Tao and Tawheed - philosophy

The Problem of Evil

The problem of evil does not prove God is absent. It points to his future actions.

30 June 2015
Author: Steve Schlichter
Number of views: 8699
2 Comments

What is the Problem of Evil?

The problem of evil (PoE) is a philosophical argument. It is probably the strongest argument an atheist might have to justify atheism. It is said that the existence of evil proves that God is either not all good or not all powerful (and therefore does not exist as defined by monotheistic faiths). If God does not want evil to exist then he is not all that good. If he simply cannot stop evil then he is not all that powerful.

"The Most Merciful"—7 Versions of Mercy

A Philosophical Exploration of the Mercy of God

6 July 2015
Author: Scott Cherry
Number of views: 12923
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Most people believe that mercy is a good thing. We want justice but not without mercy, from God and from other humans. Muslims and Christians agree that the Creator (whether God or Allah) is merciful; it is replete in our holy books. Therefore, it's important for us to discuss the mercy of God because this is one of His primary attributes. But when we say God is “merciful” exactly what do we mean? As a thought experiment I tried to list all the possible versions of mercy I could think of and sent them to a Muslim friend named Mohanid asking which one most closely matched his concept of mercy. The following are the results of my thought experiment.

The Little Girl on the Corner

The Universality of Reason as Evidence for a Rational God

17 July 2015
Author: Scott Cherry
Number of views: 7915
1 Comments

Everyone uses, and must use, the very same rules of reason. Everyone is constrained by the same laws of logic and rational principles. Premises always lead to conclusions, for example. Normally, good reasoning is valued and expected by everyone, everywhere. It is universal. If reason is faulty it’s always due to violations of a standard set of universal laws or principles. The principle of validity is another example. That is, whether it’s valid or invalid, it is so for everyone, everywhere. This is evidence for a rational God.

Qur'an to Jesus in 3 Hops

How the Qur'an confirms the authenicity of the gospels

2 August 2015
Author: Steve Schlichter
Number of views: 7073
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I often wonder how different my beliefs would be if I grew up under different circumstances. Am I a Christian only because I was raised by Christians? What if I had been raised by atheists or by Hindus? Would I come to the same conclusions that I arrive at now?

I have even made attempts in the past to clear my slate (as best I can) and start from scratch. It is important to examine our own beliefs. Why do I believe in God? Why do I believe Jesus is God? If I start over, would I re-assemble the same construct that I have now or would it look different? While we are (admittedly) incapable of entirely setting aside beliefs, one can attempt to imagine different starting points in life and explore the reasoning premised on the beliefs we hold. Imagine that you were a Muslim (are perhaps you are). If the Qur'an alone were your starting point then where would it guide you?

The Origin of Meekness

Humans value humility in each other so what should we expect from God?

22 April 2016
Author: Steve Schlichter
Number of views: 8748
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Have you ever wondered why people value humility?

The Qur'an speaks of humility. In surah 3:159 Muhammed is praised for his humility by dealing gently with those who could have been in rebellion to him.

"And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you." [Al Imran 3:159]

Where does this value come from? If Muhammed is praised as meek then shouldn't we expect this to be an attribute of God's? How does the Muslim God demonstrate meekness?