Do you have an answer to this statement made by an atheist

An atheist scientist made this statement. Could you give an answer to this atheist as though you are talking to him (not a fellow christian) being persuasive in your belief and not argumentative...
Here is the statement:
"Every description I've heard holds God to be all powerful and all good. And then I look around and I see a tsunami that killed a quarter million people in Indonesia. An earthquake that killed a quarter million people in Haiti. And I see earthquakes and tornadoes and disease, childhood Leukemia. And I see all of this and I say I do not see evidence of both of those being true simultaneously. If there is a God, the God is either not all powerful, or not all good. It can't be both."

First, welcome to CC!

The last sentence in your scenario, and the basis of their argument, is a false dichotomy. That's a logical fallacy where two mutually-exclusive options are presented as though they are the only two options, when they actually aren't the only two options.

The issue that the person has overlooked is the Fall, which was brought about when Adam sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. The Fall has affected all of creation, such that there is much death and destruction.

God is in control; He is able to use all the good and bad in our lives for good (Romans 8:28) and for His purposes. Jesus has dealt with all the brokenness, but we will not see the fullness of His redemption until He comes again to establish His eternal kingdom, where there will be no more sorrow nor death.

If God is all good then all evil must be punished.. A good God like a good judge shall impose the right judgement upon people who have broken the Law... In the Bible the penalty for breaking the Law ( sinning) is death....

All people break the Law ( They sin) thus God is justified in executing all people.. God allows natural disasters to act as ways of bringing about his perfect Law.. So sinners ( all people) die and God is therefore a Good judge not allowing any sinner to go unpunished..

It is much greater then the atheist said, none of those things can compare to eternal damnation in a lake of fire. There is no answer for why things are the way they are, we just believe in the goodness of God through Jesus Christ and maybe some day we will see the whole picture and be able to understand why.

God created a creation with the free will to respond to God. If God was all controlling then evil couldn't exist by our all holy God.

And so because of free will evil exists. But our all knowing and all seeing God uses the deeds of evil to bring about good.

After any major disaster what happens? People pull together and love a stranger and for many the first time hitting rock bottom gets comforted by the mass of church volunteers.

This world we live in is on a hidden time limit. The book of revelation tells us God has already won over the war between good and evil in the end of days.

Atheist turned Christian C.S.Lewis suffered great deals of loss in death of love ones and war. In his book Mere Christianity he gets a little into explaining why because of free will evil exists.

And then hid book A problem with Pain he addresses it in that whole book.

Great resources that explain what i have said in greater detail.

Evil tries to kill love but love always rises from the ashes. In America 9/11 we was attacked by evil and that day brought a nation together in love and many out of the only good part of death met Jesus their loving savior.

Sadly it takes an act of evil or disaster to bring love out the hardened hearts of fallen mankind. Sadly it takes something traumatic to think of life after death.

Also disease and illnesses are part of this world due to free will to cause health issues, spiritual evil to cause health issues, and the fall of Adam casted us into a world where disease can affect anyone due to the fall of mankind.

We may say well its not fair. But what we dont see is that child dying of cancer is about to have a free pass to heaven due to them not capable of understanding the law. We see it as sad but ultimately they are about to be in the best place of all. They wont have to deal with lives struggles growing but instead they remain pure of heart and love. They are remembered as beautiful and a greater incentive to live for Christ so that one day you know you will see that child again.

I garuntee that child would say I didn't miss a thing compared to Heaven. We get so attached to this world when really we have not seen nothing yet

The problem of evil, it always comes up. There are two answer for the at theist. God by His grace allows these things to happen or by His righteous judgement could judge everyone now and those that are not saved would go to hell. I like the way that atheist scientist asked his question so matter of fact, when every shovel full of dirt and archaeologist turns gets us closes to the truth of the Bible. They were saying that there was no proof of King Hezekiah and that the Bible was wrong, then in 2015 they found a signet made by his ring with Hezekiah's fathers name on it I believe, proving that the Bible was right. Here's a link to the story King Hezekiah's seal discovered in Jerusalem - CNN.com

When you think about it the problem of pain is a blessing, if we did not feel pain we could grind out fingers off or keep running wild. There are any book written on this subject of which I've read one many years ago, I was so young in the faith that I really don't remember what it said.But what ever you call it the problem of evil, pain, sin. It's only God's grace that allows it, other wise we'd all by smoke.

It's simple. God is not in charge here.

I'm not a geologist, but I know SOME earthquakes are caused by oil drilling. Tornado's and Tsunamis can have a human origin too. Our water is polluted and we are all exposed to dangerous chemicals from the day we are born, to include our vaccines and forms of medicine. I'm not a doctor, but I know people get cancer from exposure to harmful environments. Big business, consumerism, and living on the grid are to blame for many health problems.


Man is to blame for all of our "natural" disasters and disease. Did God cause the Native Americans to get smallpox? Or was that the "setters" rubbing their disease on blankets like vile animals?

God IS all powerful, but the rules he is choosing to follow allow man to have free will. God doesn't vaporize people before they upset the earth or are about to spread disease. He allows man to take action that has harmful effects on us and the environment. "ALL" powerful would be God controlling every single action or reaction occurring everywhere. God really is ALL POWERFUL, but he has given/shares that power with his children so we can live this creation as we know it. We would all be puppets or robots otherwise.

I see and hear these stupid, childish, short sided, backwards arguments by atheists and those of little faith everywhere I go. People I know, people in passing, comment sections on youtube, tv, media, it's everywhere. This idiot logic is even in my memories as I thought like this when I was an atheist. There are so many people going to hell because they blame God for Man's sins and then reject him for it, and I understand why they come to these conclusions with their puny minds generated for them by public schools and staring at their phones.

