God is something of a riddle and a mystery to us if he even exists at all. He is supposed to remain that way. we as mortals are not designed to comprehend the complexity of he who is above and beyond all creation.
It seems like our life is a test, designed to reveal our integrity and character. In the end we will probably be held responsible for the choices we made and judged accordingly, which will determine what happens to our remaining consciousness.
God could merely be a referee with neutral alignment. His purpose right now is probably just to make sure the world keeps spinning and that everyone has hardships. Some more than others because life is designed to be unfair, its designed to push you to the breaking point. Cruel? yes but maybe necessary.
"Evil" and "good" seem to be a vague concepts that we as humans have created. Where as God may only see grey.
God is the one who created man with the will to do good or to do evil. In the creation of evil, there is good. It is out of divine wisdom there is free will that one can do good or evil.
God has told humans, don't do evil, do good. But sometimes people do and injustice (evil). That's why people have to do justice (good). That's why people have to be kind (also good).
God allowed evil to exist, and the responsibility of prevention is given to humans. God is able to establish justice through his servants (people who do God- and God is not in need of them). Rather in the responsibility to do justice is an opportunity for the human being to grow as a person. For if there were no evil, he would not have the opportunity to do justice. When he/she does justice, he/she grows in their relationship with God who is the most just. When he/she shows kindnes to someone who has experienced evil, this person grows also in their relationship with the one who is the most Kind (God).
Do not blame God for the actions of a few evil men(/women). Rather do good.
God grants life free will. That free will has the choice. It can chose good. Some chose evil. God has the last word. Man can make good come from good. Man can strive for justice but often it is not enough, but God can make good come from the evil. God has the power to accomplish that.
If God created us for a purpose to be on this earth to learn and grow without him , then he can not interfer with out progress in this life . Plus if he knew what to do to prevent drama then no one would grow and learn . God gave us the greatest gift and that is out agency to choose , if it be good or evil.
SW-User
the Bible answers this question. Once mankind sinned and chose separation from God, he separates himself from us and leaves us to our own devices... i.e... sin and evil. Even the "good" among us is relative, and we are not without sin.
But the Lord gave us a plan of salvation - right from the start - declared to Adam and Eve themselves. Because of that all of history is the story of man and the history of God's plan of salvation working it's way through. During this period ... the world benefits from God's grace, thus there is much good in the world - but we still live in the regime of sin.
God's plan of salvation involves sacrificing himself - Jesus Christ as God incarnate - the ultimate act of Love and Mercy, without requirement. Until the Lord returns to reestablish the world according to the original order - we are in the period of bringing Christ to the world - so all have a chance to be saved. Evil, as we know it - was defeated on the Cross and with the Resurrection. Though it may seem long to us... we are in the wrap-up phase of God's plan for salvation - and we all have a choice.
As God says in Bible - he's not the author of evil. It exists within creation as a matter of choice - and God gets to exercise all His characteristics within His creation. That includes righteous anger and justice... but also love and mercy.
So that's it. I'm sure I missed something... you can't really wrap up theology and the history of God in this world in a few sentences.
@Caroline Ah yeah... I read that you wrote that. Silly... and ahistorical... there is ... literally ... no proof whatsoever for that nonsensical point of view.
That might happen to you... but... a virgin birth... is nothing but a thing to the Lord Almighty... ... and since so much of the Bible is verified... at some point the logic dictates that the Lord's plan for salvation is true... ... your reticence notwithstanding....
Not one thing has been proved true as you can’t prove fantasyland. Yes mindless followers as yourself believe but that’s not proving true it’s just following like sheep
SW-User
I've had this conversation here on SW multiple times... and I refuse to repeat it - you can find all the proof you need in libraries, books, the Bible, history... from those who can explain it better... ... I've had enough of trying to convince yet another ignoramus...
God allows evil, because it's what humans choose for themselves. And freewill wouldn't be freewill if it came with limitations or exceptions, and even though we don't want to hear it... evil is every bit as correct and valid as any other choice we can make in life (the fact we associate evil as being "wrong" or "bad" is just an emotional value judgement on our part - has nothing to do with what it actually is, and isn't...)
The questions we should be asking ourselves is: Is evil really what we want. And is evil actually necessary. In both cases, the answer will ultimately be no (when we're speaking of the human race as a collective). Certain individuals will always find a way of saying "yes" so they can further their own habits and agendas, but evil in itself is a lack of a source - it doesn't actually have a specific origin point, other than the unhealed darkness within us. Because it doesn't have a specific origin, there's nothing for it to ever return to. All it can do and all it can know is to continually deny its own emptiness. And it does this mainly through power and control. It will attempt to extract from others what it lacks within...
