Basic philosophy 101... If God exists... why is there evil in the world?

Ok... so I have a general respect for a lot of viner's ability to think critically about a subject.... so I give you a subject with no real 'right' answer. Or maybe it has one. I don't know... Which I suppose is kinda the point.... It is possible one of ya'll out there might have a very good answer to this... anyway..

So the idea is that God (of at least the three major western religions) encompasses three essential elements. This God is all knowing, all powerful, and all just. This thing we call God knows everything, can do anything, and whatever it decree's is the 'right' or 'just' thing to do. The question then arises... why do young children still get killed for no discernible reason? There are many other horrors that happen, every day through-out the world which most would consider evil. If there is in fact a God which is all powerful and all just... why do these kind of things happen?

Freewill

@manchine: Yeah, that's the general answer... but remember, God is all powerful and all just. In the name of 'freewill', it's ok for thousands to die in natural disasters?

My Biblical theodicy is basically this...

Part 1.

God is making a victorious hero (us).

Heroes are made through adversity (evil). Good character is forged through hardship (evil) there is no other way. Therefore God predestined evil to enter this universe.

As a result of evil, the world contains losers. Losers stay down, give up, become bitter and blame others.

But heroes, in the face of evil, get back up again and again, they keep faith, they take responsibility and they keep growing in good character. Heroes are overcomers. That is what God wants for us.

Anyone who has overcome adversity and hardship without becoming bitter has developed a level of good character.

Part 2

Humanity ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. As God planned….

….As a result humanity views good and evil through a distorted short sighted lens.

….As a result humanity has a perverse focus on evil. This is probably because we were not created for a world with this level of evil. Losers focus on this evil, become bitter and blame others.

If we still had a natural focus on God the way Adam n Eve did originally, then we would see good and evil through Gods eyes, we would see good and evil in the correct perspective.

Knowing that we dont see the world the way we were created to see it should give us some humility when we judge God for evil.

Part 3

For those who hope and expect to become a part of the next universe, the "Hero Universe". Suffering now is a price willingly paid.

For those who dont hope in this way. Suffering now makes no sense and God is not someone worthy of worship.

Maybe he just doesn't care, 'cause he knows that in the long run it doesn't matter.

@citizensentry:

This is my biblical theodicy....

I'm not saying it's true. It's just my best try at accounting for evil in the biblical universe.

Yes the biblical god does evil things so I guess he isn't omnibenevolent.

The bible says there will be a new universe.

I trust you.

Because he's a dick.

No, seriously, read the bible, he's consistently portrayed as an asshole.

I really like these kinda threads paradise lost explain this topic really well to put it simply the term evil is subjective to God since God is everything wouldn't that mean he was evil reading paradise lost it was quite interesting to see the point of view of the villain and a spin on what good and evil as one would deem God to be a diabolical tyrant who forces and imposes his will onto others while on the other hand the devil the main character of the novel comes across as quite sympathetic and engaging as he symbolises rational and crucial thinking kinda like an atheist despite all this the devil still received his inevitable banishment for challenging god he was still painted as a villain despite he's brilliant persona and god as always was had the last say point of it is despite what you may think what God thinks is the right answer as being God he decides what is good or evil he is everything so he dictates everything. His word is absolute so whatever he deems as good no matter how bad it seems would still be good. Who are we to question God?we can't even begin to understand him.

@citizensentry:

I thought a theodicy was an apologetic accounting for God and the existence of evil.

Yes the biblical god does evil stuff and allows evil in the world. Not necessarily malevolent though.

I am a Jungian Gnostic so I trust your opinion as much as I trust the bible.

@dawnone:

Nice one.

thanks.

We haven't had one of these in a while. That's life son.

This question actually is silly..

But okay, it's called free will.

Free Will isn't a defeater for the Problem of Evil because we know that there is free will in Heaven and no evil, so what justification do we really have for believing that free will necessarily entails that there be evil in the world? Also the Problem of Evil can be morphed into the Problem of the Evil God Hypothesis which essentially states that if the "evilness" in the world isn't a defeater for the idea of a Good God than the presence of "goodness" in the world isn't a defeater for the idea of an Evil God, so theist are stuck with a dilemma either concede that they do not know the moral properties of God or that God doesn't exist.

Free will obviously. A 2 year old could tell you that. God doesn't just put us here and make us be good people. Besides have you ever read the Bible? Man was given knowledge of evil by satan

If an omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent god does not exist, then who are we to state what is good or evil?

Are we talking the God of the three western religions or some impossible idealistic god?

The bible is quite clear that God knows evil intimately, does evil things and allows evil in this world. There is no tri-lemma here.

I'd think of it as "why do the global justice systems around the world allow some people to serve long prison terms?" or "why do the global justice systems some times allow for the death penalty to be carried out?".

Aside from freewill, Adam and Eve's disobedience allow sin and death to enter the world; concerning another comment in this thread, there is no sin and death in Heaven, so, no evil in Heaven; there is not Satan and demons in Heaven either; but, there is Satan and demons on Earth; matter of fact, the New Testament refers to Satan as the god of this world; when Adam and Eve disobeyed, they made Satan the god of this world; Jesus defeated sin and death in a conditional fashion such that Christians or those who except Jesus' gift of life, may inherit the Kingdom of God.

But, many miracles are performed in the name of Jesus all the time; while there's evil in the world, there's also good; basically, this question is shaped by the culture in the United States and western nations, where ratings are only generated by broadcasting evil and suffering in the world; however, the perspective would be different, if the media focused on all of the good and miracles that occur in the world on a daily basis; Christian networks focus on this alternative media world and I often watch Christian broadcasting.

The early Christians were heavily persecuted, and, God allowed that to take place, but, dotted among that period were still instances of miracles; God is allowing Christian to be persecuted in Islamic countries, but, miracles are still peppered in those environments; above all, God allowed His Son Jesus to suffer a humiliating death, but, His purpose was to allow everyone a righteous judgment before eternal damnation, so, that some would be spared; thus, Satan and his demons are causing evil to take place more and more, because Satan knows that his time is short; the Bible says that evil would increase the closer we are to the rapture of Christians and the return of Christ Jesus.

I'm a Deist. I believe God exists and created everything, but doesn't interfere with the laws of man, if he did, what would be the point?!

To quote Batman Begins.

"Why do we fall? To pick ourselves up again. "

@the_stegman:

Good quote

There are a plethora of secular ethical theories.

This.

If I recall correctly, it is stated in the Bible that God gave dominion over the earth to man and man then handed dominion over the earth to Satan via Adam's sin. This is why evil still exists.

Very true; that's what I explained in a longer roundabout way, by introducing sin and death into the world. But, Jesus had some type of major impact in this cycle.

@dshipp17: True. I wasn't totally clear on how well I remembered that. I can't recall if after he was crucified, he impacted this in anyway. Especially after acquiring the key of hell and death from the devil as stated in Revelations 1:18.

Overall, I'm not sure lol. I would have to back and check or ask someone.

I don't usually get involved in religion but really this. Just like Tim Drake, I'm skeptical about God's existence w/ all the bad in this world.