Reasonable Assertions About Personal God Except One

[David Sklansky]

1. There is no reason there should be something rather than nothing. Nothing can't create something. So since there is something, an entity immeasurably powerful, somehow outside of time must have created it.

Okay. That might make sense.

2. Any entity that created the universe is probably "good".

Okay. That might make sense.

3. Since he is good, he would likely make his existence and his wants known to creatures that are self aware enough to understand him.

Ditto.

4. He also would like his self aware creatures to love and admire him and to demonstrate that by respecting his wishes. Wishes that are in their best interest. On the other hand if they totally defy him there will a price to pay.

Perhaps not unreasonable.

5. He runs into a problem though. Because of his immense power, if not outright omnipotence, there will be those who have no love or respect for him but will obey his wishes soley because of fear of retribution. Similar to those I have written about who obey laws solely to avoid punishment. Not wishing to reward those who don't really feel in their heart what he wants them to feel, he gives them an opportunity to show their true colors. He does this by revealing himself to the world in a way that is not totally convincing. A way that gives those with hard hearts an excuse to defy him. That excuse being that they claim they don't think he even exists. In other words he is forced to make the evidence for his existence less than ironclad so as to make it clearcut (maybe not to him, but to others) that those who are with him are not just acting.

An interesting and somewhat plausible theory.

6. Among the remaining people. Those who love, honor, respect, revere, and worship him, he continues to give mixed messages. More detailed messages than the mere fact he exists and is there for mankind. And just like the messages regarding his existence, the truth is not clearcut. Especially to the person on the street who relies on the clergyman they grew up with. So what? This God wants more than just love respect and devotion. He wants you to be part of the ten percent or so who follow those who have studied his word and interpretted it the way he meant it. If your clergyman's interpretation is a tad off from that you are still OK. If however, its off by more than a little bit, it matters not that you love honor and obey him to the best of your ability. Off to hell you go.

Maybe its just me. But I have a problem with #6.