In This Essay Johnson Compares God's Behavior with That of a Morally

question 4

Multiple Choice

In this essay Johnson compares God's behavior with that of a morally good person. If you know that a six-month-old baby is in a burning building and you have the opportunity to save it without undue risk to your life, you would no doubt save the baby. Of course, if you could not save the child, you would be excused. The question is, "Why doesn't God intervene to save not just babies who are caught in fires but people everywhere who are suffering and in great need of help?" Johnson considers various "excuses" the theist might claim for God and argues that they all fail. His conclusion is that if there is a God, he or she is probably either evil or both good and evil.
-According to Johnson, if there were no disasters in the world to create moral urgency,

• A) people would be worse off.
• B) religion would flourish.
• C) God would have to see to it that such disasters occur.
• D) God would be obliged to maintain such a paradise.

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Definitions:

Disallowed Loss

A loss that cannot be deducted for tax purposes, often because it does not meet specific criteria set by tax authorities.

Passive Income

Income generated from ventures in which an individual is not actively involved.

At-risk Amount

The amount of money an investor can actually lose from an investment, often used to limit losses in activities where money is at risk.

Passive Activities

Economic activities in which an individual participates without materially managing or operating them, often associated with rental properties or businesses in which the individual does not actively engage.