It is my understanding that God has delegated authority to His church (those people--inter-denominational--who are in Christ). He can do things on His own without help, but I think that mostly, He moves on this earth through the active cooperation and participation of His body of Christ (His people) here on earth.
I think that if it were otherwise, and God did not delegate, the world would be destroyed--He cannot tolerate sin/evil. I think that it is out of His mercy that He delegates.
@Andrew19EightyFive That's actually a pretty accurate portrayal of what the Bible says, and explains the authority, limited but constituted, that the Church has. But I disagree that that's the reason He delegates. I think there's more to it.
God is not the author of Evil, but of freedom, and evil comes from those making poor choices. Why does God allow it - because creation is meant to express all of his characteristics - to include Godly wrath and justice (cause that's a coming...), as well as Love and Mercy.
"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
God is able to prevent evil.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
He gave us the choice.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? God created human beings who have the capacity to do good or do evil. It is out of His divine wisdom we are created with the ability to do evil and ability to do good. Those who choose to do good, enjoy a relationship with God. Those who chose to do bad, are removed from the relationship with God. When you choose to be kind, just and forgiving, you grow in your morality and grow closer to the one who is the Most Kind, the most Just, the most Forgiving. If no one committed any evil, there would not be the opportunity to be kind, nor just, nor any forgiveness. And thus you would not be able to be kind to the one who has suffered. You will not be able to do justice when there is no injustice.
Because of this, the human being through his choices enjoys a better and closer relationship to God.
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - Epicurus
@mathsman: Agree. It's difficult to get a sense of a scant understanding of His qualities. We are only mere mortals. With the limitations of mortal minds.
another way to look at it is to apply the same questions to your parents. they let us make mistakes in order to learn. they dont always prevent error or evil and cannot protect us from everything but they do everything they can to help us without interferring in our choices adn own paths that we choose
the traditional christian version of god doesn't make sense. that goes for ALL religions except one. All of the others believe in this omnipotent god, but they then can't explain evil. their god is a real SOB. and their reason for creation doesn't make sense either. The only version of god that makes sense is one that is not all powerful, did not create everything out of nothing, and does not have the power to force us to do anything or punish us. We are co eternal with god and have our own agency which means we are responsible for evil, not god. we determine our fate, not some preordained saved or not saved. God is a heavenly mother and father who simply want to help us be happy, not punish us for sinning or not being the right religion
What is good and evil is within each of us as is the understanding of each. God gives us choice and it's up to each of us to decide which path we choose.
They are not evil becasue they dont create evil. They are not all powerful. they are limited. They didn't create everything from nothing. they only organized what was already there.
SW-User
CS Lewis rob ably answere this best. Mankind operates within the sin we created, so frankly, the question completely misses the issue.
SW-User
Even in the creation of something that has potential to do bad is goodness
@Caroline I am Christian. Religion is not God but a mean to understand God. God gaves us life to be partners with him not followers. Why do kids love their parents? Are they owned or followers? No. Why do parents love their kids at their most naughtiness while they are stronger and can replace them with other kids.
I don’t need to religion to live a good life I don’t need him in Religion to believe in anything If you can’t do good in life anyway then there’s something wrong with you
Epicurus was always a poor thinker. What he says doesn't follow. He's restricting God to choices that don't constrain Him. Evil is not his purview, but Salvation is. He's offered us freedom, and now because of our choices, he's offering us Salvation. What Epicurus asked for is freedom from the choice, and then seeks to blame God for it. Like I said... he's a poor thinker.
I love this quote. It breaks down the god paradox succinctly with a few very straightforward questions. And people trying to reply with Scripture ultimately end up making excuses, because there are no equally straightforward answers.
Look at religion this way and if you still think it’s good after your sorely missing the point You have muslims that believe I’m following a paedophile child rapist you have Christians That believe Mary didn’t get rodgered behind the cowshed by the farmhand. . You have Jews believe in anything as long as there is money in it Buddhists that believe in ghosts and that you return as an animal yet treat animals like shit. They follow the baldheaded people who do no work every day of their life and walk around with their hands out for free food daily They all believe in different gods in different icons and believe that they are solely right. The truthful fact is none of them are right every religion was made at some point to control people on Mass and nothing else
