Free Essays on The Problem of Evil

During the Holocaust, many Jews, God’s chosen people, wondered where God was during this catastrophe. Some explained his whereabouts by saying that he was teaching the Jews a lesson, or giving them a punishment for straying from his path. Others felt that God was suffering right alongside of them, and that their suffering was caused by the free will of other humans. Still others felt that the Holocaust was proof that God did not exist. The question of why an omnibenevolent God could allow evil has mystified people for centuries. The problem of evil has led scholars on a search for adequate theodicies that defend God despite the existence of evil. This paper will use two arguments together, namely the free will defense, and the idea that the result of evil is a greater good, to refute Rowe’s atheist position, and to prove the existence of God. To begin, I will define the different types of evil that exist. Philosophers distinguish between natural evil and moral evil. Natural evils are those evils that occur and are outside of our control, or more simply put, the evils exist in nature. These evils include natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and tornados. They also include other forms of â€Å"chance† occurrences that are out of human control. Moral evils, on the other hand, are the evils that are in the control of humans and result from human actions. They include things such as murder, rape, theft, etc. Evil, both natural and moral, creates many problems and contradictions regarding the existence of God. One such problem that has been created by the existence and abundance of evil in the world can be summed up into one logical argument: if God is omnibenevolent, then he will want what is good; if God is omniscient, then he will always know what is good, and if God is omnipotent, than he will only create wh at is good. So why then is there evil in the world? Atheists frequently use this argument against the existenc... Free Essays on The Problem of Evil Free Essays on The Problem of Evil â€Å"If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil†¦the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever.† -Woody Allen The Problem of Evil From the viewpoint of theodicy, the problem of evil lies in its origin: Does evil come from God? In spite of God? Using theodicy to define evil is basically an attempt to affirm God’s omnipotence and his/her love for humans, with the existence of evil and without contradiction. Depending on your religious background, the weight each of these options carry may vary greatly. A theologian may argue that evil is not a theoretical problem at all, as for it to be a problem, one must question Gods’ power, character, and/or existence. To them, even asking the question is a sin. A theologian may also say that evil is a practical truth, as it requires from us the courage to forgive and to heal, or they might also hold the belief that to obtain moral perfection, we must face challenges a nd overcome them. Other appeals often made by theologians to explain evil might be: a sin is punished with suffering; having free will enables us to make choices, either for good or for evil; and finally that Satan is the cause of all evil. From the viewpoint of atheism, it is a question of the existence of God. If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, then evil must not exist apart from God. For it to do so under those criterion would be impossible. This leads one to question the true power of God, and the true good of God. If God is all good, and has the power to stop evil and does not, then God must have a slightly nasty disposition, and therefore is not all good. If God wishes to stop evil and cannot, then God is not all-powerful: he/she is limited. Evil and the Original Sin The doctrine of original sin declares that when Adam ate from the tree of knowledge, he became a moral being by knowing the difference between good and evil, and having the free will to choose between thes... Free Essays on The Problem Of Evil The Problem of Evil Evil exists, a plain and simple fact. The argument for the problem of evil (and suffering) proves that fact. The argument for the problem of evil states that there is a all-good, all-powerful God. It states that God being all-good means that he only wants good to exist. But, look at all the bad and evil in the world. A total contradiction of a all-good God. God being all- powerful means that he can make whatever he wants. So, if God can make whatever he wants then why did he not make all people and things good? This all boils down too the fact that evil does exist and with evil existing there could not be an all-good, all powerful God. I feel that the argument for the problem of evil is a good argument. The first solution to the problem of evil states that good cannot exist without evil. Not a bad argument, but faulty. With evil existing you have something to compare it to, which is good. But, If God was really all-good the word evil would not exist because everything would just be good. If God is so good and so powerful than why does he let so much evil exist? I could understand a little bit of bad people and things to make the good stand out, but there is so much. All the time in the news you hear about someone being murdered, children being molested, a natural disaster striking a area and many people suffering and dying, etc... This also shows that God cannot be all-powerful if lets all this evil exist in the universe that he supposedly created. The second solution to the problem of evil states that God allows evil to exist in order to bring out a greater good. Or that the universe is better with some evil in it. Better? Why would God being so good and concerned about humans want us to suffer? This solution is much like the first, saying that evil creates or brings good. Yet, if there was only good we would not have to worry about bringing out a greater go... Free Essays on The Problem Of Evil During the Holocaust, many Jews, God’s chosen people, wondered where God was during this catastrophe. Some explained his whereabouts by saying that he was teaching the Jews a lesson, or giving them a punishment for straying from his path. Others felt that God was suffering right alongside of them, and that their suffering was caused by the free will of other humans. Still others felt that the Holocaust was proof that God did not exist. The question of why an omnibenevolent God could allow evil has mystified people for centuries. The problem of evil has led scholars on a search for adequate theodicies that defend God despite the existence of evil. This paper will use two arguments together, namely the free will defense, and the idea that the result of evil is a greater good, to refute Rowe’s atheist position, and to prove the existence of God. To begin, I will define the different types of evil that exist. Philosophers distinguish between natural evil and moral evil. Natural evils are those evils that occur and are outside of our control, or more simply put, the evils exist in nature. These evils include natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and tornados. They also include other forms of â€Å"chance† occurrences that are out of human control. Moral evils, on the other hand, are the evils that are in the control of humans and result from human actions. They include things such as murder, rape, theft, etc. Evil, both natural and moral, creates many problems and contradictions regarding the existence of God. One such problem that has been created by the existence and abundance of evil in the world can be summed up into one logical argument: if God is omnibenevolent, then he will want what is good; if God is omniscient, then he will always know what is good, and if God is omnipotent, than he will only create wh at is good. So why then is there evil in the world? Atheists frequently use this argument against the existenc...