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Existence of God

Religion is a complex phenomenon of human beings. It turns out that religion can be manipulative and at the same time false. However with the trust versus mistrust as portrayed in Hillman’s betrayal we can realize that God to some extent might not be the all-powerful being who we can depend on like our rock of ages since at one point he leaves humanity to be on its own, find its way and walk on the path of agony after rejection. Just like it is that a father tells his son not to trust him God might have said to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden not to trust him after they were thrown from the Garden of Eden. The same question of trust can also be understood from the side of the raping of Lucretia. This is because God has been insisted is the one who brings kings into power. However, the king he brings into power King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus goes on to rape Lucretia and she loses her honor.

Therefore the question of proving if God exists from these two readings is clear and can be questioned because even though God created humanity there are so many ills that afflict humanity and these are what make us question if God exists. The rape of Lucretia tells us of how evil the world is, it is also the same case with the trust issues whereby it sounds like God said to Adam that humanity should not trust him. Therefore even though God might exist another question comes up if he should be trusted, to what extent and why should he be trusted? These questions evoke a deeper will to know what it means for a person like Lucretia when she kills herself because of being raped by a king who is believed to have been ordained by God. In this case, it becomes difficult to understand if she will go to heaven or not. If she goes to hell then is there any point in believing in God. Because hell is made for those sinners and even though she does the sin of killing herself we can ask who has a greater sin, the one who raped her or her who takes away her life. Is the causative agent eviler than the effect? Therefore in conclusion there is no sure way of proving there is a God.

Works cited

“Livy: The Rape of Lucretia, from the History of Rome.” Translated by Jean Bayet. Internet Ancient History Sourcebook. Paul Halsall, August 2000. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/livy-rape.asp.

Hillman, James. “Senex and puer.” Puer papers (1979): 3-53.