I hate the most seeing young kids and tie wearing "educated" "intellectuals" thinking in this way, because I know the kids are still light enough with sin to be saved, and the so called smart people have the mental capacity to figure out the truth. But neither of them will because they get off and are rewarded for rejecting God and reaffirm one another in their false beliefs in this society. The spirit of the antichrist is strong in them, and they have too much pride to even pick up a Bible or research alternative opinions/conspiracy theories as to the origin of disasters and disease. They all just keep telling one another they are right and mocking and rejecting the opposition so they can grow in their delusions and be respected by one another.

Leibniz, Theodicy

Online for example here:
https://ia601400.us.archive.org/29/items/theodicy17147gut/17147-h/17147-h.htm

There is exactly as much evil as was needed for the best possible world. If God took away one of it, it would result in a worse world in the end.

would it be better to have a G-D that had us all on puppet strings forcing us against our will to be good and perfect?

"And you know what good is?"

Every description I have heard holds science as necessary for saving lives and the good of mankind. And when I turn around I see science producing the chemical compounds that cause cancer in humans and developing the weapons of mass destruction that are used to kill millions of human beings. If science is necessary and good, then the death of millions of innocent people caused as a direct result of science would indicate that God is less culpable for the effects of nature upon mankind than the effects of science which directly causes for the death of millions of innocent people. Science can't be beneficial to mankind for saving lives if it is the direct cause for the death of human lives.


When you say fall, you mean the fall of the son of God who was created not by flesh or blood, nor the will of man but of God right?

Amen! All "bad and evil" things of this world are all opportunities for man to seek a Savior who has the answer for death and evil, that is Jesus Christ!

The answer is in mans dilemma.

Noah looking out of the ark at thousands of dead floating on the water must have thought "dear God,the horrors of sin"

Same with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Ones perspective is either a roadblock or a highway in finding truth.

The fact that the atheist is obsessed with making his creator disappear,whom he says doesn't exist is the realm of insanity.

They are tormented. I can promise you.

He is.

God rules .

When the AC IS REVEALED,the church is raptured,and in revelation it says power is given unto him to overcome the saints.

THEN,it can be said "Satan rules"

Romans 8:28 [FONT=&quot]And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

[/FONT]That couldn't be true unless God is in charge.

Its too bad that there aren't more that love God.

Would that stop earthquakes and tsunamis and hail and all that? No, probably not. But it would cause those who love God to see His Work even when bad things happen.

The scientist is assuming that God exercises his power at all times.

'My' Bugatti Veyron has 1000BHP, but just because you see me doing 30 mph through town, do you assume I cannot go at 240mph?

The purpose of God is to give people a choice to have people dwell with Him for eternity that made the choice to love God,for then it is true love.

Creation testifies there is a God that loves people,for He provided food,and the means to make clothing,and shelter,and covers the 2 greatest laws,love God,and love people,so the world is without excuse.

The angels always behold the face of the Father for the little ones,for they are protected spiritually,and angels are sent to all who shall inherit salvation.

Since we have a choice then bad things happen because of the bad choices of people,and natural disasters happen in proportion to the wickedness of the world,which is why there is more of them at the end time.

Jesus said,do not fear what they can do to the body,but can do no more,but fear God.

Paul said,nothing can separate the saints from the love of God,not problems,distresses,for the suffering of this world does not compare to the glory the saints shall receive having a glorified body,and being in a place where there is no problems,and no suffering,and the former earth shall not be remembered,or come to mind,so the pain of it is gone,and there will be no more sin,and rebellion will never come up again.

There is problems that occur on earth,but that does not hinder a person from crying out to God,which He said,the world has no excuse for not believing the truth,for God said,He revealed the truth to them,but said,they did not want to believe it,but wanted to believe an alternate view of reality,so God did not work in their life,and they became reprobate,and unrighteous.

It is not God's fault for the problems,and it does not hinder a person from crying out to God,and He can take away pain and suffering,so if the world does not want to believe the truth,they will have to suffer through problems,and distresses,but it is not God's fault.

God said,wars come from the lusts of people,and not Him.

In fact if God did not keep this world in check they would of gone off the deep end a long time ago,and devoured each other,and problems,and distresses,multiplied greatly.

But one day God is not going to intercede to keep this world in check,but is giving the world 7 years to have their way,and follow a kingdom that is based on the occult,spiritual evolution,that believes in no God,and when they take the mark of the beast,which has to do with technology as they think that their technology,and devices,will be able to help them achieve peace on earth,and they persecute all the people that love God in the truth,then He will gather His children unto Him,and punish the world for their sins,and iniquities,against Him.

God is all powerful,but He gave people a choice,and bad things happen because of the bad choices people make,but problems do not hinder a person from crying out to God,and acknowledging the truth,so there is no problem there,for that is what really matters,and God is good,but people do bad,but if they do not want to acknowledge the truth then God will not work in their life,but it is their fault for their problems,and problems of the world,not God's fault.

Do not blame God for a world that has problems,sufferings,and distresses,but people should blame themselves for their wickedness that causes such disturbances on earth.

The world creates their own environment,for they want to be selfish,and arrogant,and self exalting,and not care for each other like they should,and push for power,and in competition that they have to prove they are better,even by war,and want to be worse in their behavior as time goes on,for that is the direction that they are going,

Then they can pay the price.

I look at scientists,and the such,as really not smart people,for they cannot even understand reality,and God said the wisdom of this world is foolishness to Him,and those who do not believe in a God,but believe in an alternate reality,professing themselves to be wise,they became fools.

They claim to be so smart,but cannot even understand what reality is about,and then you have some poor person that does.