Either he wishes to prevent evil and cannot, in which case he is not infinitely powerful; or else, he could prevent evil, but does not want to, in which case he may not be infinitely good; or, finally, perhaps he simply does not know the best way to run the world, in which case he is not infinitely wise. Theists want to maintain that God is infinitely powerful, good, and wise, and so the problem of evil poses a severe challenge.
This question is based of something i read by David HUme.
Id like to know what people think about the statements above.
Cheers
2006-10-04 16:51:05 · 24 answers · asked by Game Theorist 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
PEople seem to be turning this into an 'Evil exists because of free will' thing.
Even if we accept that peooples choices make them evil, and this is the byproduct of free will, it still doen not explain God's inaction to help those innocent being affected by evil. For instance the evil people in charge of the holocaust may have used their free will, but did god then think it was warrented that innocents be killed?
Saying our free will is the case of evil is no excuse as to why a good god will let evil have its way over innocents.
2006-10-04 17:16:56 · update #1
God is Good.
2006-10-04 16:52:51 · answer #1 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
God is infinately wise, just and powerful and could do things to stop the evil in the world but first, he is proving a point by allowing it. Satan told Eve she could rule herself. He told God that humans only serve God for what they can get from him and also that they would not prove faithful if their lives were at stake. The outcome of these things is being watched by men and angels in order to determine if Satan was right or God has the absolute right to rule over his creation and people really love and appreciate God in spite of hardship or even death. Soon, ample time will have passed and God will put an end to all wickedness. When the governments close the false religions, you will know it has begun.
2006-10-04 17:20:43 · answer #2 · answered by Sparkle1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, when David Hume becomes the voice to hear, I will. Man has choice, period. God does not dictate man's choices. Sometimes it takes greater strength to refrain from exerting it, doesn't it? This argument really grows cold. God's intention is that man should have dominion over the earth and beasts and fowl of the air. We have the choice to choose God or not. That makes Him both powerful and wise. After all, don't people, mere humans, also want to be loved by choice and not coercion. Would man keep his child with him by force. It would be like manufacturing robots for children and putting a loving chip inside. That would be weakness, wouldn't it. It takes great wisdom and strength to let people make their own choices, doesn't it?
2006-10-04 16:59:38 · answer #3 · answered by reformed 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you take Genesis as true history, the problem of evil is no problem at all. God did not wish to create automatons to fellowship with, so man was created with the ability to choose. The first man and woman chose to live in disobedience to God. That decision affected not only man's soul but all of Creation. A Just God would've destroyed it all right then, but instead he sacrificed his only Son so that we might have a way back to him.
God allowed the natural consequences of our actions, and the result is the fallen world we see today. However, in his love and mercy, he gave us a second chance, and keeps on giving us second chances throughout our entire lives here on earth. If we spend eternity without him, it's our own faults.
2006-10-04 16:57:01 · answer #4 · answered by You'll Never Outfox the Fox 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
While we cannot understand the immeasurable wisdom of Almighty God, we can reason that there is no evil in heaven, but only on earth. And if the purpose (or a purpose) of earth is to prepare us for our eternal destiny with God, it would make sense that God would ALLOW evil to take place (though He is not the author of it). For just as a soldier cannot prepare for war in an obstacle course without obstacles, how can we truly learn things like patience, humility, and love if we have no situations that require patience, none that require us to forgive evildoers, and none in which we have enemies to love? If the world were perfect like heaven, how could we be perfected and become like Christ?
2006-10-04 17:01:16 · answer #5 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God knows exactly what He is doing... He could stop it, but won't because we have to have something to try and keep us from Him. He wants us to make the decision to follow Him no matter what and if there is not evil... then the decision would be meaningless... Without evil, the decision would be God or nothing... and that is not much of a decision is it? God gave us another option.. and He gave us freewill to choose on our own. He wants us to be strong enough to choose Him despite the evil in the world...
