I used this to answer a question but to be fair I will pose it as a question so that those who are upset by it can respond to it. Tell me what your answer is to this riddle.
If God is willing to prevent evil, but is not able to
Then He is not omnipotent.
If He is able, but not willing
Then He is malevolent.
If He is both able and willing
Then whence cometh evil?
If He is neither able nor willing
Then why call Him God?
The Riddle of Epicurus
(Earliest known statement of the Problem of Evil)
2007-04-25 04:29:57 · 16 answers · asked by thewolfskoll 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
((thewolfskoll))! Thank you for listing the reasons I don't worship the Christian God.
2007-04-25 04:34:06 · answer #1 · answered by Caity S 4 · 5⤊ 4⤋
My wife is right. I do call it God, I don't believe that "COD" is immortal or that he/she is all good. How do we know that "God" isn't the Devil and the Devil isn't the real God????
If somebody can explain all this, with proof, I would maybe start believing... also how do we know "God" isn't from our own brains, or people trying to control others. Jesus didn't start a church, it started about 500 years later. If he wanted a church, wouldn't he have made it himself? If he came again would he really want this world? The church has started more wars under his name than anything else.
Why would this loving God of Christians be so vindictive in the old testament? Somebody please explain this....
2007-04-25 15:08:08 · answer #2 · answered by Freq, Grandparent of Y!A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's my take on it:
The original plan was for God to have companionship with man. One of his angels in the meantime rebelled against God. God therefore punished him by banishing him to Hell. This angel (ie Lucifer, aka the Devil) is trying to get as many people to rebel against God with him. During this whole thing, all mankind has free will (because what good is companionship if it isn't willing - it's like trying to force someone to marry you).
2007-04-25 04:45:20 · answer #3 · answered by J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe that God is able to prevent evil, but does not. That does not make Him malevolent. He is a parent, who is wise enough to know that his children must find their own way in the world. The whole point of us being here is to give trial to the human spirit and soul.
We are faced with evil for two reasons:
1 - to test our own strength
2 - to test our compassion for others facing evil
that is my belief.
2007-04-25 04:42:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well because God/Gods also granted free will. They gave us a heart, a soul and a mind and They expect us to use it a little better then we probably do. So really is all the pain in the world because we humans are always kind and compasionate or is it because of a Divine? Sort of a chicken and egg question
2007-04-25 04:38:04 · answer #5 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
This keeps getting posted time after time. God can prevent evil. He also does prevent evil. Evil comes from the heart of man. Does God always prevent evil? No. Why? Because His ways are not our ways. Epicurus should have spent more time in God's Word than watching T.V.
2007-04-25 04:35:33 · answer #6 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Epicurus, did not get the chance to see the rest of the big picture, he died long before the conclusion of the Old Testament that was fufilled and made understandable by Christ.
2007-04-25 04:38:20 · answer #7 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Does anyone on earth still understand the concept of FREE WILL? To take an action and have the right to suffer the consequences? Hey, and for all of you who are Trekkies, what and why is the Prime Directive used for? Think!
2007-04-25 04:59:03 · answer #8 · answered by Cold Truth 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Is this going to get to be another "Pascal's Wager" question? Cuz it seems to get asked alot, under several guises.
The answer to The Riddle of Epicurus is:
Jesus.
2007-04-25 04:42:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
God does prevent evil, but doesn't not affect human's free will. If a man decides to kill someone, he acts on his own free will. God does not interfere with this, even though He knows what will happen.
2007-04-25 04:37:44 · answer #10 · answered by Maverick 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Pose your own question, answer it in your own way, and prove the other person wrong. Let me add one more part to the question. Can God create a human being with such a smart brain that he confuses himself ? If he can why bother to think because you may be confused?
2007-04-25 04:40:56 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