I would guess in my life of 45 years about 1/2 of the women I've dated have had some sort of experience with rape, some much worse than others. So I have some small understanding of what you are talking about.
The idea that there is celestial, omnipotent and all knowing parent who waves his finger and doles punishment for evildoers only after an entire lifetime, is on it's face immoral. I like my perception of free will, but if I never had it I'd miss it about as much as I miss the ability to fly right now.
It's like the Matrix, do you think that if the Matrix was real, would anyone would miss the real world unless they knew it existed?
Hmmmm....Sacrifice free will for a world without pain suffering or misery and all I have to do is give up something that I'd never know I had?...DONE!
Oh yea, wait, didn't we already live there and get booted over some crazy story about an apple and a talking snake?
The idea that evil is necessary in order to measure virtue is proof of only one thing, that god is in fact a malevolent celestial dictator who's concocted a story that's convinced much of the world that the suffering he causes/ allows is "necessary" and "for our own good" all while convincing us that his self serving evil doing is in fact love and sacrifice.
It's a good think I don't believe in such a being, because that would be pretty depressing.
Yes - and then (when bad stuff happens to us - as a child or an adult), they tell us to "forgive and forget, then we will be saved." Furthermore, they also say that being depressed and anxious over what happened solves no problem whatsoever (insinuating that it's our fault). In other words, what they are saying (to me) is "buck it up, take it like a man or else God will punish me." Huh? Stop me if I missed something, but isn't telling that to a child the worst form of abuse there is?
I'm just saying - to tell that to a child (especially one whom has been molested/raped) is the worst form of hypocrisy and abomination - at least in my eyes. No matter what my beliefs, I would never do that to a kid.
The real "punishment" is the act of being raped itself. Seems to me that IF there is a all powerful, all knowing and benevolent God, he would in fact prevent stuff like that.
Now.
If a theist can "solve" this problem for me and make logical sense while doing so, I'm all ears. If not, they have already been proven wrong because of this basic concept: "God" knows everything that is going to happen to me. He had my life planed eons ago before I was born. He has the time of my death fixed - as well as all the good and bad things that ever happened (or will happen) to me. He will welcome me into his "kingdom" when I die, as long as I embrace and believe in Him."
Question: Why would I "embrace" a parent like that. More specifically, why wouldn't I hate said parent and go on to "reject" Him.
Sorry, but that type of belief system is old and frankly codependent. And that's what they should be telling our kids/us. For, isn't honesty the best policy? Or, is it the best policy to keep collecting tithes on Sundays - while telling us that it's "for the lord, whom loves us more than we know?"
Lying to a child about where and what "God" is - no wonder human suffering does indeed exist.
