re: #12 SanFranciscoZionist

Intelligent design represents a profound, stupefying ignorance of biology not just at the evolutionary level, but of the actual types of animals and what they do. The animal kingdom is full of wanton cruelty. From the simplest tiny gazelle being chased down and choked to death by a cheetah to the insanely gruesome parasites and fungal infections, the natural world is a terrifying place. The mechanisms of predation are legion in their horrific tortures.

What concept of god is it that intelligently designs things that way? I mean, to me, the cruelty of the animal kingdom challenges the idea of any sort of god— at least a kind one— but especially if you think that, somehow, god is hand-designing each of those animals, that he decided to create Killer Whales and have them torture seal pups. What sort of sense does that make?

To me, that belief in god is a very scary one, it’s like the woman who thought god had caused the earthquake in Japan; a god who’s mystery mainly lies in his enormous capacity for the infliction of pain and suffering.