Why did God create the universe?

Discuss philosophical questions regarding theism (and atheism), and discuss religion as it relates to philosophy. This includes any philosophical discussions that happen to be about god, gods, or a 'higher power' or the belief of them. This also generally includes philosophical topics about organized or ritualistic mysticism or about organized, common or ritualistic beliefs in the existence of supernatural phenomenon.
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gad-fly
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Why did God create the universe?

Post by gad-fly »

My threat "Why did God create human in the first place?" is self-centered and narcissistic. If you believe in his creation, what happened was that human is only one among millions that he had created. He created the universe to serve human, the first thing on his mind? That may be wishful thinking, and you may be megalomaniac. It is probably not God's desire to make us arrogant. More likely, he want us to eat humble pie, as when he drove us away from the Garden of Eden after that fateful bite on the apple.

Nevertheless, human is essential in his creation in those crucial six days. What can be more significant than that he created human in his own image. He could have created the lion in his image.

I have never finished reading the bible, but I have gone through the Genesis many times, as if to make a new beginning every time. "God saw that it was good." I am inspired. Creation was not a chore. God enjoyed it, apparently. It appears he has regretted later for more than once, but that is another story which you have to read on to find out. Perhaps nobody, not even God, can fix the future. Let us leave that concern as another issue.

I am inspired to suggest that God create the universe because he enjoy doing it. In the very beginning, he was full satisfied and proud of what he had done. It was a vibrant universe, with Good and evil, delight and anger, kindness and cruelty, and vast space in between. It is no whiter than white. It is black and white, and very colorful in between. If that is God's reason to create, I would find it thankful to him, and I would say no more.
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Sushan
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Sushan »

Actually The God created nothing. There is no one called God. Universe somehow emerged as a result of a natural phenomena or it was always there. But the humans wanted to understand it, yet they could not. So they made a solution. They made the concept of God, and everything else was a child's play after that. It is easy to say 'that is God's wish' or 'that is God's doing'. What really happened was man created God and man wrote the bible.
“There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers”

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Sculptor1
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Sculptor1 »

gad-fly wrote: June 4th, 2021, 11:33 pm My threat "Why did God create human in the first place?" is self-centered and narcissistic. If you believe in his creation, what happened was that human is only one among millions that he had created. He created the universe to serve human, the first thing on his mind? That may be wishful thinking, and you may be megalomaniac. It is probably not God's desire to make us arrogant. More likely, he want us to eat humble pie, as when he drove us away from the Garden of Eden after that fateful bite on the apple.

Nevertheless, human is essential in his creation in those crucial six days.
You know that there is indelible evidence that the Universe has been around for billions of years, and that human like species have been around 4 million years?
What can be more significant than that he created human in his own image. He could have created the lion in his image.
The clowns that wrote the bible would say that, wouldn't they?

I have never finished reading the bible, but I have gone through the Genesis many times, as if to make a new beginning every time. "God saw that it was good." I am inspired. Creation was not a chore. God enjoyed it, apparently. It appears he has regretted later for more than once, but that is another story which you have to read on to find out. Perhaps nobody, not even God, can fix the future. Let us leave that concern as another issue.
Try a different book. The bible is a bit boring after Genesis, unless you are interesting in mythical hewish history.
Maybe somthing like "The Ladybird Big Book of Science" to get you started?

I am inspired to suggest that God create the universe because he enjoy doing it.
But for that you would have to posit a god who has limitations, such ad needs and desires.
In the very beginning, he was full satisfied and proud of what he had done.
Pride is a sin. Maybe you should read more of the bible?
It was a vibrant universe, with Good and evil, delight and anger, kindness and cruelty, and vast space in between. It is no whiter than white. It is black and white, and very colorful in between. If that is God's reason to create, I would find it thankful to him, and I would say no more.
That's the best idea so far.
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Angelo Cannata
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Angelo Cannata »

I think there’s some misunderstanding in this discussion: the Bible is not a science book. Interpreting it in a scientific way means misinterpreting it. If a poet says that the moon is in your eyes, saying that this is scientifically false is just nonsense. I’m not saying that the Bible is just poetry: it is a huge collection of ancient books and contains a lot of different literary styles, including what at that time was conceived as science. We can’t criticize the science of thousands years ago as wrong: at that time the idea of science was completely different from ours.
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Pattern-chaser
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Pattern-chaser »

Why did God create the universe?

