The Problem of Evil

Written 12/15

The world is filled with many variations of suffering and pain, from mere accidents like tripping and twisting one’s ankle to catastrophes such as earthquakes and tsunamis, from bank robberies to mass murders, horrible events occur every day.  Some have not been able to reconcile the existence of such things with the existence of an all powerful, good and loving God. They therefore have concluded that such a Being does not exist.  However, I would contend that the existence of evil and the ability to recognize it actually is evidence that a good God does exist and there is an ultimate standard of how things should be.

            The Bible describes God’s nature as being purely eternally good, loving and merciful. Psalm 119:68 reads, “You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes” Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving-kindness is everlasting” and finally in Psalm 145:9 “the Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.” When skeptics introduce the problem of evil existing in the midst of an omnipotent and loving God, it is the God of the Bible whose reputation is at stake. Even if this problem is not answered to the satisfaction of the skeptic this does not entirely disprove the existence of God, just the existence of a good and loving God. If it was indeed true that a good and loving God didn’t existence because of the evil in the world, the next logical step would then be to conclude that the god who does exist is either a moral monster, completely removed from his creation, or his power was limited. The next logical step would not be Atheism.

            The problem of evil has been phrased many different ways, usually in the form of a question, some of which include, “How can a good God allow evil and suffering?” “If God is good, why does he allow bad things to happen to good people?” Then there are other forms of the question which invoke serious emotion, “Why does God allow children in Africa to die of Aids or starvation?” “God can’t possibly exist when my uncle died at forty and left a wife and four children.” Some have said that this problem is one of the toughest objections to Christianity. The reason for this is because at its root, the question is not an intellection objection but an emotional response to the way things should be. Despite this I will attempt to answer how the intellectual objection to the existence of moral and natural evil does not disprove the existence of an all loving and all powerful God.

            When this problem or question is proposed there are a few assumptions made. One of the assumptions is what evil is and how we know it isn’t good. First, evil is not a thing, a black cloud lurking over us or something physical. When it comes to moral evil, it is a wrong choice which we cannot see but only its effects. God has created human beings with freewill. Because of our freewill we are able to freely love God or reject him and follow our own path. Those who decide to disobey His commands in order to lie, steal, cheat, and murder will obviously harm others by their choices. Therefore, much of what we see as evil is the result of others making the wrong decisions.

            The problem of evil assumes that there is an ultimate standard of right and wrong. Objective morality only makes sense within the Christian worldview. Typically, those suggesting that the existence of evil contradicts the existence of a good God are Atheists and actually moral relativists. They live by mottos that include how one’s personal values are no more meaningful or greater than the next person, how truth varies from person to person, and how one individual does not have the right to judge the actions of another individual. Yet these same skeptics are able to recognize evil actions, such as mass murder and rape. However, evil cannot be real if morals are relative. The problem of evil is contingent upon the observation that true evil exists. Therefore, the person who brings up the objection of the problem of evil must concede that objection morality exists  (Beckwith & Koukl, 2000). This must be the case because they would be contradicting themselves if on one hand they were to ask, “Why didn’t God stop that rapist, kidnapper, murderer, etc?” and on the other hand claim that people should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. The two cannot both be true at the same time; one cannot claim that moral judgments are just opinions and then condemn God for not intervening in a situation they claim to be wrong.

            Like previously mentioned God is inherently good, therefore goodness exists because God exists. Goodness is something that is not tangible yet is something that people are able to recognize throughout time and is transcendent like God. If God did not exist how can goodness exist? If there was not a transcendent being who is eternal, who expands time and space and by his very nature is good, how would one be able to recognize what is good and by therefore measure what is bad? If God did not exist then goodness would be reduced to an opinion because matter would be the ultimate reality. Again, I cannot see, touch, taste, smell goodness or even evil only observe the effects of those things.

            When one brings up the problem of evil and how its existence argues against a good and loving God, they are assuming ‘justice’.  In their mind they believe that God is not just because he does not intervene in certain matters.  This assumption has the same problem as the previous one; if a person is going to deny the existence of God because of his lack of justice, how will they then account for justice? Justice is intangible and cannot be accounted for in worldview where everything we see around us was ultimately produced by a pointless, random, chance, event. As, C.S. Lewis said reflecting on his days as an Atheist and his argument against God was that the universe was too cruel,  “A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad a senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction against it.” (Lewis, 1952)

            When a skeptic introduces the problem of evil and suffering they are also assuming that God should indeed intervene whether it is within a natural catastrophe or a moral evil. This is a false assumption because they are assuming how God should and should not act. We do not know entirely what good reasons God has allowing for evils to occur. However, intellectually the existence of evil does not contradict the existence of a good God.  Some have suggested that through hardships and sufferings people have come to know God who might of otherwise would not have and suffering and hardships are also means of producing good character (Warner, 2013).

            For those who contend that God should intervene within the actions of humanity rarely examine their own lives and concede that God should stop them from making choices they see no problem with.  If God was to intervene in order to stop evil, the question should be at what level of evil should God stop intervening? God’s standard of morality is so much higher than ours, he examines our thought life and motives.  We have no problem with God eliminating rapists and murderers but what about fornicators, liars, thieves, and those who envy and lust? The Bible says all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), therefore everyone would be eliminated or forced to be perfect. We would no longer be freewill agents but robots.

            God did not originally intend for this world to be filled with corruption. However, through the sin of the first two humans death and suffering came into existence. This curse affected the entire world including animals and mankind. God himself recognizes that the way the world is, is not the way it should be.

Ironically for the skeptic concerning the problem of evil and suffering it is only Christianity that has the ultimate answer. The Bible promises that one day death and suffering will no longer exist and Jesus Christ will come back restoring the world to perfection. It is not just Christianity which must account for the existence of evil and suffering but all worldviews. It is only Christianity that has the hope that Jesus “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

  

References

 

Kreeft, P. The Problem of Evil Retrieved from http://www.peterkreeft.com/topics/evil.htm

Beckwith, F. J., & Koukl, G. (2000). Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Lewis, C. (1952). Mere Christianity. New York, NY: HarperCollins

Warner, W.J. (2013). Does Natural Evil Prove There Is No God? Retrieved from http://www.str.org/articles/does-natural-evil-prove-there-is-no-god#.VnEBKkorKM8

      Koukl, G. (2013). Evil as Evidence for God Retrieved from http://www.str.org/articles/evil-as-evidence-for-god#.VnDdiEorKM8