopped Mr. Paddock by giving him a flat tire on his car or a heart attack or some other sudden affliction. But no, the Christian God simply let it all happen as though it were God's will. Certainly some brilliant theologian will figure out a way to excuse God so God does not appear to be at fault. Pat Robertson says it happened because Americans have not shown proper respect for President Trump. Wow, a deserving offence Pat! Among those 22,000 people attending, there were people sinning with lustful thoughts, fornication, adultery, ignoring the Sabbath, etc., etc., etc. Now there is some some serious sin! So the massacre was really the sinners fault and God had to exercise judgment. That's the answer, blame the victims instead of this allegedly all-powerful lovingly inept God. Gee, why did God let the remaining 21,000 sinners get off? Oops, we forgot, maybe the devil coordinated this tragedy. Really? Poor God, I almost feel sorry for Him cause that makes the devil more powerful than God. What a pathetic excuse for a God! English philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806-1873 CE) said it best, "The time appears to me to have come when it is the duty of all to make their dissent from religion known." In other words, which way of thinking will prevail: theological fantasy or reality? The Las Vegas tragedy forces honest truth-seeking Americans to join Epicurus challenging this so-called god the bible-believing religious right would impose on Americans. He is obviously Missing In Action. We too must ask, "Why call Him God?" © Copyright 2017 by AxisofLogic.com This material is available for republication as long as reprints include verbatim copy of the article in its entirety, respecting its integrity. Reprints must cite the author and Axis of Logic as the original source including a "live link" to the article. Thank you! |