She didn't. One way we can see Her is that She is an emergent attribute of the universe. This is my spiritual truth. I offer it as you have offered yours. There's no proof on offer, of course, in your case or mine.

But what I wonder is why? Why do you want to know why God created the universe? Assuming there is a God, and He (?) is as you describe, what makes you think you could even understand His reasons or reasoning? Why would He tell you his reasons anyway?
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Charles
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Charles »

First it was for his for His Person - not for humanity. Creation was also according to his will. There was no one else who advised him. Also he created everything for his own glory - not the glory of any other. The purpose was to make known his power and wisdom. Consequently the Bible teaches there is no reason, outside of God himself, for his creative acts.
CIN
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by CIN »

Because it wasn't there.
Philosophy is a waste of time. But then, so is most of life.
gad-fly
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by gad-fly »

I must admit being somewhat disappointed at the response so far. i am still expecting more salient and intuitive indications on Why. Whether God exists or whether there was creation are moot points which I am inclined to evade at this juncture.

Nor am I prepared to accept the position not to ask because I am not qualified to question the motive of a higher being, arising from my inferiority complex and fear of regicide. He created because it is not around? The statement is not better than unsaid. I am of the opinion that in this forum you are entitled to show and express what your intelligence allows and encourages, and in the process attain a high level of fulfilment. I have done my part. It is now up to you.
AverageBozo
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by AverageBozo »

So, gad-fly, you want responders to assume that your God exists and that It created the universe, so that the Why can be the focus of the thread?

If so, your question would better serve your purposes if you had asked: “If there were a God, and if that God had created the universe, why would God have done so?”

The latter verbiage would allow you to sidestep the question of whether or not God once and now existed, as well as to avoid discussion as to whether the universe was ever created or had always existed.

So, to answer the question of the second wording, there could be no other primary reason than to satisfy curiosity—curiosity that would entertain or amuse God if such a creation could be accomplished by God.

Whatever other purpose might be brought forward—to create humans, or to create humans in God’s image, or to give humans dominion over all other creations, or… or… or…or for any other reason at all—God’s curiosity would be served foremost.

As for your originally worded question, I would answer that the reason why is the same reason why the man-on-the-moon cried tears of green cheese. :wink:
Tegularius
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Tegularius »

Since the question is absurd as stated, so would be any reply to it which attempts to give a reason. It's that simple!
The earth has a skin and that skin has diseases; one of its diseases is called man ... Nietzsche
CIN
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by CIN »

AverageBozo wrote: June 5th, 2021, 6:47 pm So, to answer the question of the second wording, there could be no other primary reason than to satisfy curiosity—curiosity that would entertain or amuse God if such a creation could be accomplished by God.

Whatever other purpose might be brought forward—to create humans, or to create humans in God’s image, or to give humans dominion over all other creations, or… or… or…or for any other reason at all—God’s curiosity would be served foremost.
Since God is ex hypothesi omniscient, he has no curiosity that needs satisfying. He didn't need to create the universe in order to answer some question or other - he already knew all the answers to all the questions that could be asked. So that couldn't be his reason.
Philosophy is a waste of time. But then, so is most of life.
CIN
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by CIN »

gad-fly wrote: June 5th, 2021, 2:18 pm I must admit being somewhat disappointed at the response so far. i am still expecting more salient and intuitive indications on Why. Whether God exists or whether there was creation are moot points which I am inclined to evade at this juncture.
Why would you expect people who don't believe in God to be interested in your question? Asking why God made the universe while refusing to even discuss whether God exists may be acceptable in a group of committed theists, but this is a philosophy forum, and many people here, including myself, don't believe in God. As far as we're concerned, you're putting the cart before the horse.
He created because it is not around? The statement is not better than unsaid.
I was making a joke, along the lines of, 'Why do you want to climb Everest? Because it's there.' But I suppose that kind of joke doesn't appeal to someone with your views.

Honestly, I think you may be asking this question of the wrong group of people.
Philosophy is a waste of time. But then, so is most of life.
Nick_A
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Nick_A »

gad-fly wrote: June 5th, 2021, 2:18 pm I must admit being somewhat disappointed at the response so far. i am still expecting more salient and intuitive indications on Why. Whether God exists or whether there was creation are moot points which I am inclined to evade at this juncture.

