The Problem of Evil

“The Problem of Evil

“We have seen that the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good being seems to be incompatible with the existence of evil. If god possessed only two of these three attributes, however, there would be no problem. For example, if God were all-knowing and all-good but not all-powerful, we could account for the existence of evil by claiming that God is powerless to prevent it. If God were all-powerful and all-good but not all-knowing, we could account for the existence of evil by claiming God is ignorant of its existence. If God were all-powerful and all-knowing but not all-good, we could account for the existence of evil by claming that God isn’t opposed to it. To many, however, a being that is limited in any of these ways would not be God. So unless a solution to this problem can be found, the traditional conception of God must be revised.”

That is straight out of my philosophy book.

I have real issues with what it is saying though.

I believe that God is all-powerful. He created the world. He spoke and brought forth light. He shaped me and made me.

I believe that God is all-knowing. He knew me before he formed me. He knows what is past, what is present, and what is to come.

I believe that God is all-good. God loves us and would never do anything to harm us. He even sent his only son here as a sacrifice for our sins so that we may spend our eternity with him and not have to pay the price for our actions.

Yet I also believe there is evil in the world. There is a devil. Bad stuff really does happen.

So according to this book I can either believe that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good; therefore, there is no evil. Or I can believe that there is evil in the world; therefore, God is not all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good.

But I see a flaw in the basic assumptions this book uses to reach those conclusions.

I have the ability to yell. That doesn’t mean that I will yell every time I talk just because I can. I have and arm and a fist. That doesn’t mean that I will punch everyone I meet just because I can.

So why is there evil in a world where God is in control then? Because he loves us and he doesn’t make us do anything. We as a people have decided that we like evil. We have decided that we like to lie. We like to kill. We like to covet. We like to worship things other than him. And because he loves us, he respects us, and allows us to continue on this downward spiral into nothingness.

God is all-powerful.

God is all-knowing.

God is all-good.

God is all-love.