2006-10-04 16:56:24 · answer #6 · answered by ToYkaT04 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
God is all powerful. He can do whatever He wants, when He wants, whyever He wants. He doesn't need anyone's permission and He doesn't have to justify what He does or doesn't do. That's why He is God. He created angels and one of them was angry and jealous of God's power and love. Lucifer fought and abandoned God and God threw him out of Heaven. No evil is to be in Heaven. Angels, like human beings, were created with free- will. Lucifer (now called Satan) and his followers, demons, freely choose to hate God. God didn't created evil. Lucifer created evil and tempts humans and by their own free-will choose to give in to the temptations and act out the evil. God has stopped some evil people. He has taken the breath of life out of some people from in the Bible and I'm sure from days after the Bible. He can take their breath of life out of them on His own or let a good person kill the evil person. Or let evil people commit suicide. If He was to stop all evil from happening, He would have created angels and humans with no free-will. That would make us all robots and forced to worship Him. I don't see God wanting to force people to worship Him, that would make Him unloving and a 'control-freak'. Then He won't be God. When evil happens and he doesn't step in to stop it, I'm sure He is sad and cries (if He had physical features to do so). He weeps for us. That's in the Bible.
I assume that David Hume is in his own fantasy world. He is full of doubt and seems to think he knows more about God than God does about Himself.
God is powerful-He created the universe and all in it. He created our planet to be the way it is. He created it's atmosphere in a way that it can rain, snow, thunder, lightening, lava, salt water and fresh water, etc. The list goes on about all the amazing things God has the blue-prints of. I hate all the evil in the world and some days I'd wish it all to go away. I think the only way to have it all go away is for all human life to end at the same time. Oh it will! the second coming of Jesus Christ! Then evil will be locked up and peace and love will rule forever. Until, we pray for God's will to be done and we have faith that God knows what He's doing. He is God of course. I'd rather believe in God than a mere human being later called Buddha, who has no power except for his own will. And at that he had free-will.
2006-10-04 17:09:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God cannot adopt anything inconsistent with his nature. God cannot devise evil nor can God be tempted by evil.
When a man is being tempted. Each man is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire the evil desire gives birth to sin and sin brings death and death brings separation from God.
God cannot look upon sin. Death became death. The commandment is good and that law shows man is evil.
The covenant of death. Break one letter and you sin. Jesus came to fulfill it. The letter kills but the spirit brings life. We are no longer under the law of death. We no longer live to sin. There was no evil found in Him.
2006-10-04 17:23:35 · answer #8 · answered by dsheppard65 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two forces at work on this particular planet. there is what in the bible is described as the prince of the power of the air.then there is the spirit of god that Jesus spoke of. you have a soul. you have free will. you chose which force you go with, are by not choosing you ultimately are in the world. and are influenced by the power of the air. you are the one who chooses not god. this world is of the devil. the spirit of god will works thru you if you will but ask, all that call upon the name of the lord WILL NOT be saved. only those that do my fathers will. said jesus.
2006-10-04 17:01:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good philosophy, bad theology. Let me explain.
The Bible as a whole tells a story. It would take too long for me to give you a complete rundown, but I'll keep it as brief as possible.
Paradise (Adam and Eve betray God with the encouragement of Satan) ------------> God casts mankind out of paradise.
World goes to Hell in a handbasket (mankind gets worse and worse --------------> God approaches Abraham and tells him to get the tribes together, He's starting a new nation
Jewish nation is formed, conquers in the name of God, and lives through His laws to glorify Him and to bring about the Messiah --------> prophecies are foretold about the Messiah and the future.
Messiah arrives, fulfilling every prophecy and working miracles. His name is Jesus. Ruling class Jews are disappointed because they were expecting a warrior-king to elevate them above all mankind. ---------> Jesus is sacrificed and begins a New Covenant; an opportunity for all of mankind (not just the Jews) to get to know God the Father.
After his resurrection, Jesus gives orders (before he ascends to heaven) to start churches, and spread the word, and live a godly life. ---------> He prophecies he will come again to bring an end to the world, an end to evil and death, and create a new paradise.
Now, we wait. We are imperfect people, living in an imperfect world full of evil and pain, awaiting Christ's return. It's why we have "faith" instead of "certainty". Faith is our gift to God. We expect nothing in return, but we know God will fulfill His promise to us.
That's Christianity.
2006-10-04 17:20:12 · answer #10 · answered by roberticvs 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
okay let me give this a try....im 24 years old right? i'm not going to live forever on this planet so whatever horrible things going on in the world around me, won't last forever. why? cuz i'm not immortal. God IS. this is all a test. and thats the way i look at it. i might live 50 years here, but whats 50 years to eternity? like, a speck on the timeline?
2006-10-04 16:57:33 · answer #11 · answered by Nikki 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