If God is all powerful and all good, why does he let the devil exist? I'm having trouble grappling this question...

If God is all powerful and all good, why does he let the devil exist? I'm having trouble grappling this question. If he created everything, then that means he made the rules and guidelines for sin. Why did he do that if he is all good and loving, if all he wants is for all of his creations to be with him?

>If God is all powerful and all good, why does he let the devil exist?
because why not? if you read their story in the bible, they are not enemies. they often conspire together.

to give humanity a choice. Faith isn't supposed to be easy.

What are some examples of when they conspire? And it's just that if God is all good and wants his creations in heaven with him, why would he create hell or let the devil tempt people or anything

he gives them a choice
then punishes us on the choices we made.

"inspired by your browsing history" well played faggot

But the choice is everlasting pain, or everlasting pleasure. We have to make the choice based on faith, not facts. Why even give us the opportunity to not go to heaven. What I'm saying is, why even make sin, sin? He's in control of everything, why can't he make it so jacking off and being a drunk and everything isn't a sin? So everyone would eventually be with him

God doesnt give a fuck about faith. he doesnt even give a fuck about any individual. he will flood the planet and then send plagues that affect everyone whether they have faith or not. or just turn random people into salt for no real reason. its the hippie jesus that cares about faith.

Read the book of Job

>2017
>still believing in god

Because he's an asshole. Assholes and 10 yr old girls make little rules you have to follow to be friends with them, most of us later grow up to become more socially adept. However, because god is outside of time he never grew up and still posseses the mentality of a little girl.

I have, thank you for reminding me of the story, you're right. What I don't understand is that if it pains god to see us suffer, for us to go to hell, why would he allow that to happen? He created everything right? That means he created hell and suffering as well. Why would he do that

hell is not in the bible. neither is the concept of afterlife. both of these were fabricated later on. read the bible for yourself and dont take anything christians say at face value.

Because he's an asshole. But it kinda makes sense because he was alone for so long he developed split personalities to have people to talk to.

>god is smeagol
kek

kek

If you think about in the context of protestant evangelical christian theology it makes sense

Its one thing they always said in theo school, that god was one in 3 persons. However nobody has ever seen them all in the same place at the same time so its safe to assume MPD

It's been an issue with monotheists religions that suppose a all-powerful God since the beginnings of the traditions

In polytheist religions the answer is almost always "gods are dicks lul" but with religions like the God of Israel Yahweh they put forward the idea that God is a moral entity that guides humanity.

People obviously weren't oblivious to this and it's quite clear in the Hebrew scriptures itself with parts like Job and Jonah which straight up criticise God with Job questioning the very idea of moral cosmic order.

Because of this there were many Jews around 2nd-1st Century BC that innovated the idea that there was a "great deceiver" something to deal for where evil came from and this became what is now thought of as the Devil and this got retro-jected into the Hebrew Scriptures as "Satan".

In the Hebrew Scriptures "the satan" is an angel who works kinda like a prosecuting attorney for Yahweh, an angel that goes down and makes findings and makes statements on people. By 1st Century BC this character is recast as TEH DEVIL as a way of saying "he was there all along and he's the reason for evil" and this became a huge part of the growing Christian movement that came soon after.

But in the end this is an argument that has gone on forever, there are great books on the subject like Augustine's Confessions but who fucking cares anymore this shit is tired

Yes it is though. Before Jesus died for our sins it clearly talks about paradise and across the chasm is hell or the equivalent of hell. When Jesus is alive he talks about people being with him and his father in paradise

Thank you for the good reply and recommendation

not saying it doesnt mention paradise and all that. it just doesnt clearly say that you have to die to get there.

You are well on your way to the better alternative user. Don't stop now.

>pic related

Is this a Buddhist quote? I was raised Christian (pentacostal yeehaw) and if I was unable to answer this question I had I was going to look into Buddhism. Are you memeing, or could you point me in the right direction?

Quit worrying about it and get laid

Or drunk

Ah okay, sorry then. Even if it doesn't say you have to die though, it still led me to believe that heaven or hell was the ultimate "end" basically

Of course it's a Buddhist quote. It even says where it comes from at the bottom of the picture.

If you want a recommendation on a good buddhist book which is not new-agey bullcrap you see in bookstores

Look for
"What Makes You Not a Buddhist" by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Well, if I remember right Lucifer was God's favorite angel. He could have banished him to hell out of love or something.

A Pentecostal? I went to one of those churches to have a chuckle at the idiots speaking in tongues like Robert Tilton. It was more sad and disappointing than anything

Paradise in the Bible is the Kingdom of God which is what the Messiah was suppose to bring.

The implication is the reconstitution of the Kingdom of Israel like under King David but this time with all the bad people gone.

So basically not some place up in the sky but a magical kingdom on Earth

...

Mysterious ways...

Yes and if you aren't there with them on their new kingdom on earth, where will you be? The only other option

hell was created for satan, God gave us all free will. if you dont follow God you follow your master satan into hell. seems very fair to me

>let the devil exist

everything is good, dickhead

>Yes and if you aren't there with them on their new kingdom on earth, where will you be?
exiled, if not stoned to death.

There are two masters to follow Jesus Christ or satan, who you follow on this earth dictates who you follow to the after life. God made satan a home in the lake of fire. because you ignored God all your life why would you want to go to heaven where he is? that doesnt make any sense . wouldnt you rather follow your master the devil to his home?

I absolutely hated it. Constantly had it shoved down my throat that the world was ending any minute and the Democrats worked for Satan and all kinds of stuff

The other option is Sheol which is where all people go when they died and is translated as "Hades" in the Bible.

Paul in his writings states that the righteous dead would come back at the time of the coming kingdom