"It is false to say that God could have created a different cosmos, because 'could have' implies the impossible contradiction that the immutable will and absolute knowledge of God are mutable and limited." (34)
"It is our own limitation that we wish God to conform to what we desire him to be." (34)
Burton, Jeffrey Russell. "Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages". (Again.)
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I'm getting a kick out of this book; if anyone comes across it, grab yourself a copy--it grows on you like fungus until you just can't shake it off. Well ... something like that.
So I'm wondering how excerpts above affect the current trend of the posted responses .... Either one seems almost self-evident. But, as so little in the world is self evident, I'm perfectly willing to assume these ideas are not.
I think the first excerpt regards a more universal aspect ... the grander themes of Evil. Whereas the second excerpt speaks to a more individual interaction with Evil.
Again, I beg these excerpts be taken as part of the larger work, looking at themes of Evil in Western Philosophy, and specifically the Devil in the Christian context. Russell, with the portion of the text excerpted, is exploring a range of philosophies arising in the relationship between Western and Byzantine Christianity.
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Micah ....
"God help anyone who sheds innocent blood through deception." (1/24)
One might say God helped anyone who wanted to shed innocent blood through deception. Unfortunately, this form of Evil has shown itself amid the Christian flock before. And it certainly will again, as sure as Christians are human.
This idea directly relates to the second excerpt I've included at the beginning of this post. And if we can accept that God is more than what we conceive of him, and that those mysteries sometimes present seemingly contradictory aspects of God, we can avoid the ducking and prattling that happens every time someone wants to explore the more "Evil" aspects of Christian history.
Thus, who decides what's "innocent", and who decides what's "deception"?
I would ask who decides what's God, but I'm quite sure that's beside the point.
thanx,
Tiassa
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Take a side you say, it's black and gray. And all the hunters take the hunted merrily out to play. We are one, you say, but who are you? You're all too busy reaping in the things you never sown. And this beast must go on and on and on .... Nobody gives a damn. (Floater; "Beast")