If God, why evil?

David Hume, a revered philosopher during the Enlightenment once stated

Epicurus's old questions are yet unanswered.
Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent.
Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?

These words have echoed throughout the centuries since Epicurus first penned them; and a great many have attempted to provide an answer the age old question: If God, why evil?

Some have attempted to carry the more burdensome approach in attempting to justify God's allowance of evil which is known as a Theodicy. The two that are most prevalent today are the so-called "Soul-Winning" and Free Will Theodicies. Others have realized that this burden has proved too difficult to carry given our current finite position and background knowledge of the events that occur; while others have attempted to simply defend God's existence and evil. A philosophical revolution was sparked in the 1980's when Dr. Alvin Plantinga penned his paper, God, Freedom, and Evil. Since the paper got published it has influenced a great many Christian philosophers and rekindled serious debate on the question, If God, why evil? Some have said that Plantinga has effectively solved the so called "Logical" Problem of Evil, while others remain unconvinced.
Plantinga's paper has met its share of criticism from both believers and unbelievers alike due to it's inability to deal with the so-called Evidential Problem of Evil which attempts to show that the co-existence of God and evil isn't logically contradictory but God's existence is unlikely given evil.



I'm curious about the insights of those interested in this topic to give their two cents, both athiest and theist's are welcome.

God is willing, in His Patience, to allow men some freedom to learn from their mistakes and come to Him.

Without Dark we would not know light.

Without the evil of men we would not know the Goodness of God.


God is absolutely willing and able to prevent evil. That is why Adam and Eve were removed from Eden and why Satan was cast out of heaven.

I suppose you have to be a complete atheist to frame the questions the way Epicurus did. No wisdom or understanding... Narcissistic thinking. Why doesn't God make my life perfectly the way I want it? Does He not have the power? Is He not willing?

Perhaps Gods Ways are not our ways...

So basically, Epicurus was wanting to have it so that man can do evil as they wish, when they wish, how they wish and God is supposed to continue to pick up the waste left behind of every single person that walks the planet?
No, it is better to seek God, walk with Him and learn His ways. Man is not able to do this, nor are they willing to do this on their own.

There are so many lost souls out there because no one has ever explained why we are here.

One has to learn what the bible says. You will never get the truth from the church.

God found evil had entered into heaven ( read in job) Gods plan is to have every soul come to earth and be born of woman. They have no knowledge of what they did in Heaven before they came and were born of women. Here on earth, each soul has to demonstrate whether they are good or evil. That is the purpose we are all here on earth for this little while. after every soul that will agree to be born on earth, then comes the judgement the evil are put to death and the good go to heaven forever.

Actually, darkness is an absence of light. So without light we wouldn't know darkness.
Evil is the absence of good (God being the greatest good by which all goodness is measured). Therefore, we wouldn't know evil without good.

OP, the bible speaks about why there's still evil in the world. Yes, Genesis 3, but it's more than that.

Romans 1:28-32

[SUP]28 [/SUP]And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. [SUP]29 [/SUP]They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, [SUP]30 [/SUP]slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, [SUP]31 [/SUP]foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [SUP]32 [/SUP]They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

Your profile says you're a student of Christian apologetics, and you clearly have some familiarity already with the scholarly views on theodicy... so why don't you start by giving us YOUR OPINION.

You surely have an opinion, if you've already done so much study.

Please just cut to the chase, and give us your opinion.

I saw two good post that seem to be a little different so I decided to post these verses and I hope this helps.
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John 3:19-20
King James Version(KJV)

19.)And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20.)For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
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Without light we wouldn't come to the light.

My opinion, In new testament, God gives us, in quite detailed words a land contract between the landowner and a relative. After 49 years, the original owner gets the land back. I pondered on why a land contract from 2000 years ago should have any relevance today. It came to mind, that this could answer why God allows evil to flourish and this is my dissertation on why evil is permitted here on earth.

God created his children, the angels, and as He states in Ez He created Lucifer and he was His greatest creation. Lucifer lacked for nothing. I am assuming, at some point, God gave Lucifer a land contract for earth as Lucifer probably was Gods right hand man in making the earth habitable for vegetation and animals. Lucifer drew a third of God's angels with him to tend to the earth and over time, began getting a swelled head and with agreement with the 1/3 of Gods children, they began thinking they could rebel and take over Gods seat!

In Job, God says all the angels sang in unison until inequity or sin was found among the angels. This was not in Gods will and made a plan to bring things back to normal.
But there's a problem! lucifer/satan, had a contract. So God needed a plan to rectify this.

God had agreed to let Lucifer be in charge of the earth, until such time the contract was up. The bible states that satan is the prince of this earth. But God did not want this rebellion to go on. Gods plan was to acknowledge satan had a legal right to do evil on earth, but God through his wisdom, came to earth created a plan for repentance for the angels that might be sorry they sided with satan. So God had to (legally) let satan run amuck doing his evil works, but allowing those that will, to have a chance for salvation. God has to allow evil, but gives an alternate path for those that want it.

This is my short version opinion you asked for. I thank you for allowing me to share it with you. It is the only reason I can think of why God would allow evil to continue

discussion? humbly...allan

[h=3]The Offer of Life or Death[/h][SUP]11 [/SUP]Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. [SUP]12 [/SUP]It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” [SUP]13 [/SUP]Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” [SUP]14 [/SUP]No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. [SUP]16 [/SUP]For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess it.

....doesn't it come down to God letting man choose his destiny?

Would that contradict the statement that God creates/created evil (and, by extension, undercut God)?

The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these. (Isaiah 45:7)

The KJV says inventor of evil things...

Inherent in creating beings with true freedom of choice is the possibility of them choosing wrongly.

I'm not sure I understand your point.

Also, the KJV is believed to be based on some of the worst manuscripts.

Free will given by God to both angels and humans...

Isaiah 14v12-14, Matt 23v37

Hopefully you get this, sorry for the three year delay, I forgot I even posted this!

To your comment, "please just cut to the chase, and give us your opinion", I'd like to say a few things:

1) The purpose of this thread wasn't for me to give my opinion, it was to get other Christians thinking deeper about their beliefs.

2) My opinion is of little value given (1).

I hope that these two points help you better understand my purpose of writing something about God, Evil, and Theodicy!

If G-d allows evil does that not prove the Scripture to be more true there is a Devil? People need to defend why not evil!?!... G-d will put away with it. Or "you" did not read your Bible!!