Subj : Re: Bible
To   : JOSHUA LEE
From : TODD HENSON
Date : Wed Oct 25 2000 07:18 pm

> SGID: 1:167/133.0 39f6229a
> -=> TODD HENSON wrote to JOSHUA LEE <=-
> 
>  >  BE> No need for Zen here; all you need is an appreciation for the
>  >  BE> Ontological argument:
>  > [argument deleted by me for space]
>  >
>  >  TH> More of your playing around with definitions.
>  [more stuff deleted for space...]
>  TH> Here is what Bob said:
> 
>  TH> ----->   For the Devil:
>   >   The Devil, by definition, is that being than which nothing else
>   >   could be more perfectly and completely worse or evil.  If the
>   >   Devil existed only in the imagination, he would lack this
>   >   property, since, no matter how badly he is thought in his own
>   >   concept, he would be even worse and more evil still if he
>   >   existed.  Therefore the Devil must necessarily exist in reality.
>  >
>   > This set of arguments challenges the omnipotence of God.  For if
>   > the Devil NECESSARILY exists, God cannot destroy the Devil.  If he
>   > cannot destroy the Devil, he cannot be omnipotent.
>  TH> -----
> 
>  TH> Have YOU studied philosophy long enough to see his error? The error
>  TH> glares right at you in the second paragraph. :-)
> 
> Actually, the error is in the *first* paragraph; where he implicitly
> assumes dualism and total depravity upon the part of the Accuser. The
> second paragraph is fine; if one is using the ontological argument,
> and one is assuming a dualistic scenerio. His problem, unbeknowest to
> his naive grasp of theology, is that Judaism and Christianity are not
> dualistic.


Agreed.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr4
 * Origin: BBS Networks @ www.bbsnets.com 808-839-5016 (1:10/345)

.