Then if there was a creator, they have serious questions to answer

I don't expect a creator to be 'Good'. However from a 'Good', all-powerful and all-knowing creator I would not expect to suffer for someone elses crimes.

As to perfection, are you saying that a perfect being deliberatley created an imperfect world for it's own reasons? Doesn't that mean that the results of that imperfection, the unjust suffering are Their desire?

all the thoughts and deeds of those it created.

If there were a god, perhaps it created what it hoped would be a perfect world and included some free will for its inhabitants.

I guess that might make it something other than all-powerful or perhaps that might have been the intent.

At any rate, Is this a question you are truly interested in or one meant to trip up theists in some way?

Even if there were evidence for a diety, the amount of injustice brings up the question of the nature of that diety. Are they perfect, are they benevolent, are they alone?

And as for theists, this is a question I believe they should be asking themselves as well, before they blindly throw their support behind a faith. I would like them to think about the logical consequences of statements such as 'God is good', 'God is love' or even the idea that God is all-powerful and all-knowing.

I guess I'm something of a Socratic gadfly in nature.

How can you have questions about something you don't believe in?

I fear that this question really has nothing to do with you or what you do or do not believe, and much to do with what you think others should or should not believe.

It may be a bit condescending to tell theists what you think they should ask themselves before they "blindly throw their support behind a faith".

But in the spirit of the Socratic argument, is there any experience you could have or any information given to you that would cause you to rethink your atheism?

That I don't believe now doesn't mean I never believed.

That 'I would like' does not mean believers 'must', just that I would like them to.

'Blindly' may have been a bit harsh, that's true.

I don't know, that's the thing. I guess, I will know it when I see it.

Even if there were evidence for a diety I may still remain an athiest, depending on the nature of the diety. Belief does not necessarily mean worship. 'Athiesm' = 'without god'

These are tough questions and ones I think all who do not profess to know the truth struggle with at times.

It is those that are absolutely convinced either way that never ask these questions, or do not ask them honestly.

I never thought of theism or atheism being tied in with worship, just with belief.

I like to sk confronting questions, but prefer not to be a confrontational person.

which is pretty well, imo.

but that's because of who I am and all the events that have brought me to this point. I don't believe in free will, but that's another argument.

The question of free will is inescapable . . . so to speak.

Free will, I don't know if I want that to be honest. I would rather not have the inherent ability to do great evil on a whim.

They add up, multiplied by billions.

If you don't believe in free will, then you don't believe one can choose between good and evil. You're basically a Calvinist without a god.

is why I enjoy booze.

would require me to believe in something that hates and abuses not only me but countless others far worse. Who would even want to believe in such a monster?

Mysterious ways, you know.

I don't know anything about mysterious ways. Though, more than a few times I've heard that excuse for the way ones god hasn't come through.

to genocide and war? God doesn't intervene, you poor schmucks. Please?

I think it is within the scope of responsibility of humans to stop genocide and war. We cause it and we should fix it. Conceding that to an unknown or unknowable deity is just shirking that responsibility.

ridiculous your argument is. Everything good is gawd's doing. Everything bad is man's (in the name of the wrong god). Please stop.

for the existence of a god or gods.

Not sure why I would need to stop, but feel free to disengage at any point.

"Hates and abuses you or can not/does not intervene when others hate/abuse?"

Call it what you will but anyone reading it knows what you were insinuating.

Bu-bye!

think you know me well enough to know what I was insinuating. Hell, I don't even know what you might think I was insinuating.

Although there are as many versions as there are believers in it is god omnipotent,
all knowing and all loving except when it doesn't suit he/she/ghostie.
Kinda like Mittens only more expansive. Freewill is a great cop out not
to stop tragedy, but if my family was saved from a natural disaster it was god's will.
And on a personal note if I can't change god's mind (all knowing) why should I pray?
To make myself feel better? BTW other gods vary

It's not other peoples free will that gave me cancer.

That was inherent in the "creation".

If there was no creator or the creator was evil, it makes sense I could get cancer at 32.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy>

"A theodicy is a response to the evidential problem of evil, the challenge that the occurrence of evil in the world counts as evidence against the existence of an omnipotent and omnibenevolent deity. Theodicies attempt to justify the existence of God in light of evil."

an excellent summary of the problem and leading philoisophers.