God gets a bad rap when claiming we only know what is good according to the Bible. Over half the world born didn’t have access to such a Book, implying they couldn’t know good from evil. Also, claiming God only communicates what is good through a book such as the Bible or Koran has led to justifying immoral actions because of misinterpretations. Literature is interpretation, thus why we have many opinions on the meaning of the same passage.
Evil can result when we claim we can only know good through a book – even if believing such a book is the Word of God – because we justify our personal interpretation of God. Since most believe the Bible is God’s direct communication to us, we may not wish to claim only God knows good. Humans somehow know it is wrong to lie, steal, or not treat others like we want to be treated.
We can know what goodness is or what a good God is like according to our moral intuitions.
You believe morality exist if you believe evil exist. If we say goodness can only come from God or a book and not intuitions, then we can’t really know goodness since God doesn’t speak to us audibly and books are interpretations. It seems to me the presence of moral outrage hints of a personal external force communicating through our moral intuitions that lead to outrage. How else do we explain a universal desire to treat others like we want to be treated?
Obviously, not all have the same moral intuitions.
I suggest there is universal agreement on most moral matters. Nations can establish laws because most agree it is wrong to steal, murder, lie, or commit adultery. We know terrorists are wrong because they do not wish to be treated by our imposing our beliefs on them. Just as we know it is wrong to steal because we do not wish to be stolen from.
A good God couldn’t ask us to believe something contrary to moral intuitions.
Such intuitions can guide when debating interpretations of the Bible. But, the battle is won when we stop imposing our beliefs on others. Only extremists don’t know that disputes about supposed truth are not more important than love when personal beliefs aren’t violating the rights of others. True religion doesn’t seek to be served but serve.
If I was female, non-Caucasian, or gay, I know God is incapable of bigotry or favoritism because a good God can only be morally perfect.
Goodness is not determined according to a Book or even belief in God. But if God exist, I know they don’t favor according to gender, race, or sexual preference because my intuitions tell me so. One reason we may might think otherwise is because we believe a Supreme Being suggests otherwise according to a Book. A good God is only capable of perfect love.
Please see Good God: The Theistic Foundations Of Morality by David Baggett and Jerry L. Walls for insights into how can we determine goodness.
Coming In This Series
What Is God Really Like?
How We Know God Is Not A Bigot Toward Homosexuals!
How We Know God Is Not A Bigot Toward Females!
How We Know There Is No Hell And Hope Of Heaven For Loved Ones!
What God May Really Be Like - Misbeliefs About God 