"if God exists why is there so much evil and suffering?"
Is this a logical problem or an emotional problem.Some may argue its an evidential problem for theists.
The consensus in the Philosophy world is that the logical problem of evil is bunk,dead and is not logically valid.
But some atheist do not agree.
Its rather difficult to show how the existence of God is affected by evil and suffering.So the argument has to have many premises which try to show atleast the Christian concept of God is unlikely.The argument however does not show why it should lead someone to atheism,rather than deism ot any other reliogion that does not teach omniscience or omnipotence of God.
The logical problem of Evil goes like:
- God exists. (premise)
- God is omnipotent and omniscient. (premise — or true by definition of the word "God")
- God is all-benevolent. (premise — or true by definition)
- All-benevolent beings are opposed to all evil. (premise — or true by definition)
- All-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will do so immediately when they become aware of it. (premise)
- God is opposed to all evil. (conclusion from 3 and 4)
- God can eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 2)
- Whatever the end result of suffering is, God can bring it about by ways that do not include suffering. (conclusion from 2)
- God has no reason not to eliminate evil. (conclusion from 7.1)
- God has no reason not to act immediately. (conclusion from 5)
- God will eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 6, 7.2 and 7.3)
- Evil exists, has existed, and probably will always exist. (premise)
- Items 8 and 9 are contradictory; therefore, one or more of the premises is false: either God does not exist, evil does not exist, or God is not simultaneously omnipotent, omniscient, and all-benevolent (i.e. God is omnipotent and omniscient but not all-benevolent, omnipotent and all-benevolent but not omniscient, or omniscient and all-benevolent but not omnipotent.
4 comments:
Hi Ernst.
Please add the following primises to your reasoning.
11. God is not a perpatrator of evil. (being benevolent)
12. Evil is an action not a concept and as such need to be actioned)
13. Man is a perpatrator of Evil.
14. Therefore eliminating evil entails eliminating perpatrators of evil.
15. Therefore God being benevolent will not eradicate all humans since all commit evil one way or another.
14. Free will. Man is either human or robotic
15. God will punish evil doers!
Therefore, eliminating evil=eliminating people who do evil=eliminating everyone=empty world=no need to have the above conversation to begin with as you would not exist in the first place to wonder whether evils existance is evidence of God's non existance
Jizazfrik,
I will post a comprehensive review of the Problem of evil in my next post.
I am a Theist,though i can see problems with your premises.For example,why should innocent people suffer,who have not committed these evils?.
Or what about natural evil like tornado's,hurricanes earthquakes and other sufferings.How is man responsible for that kind of suffering?
Ernest,
'Natural' calamities, i would presume. are not in the same category as 'Ethnic Cleansing', 'Murder', 'Rape', for the fact that it is people who commit the latter.
But the fundamental question as to why innocent people suffer when there is a God, well, honestly i have no answer. The only thing i know is no one ever asks why is there prosperity as well? Why do good thigs happen? Then that should be proof that there is God based on your arguments. Why is there terrible flooding and some people survive that shouldn't have?
There is always two sides to the coin. Therefore instead of focussing on things i cannot answer, i concentrate on what i can, and have faith for the rest.
God always wants us to know Him for who He really is, not what he does or doesn't do. God is Love!
interesting article on God that you migh use in your reseach
http://christianity.about.com/od/topicaldevotions/a/realproblemgod.htm
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