PROBLEM OF EVIL

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

• problem of evil - why does evil exist in the world if there is a god
• moral evil and natural evil define
• does not prove gods existence because of the existence of moral evil, natural evil and because innocents suffering for no apparent reason

Question 2

P1

Answer 2

P- inconsistant triad
A- if god is omnipotent and omnibenevolent then why is there evil and suffering in the world. Existence of evil means either God can’t stop evil, doesn’t want to, or doesn’t know about it — all contradictory to God’s nature.
C- Logically impossible for god to get rid of evil if freewill exists - Alvin plantinga
E- but why would god create evil in the first place and why does it even exist?

Question 3

P2

Answer 3

P- Innocents suffering for no reason- natural evil
A- Earthquakes, Tsunamis eg. 2004 indian ocen tsunami
C- Augustine blames this on the fall and original sin due to Adam and Eve - corrupted world created disorder within the natural and moral world
E- ‘The Fall’ is a mythological story not supported by brute facts suggesting that this is based on an assumption making the argument weak to explain the existence of suffering and evil - where did the intention to do evil come from?

Answer 4

P- everyone suffers different amounts
A- unfair amounts of suffering eg. children born with painful congenital diseases often suffer much more than others through no fault of their own
C- Hick - soul making: evil is an instrumental good and it helps people learn things to become a better person and get closer to god
E- moral evils such as murder can’t be learnt from as you are dead and cannot work towards a greater good. Some pointless suffering such as rape and abuse nothing to learn from.