If God is so smart, why do you fart?

[Dreamaniaccomic]

A quote from the book "The Religion War" by Scott Adams.
I can't poke a hole in this. It's crass enough to market to the common man, but deep enough for philosophers. Why wouldn't a benevolent, all-powerful being bother to make humans odor-free?
My case: God does not exist in the classic human sense. He doesn't need too. His preferences are the same as reality. So stop the madness!
I rest my case.

[War]

I am going to stand here with my arms crossed, and you're going to stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

[Dreamaniaccomic]

I've done nothing!
*runs away*

[McDuffies]

Why would a benevolent, all-powerful being create humans that are perfect? When you're drawing a comic, you never make perfect characters - they are boring and there is no challenge in that. Perfect characters would live very boring, conflict-less lives. Such little imperfections create challenges for a human.

That is, of course, in you believe in creationism. If you, on the other hand, believe in deism, then god created a man in such a way that a man would continue to live and function without god's help. Fart may be just a neccesity for human body to function (which god has nothing to do with, aside from "starting" it).

Of course you have to keep in mind that perception of fart as rude and dirty may be just a social convention - in a society that humans created.

This is all, of course, made under one very broad and likely innacurate belief: that god thinks in a way remotely similar to ours. That we actually know what his mothives for creating humanity - and that he actually needed mothives.

And so on and so on...

People spent centuries and centuries rationalizing and explaining inconsistencies in their beliefs. It is naive to think that one quip from a humouristic novel could stand against those centuries worth of theories and debates.

If you're looking for religious discourse, I suggest you look up atual philosophers, and not comic artists for literature.

[Fishies]

I got nothing, but I'm an atheist.

... No, wait! Maybe he thinks it's funny? Lots of people like fart jokes, why not a god? If I was a god I'd do lots of things just 'cause.

[Dreamaniaccomic]

MacDuffies, you should read that book.
I admit, that quote is not exactly perfect, or even solid.
But the book is fantastic. It may give you a brain cramp, though.

[McDuffies]

No thanks, right now I'm reading a book about neurosis. Also, I certainly don't want to get brain cramp.

[Ahaugen]

farts are funny. God has a sense of humor.

[Risky]

If humans were perfect, despite all odds, then that would prove the existence of god. Many religions hold that god never proves his existence, presumably because if he did, there wouldn't be such a thing as morality, there'd only be those that cower and those that throw themselves into the fire in spite. This need of god not to leave proof of his existence is the basis of the babelfish argument. However, people fart and there are no babelfish, hence, god could very well exist. There is no puff of logic.

[KWill]

My dad tends to whip out the "I don't want to know the alternative." argument. Technically, what it postulates is that you farting is probably preferable to the other solutions of the problem it supposedly solves. Same goes for the appendix, albeit it has no current purpose.

[Levi-chan]

Gen, 1:27: And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them.

Ergo, God farts.

[BrownEyedCat]

Here's a few better questions. Why is farting a flaw? What is perfection? What definition of 'God' are you using?

This seems like a pretty crappy formulation of the Problem of Evil to me.

must not indulge philosophy training must not indulge philosophy training . . .

[Linkara]

Here's a few better questions. Why is farting a flaw? What is perfection? What definition of 'God' are you using?

This seems like a pretty crappy formulation of the Problem of Evil to me.

must not indulge philosophy training must not indulge philosophy training . . .

Do it, BEC.

DO IT.

*Readies his philosophy minor for back-up.*

[McDuffies]

This seems like a pretty crappy formulation of the Problem of Evil to me.

Well... it rhymes...

[Metruis]

Not everyone farts that often. But farts are funny and I'm glad I can fart. ^_^

Anyway, I don't want to think of the alternative. When we eat, we get air in our stomachs? Okay, I don't actually know what farting does.

I don't think farting is a flaw.

[Laemkral]

Because. That's why.

[Killbert-Robby]

Gen, 1:27: And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them.

Ergo, God farts.

Course he does. Ever hear of Katrina?

[Wendybird]

Okay, I just have to explain this now....

According to the Rennaisance-era philosopher Emmanuel Swedenborg, God has a great companion-being made up of all the souls that have died and gone to heaven. When people die, they are "eaten" by this being. If they are good, they will be absorbed into heaven. If they are bad...they will pass through.

Each part and function of our body represents a part or function of this great community. We fart because it's a metaphor for expelling bad spirits. Probably liars.

Some of my ancestors would smack me for making fun of this...but it's funny.

[Smelch]

Damn right it's funny.

You fart, because as you process foods, the wastes kinda ferment a little, releasing methane as a by-product. And you have to admit that if you're a bit bunged up, a bloody good fart can aid expulsion of lazy turds.

But basically, everything biological has by-products. At the same time, you could argue "Why do we have to breathe out carbon dioxide?" It's a waste. It isn't useful for anything. Same goes for sweat, urine, faeces. And while on the subject of the appenix, it may have been useful a long time ago, but it is currently atrophying, as it is no longer needed. it's being evolved out of the body.

And if anyone starts on the whole "Evolution isn't real, it's the Devils work", then I will hunt them down and force-feed them the Bible. Rectally.

[Siberia77]

Unless its futureproofing, in a billion years or so when we evolved the need for it may become apparent?!?!?