Nor am I prepared to accept the position not to ask because I am not qualified to question the motive of a higher being, arising from my inferiority complex and fear of regicide. He created because it is not around? The statement is not better than unsaid. I am of the opinion that in this forum you are entitled to show and express what your intelligence allows and encourages, and in the process attain a high level of fulfilment. I have done my part. It is now up to you.
Understanding why the ONE and creation are a necessity is not wanted. People prefer to believe either that it arose from nothing or that it always was and will be without purpose.

Can humanity exist without objective meaning people feel as the questions of the heart and destroy itself. The state doesn't supply a person's need for meaning. Who or shat will?


“Man, the bravest of animals, and the one most accustomed to suffering, does not repudiate suffering as such; he desires it, he even seeks it out, provided he is shown a meaning for it, a purpose of suffering. The meaninglessness of suffering, not suffering itself, was the curse that lay over mankind so far.” (On the Genealogy of Morals, Friedrich Nietzsche)
Without understanding the purpose of creation, Humanity must blame someone like the Jews or the Armenians for example. A scapegoat offers the reason for human suffering. But what happens when we run out of scapegoats?

Your question of the why of creation is essential in the technological world but how many are capable of contemplating it in the presence of what is called educated denial? All this means is that humanity will strive to adjust to a meaningless existence. I don't believe it can so war is inevitable when we run out of scapegoats.
Man would like to be an egoist and cannot. This is the most striking characteristic of his wretchedness and the source of his greatness." Simone Weil....Gravity and Grace
Tegularius
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Tegularius »

Nick_A wrote: June 5th, 2021, 11:15 pm
gad-fly wrote: June 5th, 2021, 2:18 pm I must admit being somewhat disappointed at the response so far. i am still expecting more salient and intuitive indications on Why. Whether God exists or whether there was creation are moot points which I am inclined to evade at this juncture.

Nor am I prepared to accept the position not to ask because I am not qualified to question the motive of a higher being, arising from my inferiority complex and fear of regicide. He created because it is not around? The statement is not better than unsaid. I am of the opinion that in this forum you are entitled to show and express what your intelligence allows and encourages, and in the process attain a high level of fulfilment. I have done my part. It is now up to you.
Understanding why the ONE and creation are a necessity is not wanted. People prefer to believe either that it arose from nothing or that it always was and will be without purpose.

Can humanity exist without objective meaning people feel as the questions of the heart and destroy itself. The state doesn't supply a person's need for meaning. Who or shat will?


“Man, the bravest of animals, and the one most accustomed to suffering, does not repudiate suffering as such; he desires it, he even seeks it out, provided he is shown a meaning for it, a purpose of suffering. The meaninglessness of suffering, not suffering itself, was the curse that lay over mankind so far.” (On the Genealogy of Morals, Friedrich Nietzsche)
Without understanding the purpose of creation, Humanity must blame someone like the Jews or the Armenians for example. A scapegoat offers the reason for human suffering. But what happens when we run out of scapegoats?

Your question of the why of creation is essential in the technological world but how many are capable of contemplating it in the presence of what is called educated denial? All this means is that humanity will strive to adjust to a meaningless existence. I don't believe it can so war is inevitable when we run out of scapegoats.
If one could supply meaning by a heaped up set of pure speculation then purpose should never have been a problem in the first place including the incredible nonsense you write as in...
Without understanding the purpose of creation, Humanity must blame someone like the Jews or the Armenians for example.
Also, a much, much greater probability of what could make war inevitable may be the future lack of resources which would certainly cause a great deal of geopolitical friction and not anything as stupid as thinking that it's inevitable because we failed to rinse out the meaning or purpose of existence. No war in history ever started because that.

The meaning of existence is to keep existing which for many is a lot harder than it looks.
The earth has a skin and that skin has diseases; one of its diseases is called man ... Nietzsche
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Angelo Cannata
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Re: Why did God create the universe?

Post by Angelo Cannata »

The question can be seen from a philosphical perspective this way: if God is really God, he must be, by definition, the master, the ruler of everything. This means that, if God is really God, he (or she) doesn’t have nothing to obey to: he is the creator of logic, of causality, of reasons, of the criterion of difference between good and evil. So, if you are asking God to have some reason to create the universe, you are asking God to undergo a rule that you are supposing to be prior or even superior to him. We can say that any other being needs a reason to do anything, but God, if he is really God, is, must necessarily be, the creator of any reason. We could say that whenever God does anything, at the same moment he creates the reason for having decided to do it.
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