PREVENTING EVIL Able Willing Not Willing Then there
PREVENTING EVIL Able Willing Not Willing Then there would be no evil. God is malevolent (Contradicts with the existence of evil in the world) (Contradicts with popular concept of an omnibenevolent God) �“This is impossible – it cannot be this quadrant” Then he is not all powerful. Not Able (Contradicts with essential concept of God being an omnipotent being) �“There is no all powerful God” �“God is a jerk. ” He is neither all powerful nor all good. �“There is nothing that resembles God. ”
Counter-Arguments (and counter-arguments to those arguments) • Karma / Past Lives Argument • There exists suffering, but it is deserved suffering. • Requires faith. Does this assume free will implicitly? If so, all those arguments would also defeat this. • A Greater Purpose • There exists some reason we can’t comprehend as humans; there is a kind of justice, meaning, or purpose to human suffering that we can’t see. • Why assume we’re the most important part of creation? • These arguments devalue humanity and rely on assertions. • Adversity • Facing and overcoming evil can make us stronger • Some things make us worse: they break us, corrupt us, wound us. • Sweet & Sour • Without evil, there can be no good. The sweet is defined by the sour. • Is there balance? Or is this something we tell ourselves to explain our world? • Free Will • God gives people free will; for him to prevent evil would be a contradiction. • Conflicts with others’ freedom (murder of a child) • Why couldn’t God change our incentives? He set up certain reward/punishments within our minds and bodies. • Mental illness? • Fails to explain natural evils (floods, earthquakes, etc. )
- Slides: 3