Parasites and other pointless, harmful creatures

[Hanna Tyler]

I'm an atheist. So I just thought of a great argument. My dog just had a tick, which as most of you know can cause lime disease. This brought me to the thought of why were they created if they can be such a harmful creature? That then brought me to why were spiders created? To eat the flies and mosquitos and such. Then why were mosquitos and flies created? All they do is cause harm and deaths. So it led me to thinking, if there were a God, why would he create such harmful and deadly things?

 

Answer me this. Please.

 

-Hanna Geldart DFTBA

[Stewart Alan Williams]

Also I would like to point out that not all parasites are destructive. There are certain parasites who live in the mouths of certain fishes and don't harm them at all. Instead they clean the fish's teeth. There are other examples but my mind is drawing a blank. There could have originally been a similar purpose for all other parasites.

[Kenny]

There are certain parasites who live in the mouths of certain fishes and don't harm them at all.

This is called Symbiosis. It is not parasitism.

[Kenny]

Are you that guy who lives in my local subway station who's always yelling at people? Because seriously, you sound just like him.

[QuantumTuba]

God is a free market economist. He realized that if he attempts to engage in direct command over the universe, he runs into the old calculation problem. Thus, he decided that it would be much more interesting to set a few physical laws, and let various emergent structures show up through such processes as evolution. As parasites replicate effectively in current environments, they emerge under such conditions. Think of it as the cosmic equivalent of a market failure.

[Übereil]

That site gives me some serious overclass/nobles vibes...

[Übereil]

More seriously, judging from the first paragraph, they're either incompetent or interlectually dishonest. He wants to build a house, gets a few plans, and he can't in any way whatsoever compare these plans? Really? Like, there's not even a half assed, highly inaccurate way to do it? They're either unable to come up with such an idea (IE they're incompetent) or they're unwilling to do so (they're interlectually dishonest).

[Stewart Alan Williams]

He wants to build a house, gets a few plans, and he can't in any way whatsoever compare these plans? Really? Like, there's not even a half assed, highly inaccurate way to do it? They're either unable to come up with such an idea (IE they're incompetent) or they're unwilling to do so (they're interlectually dishonest).

Ubereil, Could you please explain this comment more clearly? I don't know whether I quite understand what you meant to say.

[QuantumTuba]

It's a response to the Ludwig von Mises chapter I linked, and I presume basically what Ubereil is saying is that Mises displays a lack of imagination in assuming that a price system determined by a market is the only feasible means of economic calculation.

[Übereil]

Almost correct. He either displays a lack of imagination or he's abstaining from using his imagination in order to come to a conclusion that fits his preferred truth better.

[Stewart Alan Williams]

Alright, well I don't mean to pretend to be a science expert. I admit I am not familiar with the correct terminology, however, I think the point still deserves consideration regardless of terms. My point was that harmful creatures such as parasites, parisatoids, etc., may have followed a similar pattern to creatures which carry out symbiosis.

P.s.
Excuse me sir, I did not mean in any way to be antagonistic. It just seemed like there was a lot of criticism of the Christian religion which required some kind of answer before it was possible to move on to the topic at hand.

[Charles Nathan Whitaker]

Before I post my response I feel I should assert my position on religion. I am an untraditional Protestant Christian. I really can't group myself any further since I don't affiliate myself with any of the Protestant branches. I am also a firm believer in science and an advocate of evolution.

1st Rebuttal:
Since when were ticks, spiders, mosquitoes, files, and other "deadly" and "pointless" creatures considered evil? On top of that when does the bible say to fear death?

2nd Rebuttal:
Did God say he created a peaceful Earth for humans to inhabit full of gum drops and friendly colorful rabbits named Bob or Julio? I'm being a bit silly of course but isn't the point of being on Earth, according to the Christens, to be tested for their worth to ascend to heaven?

[Ado]

I'm not gonna get all in to this or read much but there is an explanation on the God side: Garden of eden, fruit, sin enters world, thus harm. If you don't believe that, fine but this proves nothing either way.
Thay are also food as Ykori said and I'm sure someone who cares can give more information.