Theology

(1)  Agree or disagree with the assertion that the riddle of "the good" is equally as puzzling as the riddle of "the evil".

I agree with the riddle "the good" and "the bad" are equally as puzzling. Throughout our lifetime we endure many of life's beautiful moments (ie, birth of a child, mother nature, sunrise) and we also endure many of life's more difficult times (disease, death, suffering, pain). We've all felt anguish and pain, but we've also felt joy and happiness. Beautiful moments, such as a gorgeous golden sunset, may leave you in awe. You'd wonder how it's possible that something so beautiful is right before your eyes. During tough times, it may be natural to wonder whether there is a God. You may ask yourself, how can this happen to me? How can God allow something terrible happen to a good person? These questions will never be answered. It is all part of the mystery of life.

(2)  What reasons are given for the atheism of Camus/Marx/Nietzsche/Freud?  If you believe in God, have their positions intrigued you?  Why or why not?  If you don't believe, are you an atheist for reasons similar to theirs, or for different reasons?  What are they?

Similar to most people, Camus' reason for atheism is due to all of the evil and suffering in the world. Camus refused to believe in a God that is good and powerful given all of the evil in the world (especially the suffering of children).

Marx reason for rejecting Christianity is that he saw it as an obstacle for justice to all mankind. He believed that Christians valued riches as a sign of God's blessings and did nothing to help those less fortunate. He believed that in order to restore our just society, Christianity must be destroyed.

Nietzsche was an atheist because he believed the only way that humans can be free is to free yourself from belief in a God. He believed that belief in God only leads to fear and groveling. The only way that we can live to the fullest is to free ourselves from this fear and...