Problem of evil

[MAGSolo]

lover I would say that if God were to rebuke me for questioning how he can allow evil to exist and persist then I would be very happy because then at least I would have evidence that he exist and then I would have faith that he said some good reason for allowing evil to persist. Currently though I think evil is very strong evidence that the biblical God of Christianity does not exist. I think if there is a god that it is either completely indifferent or to human suffering or completely powerless to do anything about it.

[PaulSacramento]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

[Byblos]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

It's a waste of your time Paul. Magsolo has no intention whatsoever to listen. Not that he doesn't want to, he may on some level, I don't know. It's that he is utterly incapable of comprehending.

[MAGSolo]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

It's a waste of your time Paul. Magsolo has no intention whatsoever to listen. Not that he doesn't want to, he may on some level, I don't know. It's that he is utterly incapable of comprehending.

If I were to say something like that about one of you I would probably be banned. You are correct in saying that its a waste of time in the sense that it is impossible to come up with a logically sound explanation for how an all-powerful, just, and good God could allow evil and still be considered good. The notions are mutually exclusive and an oxymoron like a squared circle.

[MAGSolo]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

because its existence goes against the concept of being all-powerful, all-good and just. One cannot be all-powerful and good and yet turn a blind eye to thousands of years of evil and suffering. There is no way that someone with the power to prevent evil but doesnt can be good.

[PaulSacramento]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

because its existence goes against the concept of being all-powerful, all-good and just. One cannot be all-powerful and good and yet turn a blind eye to thousands of years of evil and suffering. There is no way that someone with the power to prevent evil but doesnt can be good.

So, in your opinion, ALL powerful God that is Good can't be reconciled with the existence of evil, yes?
There is no way that YOU can possible fathom them both co-existing?

[MAGSolo]

yes. One who can prevent evil at absolutely no cost to them and willfully chooses not to is not good by any standard human definition. There is no ordinary situation where a human that could stop an evil event from occurring and chose not to would still be considered good. So why can God do it and still be considered good? And "because the bible says so" is not an adequate answer.

Now saying that I cant fathom it doesnt mean im right or that I cant be convinced otherwise. Hundreds of years ago most people could not fathom how it could be possible that the sun didnt revolve around the earth, and yet it was the case that the sun didnt behave in that manner, so not being able to fathom an idea doesnt mean the idea isnt true. However I have yet to see a good argument for how an all-powerful God that allows evil to run rampant can be considered good.

[PaulSacramento]

yes. One who can prevent evil at absolutely no cost to them and willfully chooses not to is not good by any standard human definition. There is no ordinary situation where a human that could stop an evil event from occurring and chose not to would still be considered good. So why can God do it and still be considered good? And "because the bible says so" is not an adequate answer.

So, IF I am understanding you correctly, you do not believe that the Christian God exists because in your view, an all-powerful being that is good would not allow evil to exist because YOU can't reconcile the two.
You can't fathom ANY situation in which evil and good can co-exist IF there is an all-powerful God that is good because, in your view, that God MUST have to eradicate evil regardless of anything else because that God is good, yes?

[MAGSolo]

A good god would not allow evil to persist. Its really that simple. If you had a policeman that saw a woman being raped and then murdered and just sat by and watched and did nothing to stop the rapist, under what circumstances would you consider that officer a good person? Do you believe that people are judged by their actions and deeds? When I say judged I mean by other people. How do we determine on a day to day basis if any particular person is a good person or an evil person?

[PaulSacramento]

A good god would not allow evil to persist. Its really that simple. If you had a policeman that saw a woman being raped and then murdered and just sat by and watched and did nothing to stop the rapist, under what circumstances would you consider that officer a good person? Do you believe that people are judged by their actions and deeds? When I say judged I mean by other people. How do we determine on a day to day basis if any particular person is a good person or an evil person?

What is your criteria for judging an act good?

[RickD]

So MAGSolo,

A God who is good, and omniscient and all-powerful would not allow evil. So this all-knowing God would know whatever was going to happen before it happened, correct?

So in your view, an all-powerful, all-knowing God should prevent any evil, or pain from happening before it actually happens? Is that what you're saying?

[MAGSolo]

A good god would not allow evil to persist. Its really that simple. If you had a policeman that saw a woman being raped and then murdered and just sat by and watched and did nothing to stop the rapist, under what circumstances would you consider that officer a good person? Do you believe that people are judged by their actions and deeds? When I say judged I mean by other people. How do we determine on a day to day basis if any particular person is a good person or an evil person?

What is your criteria for judging an act good?

Those werent rhetorical questions. It would be nice if you would answer them

[PaulSacramento]

A good god would not allow evil to persist. Its really that simple. If you had a policeman that saw a woman being raped and then murdered and just sat by and watched and did nothing to stop the rapist, under what circumstances would you consider that officer a good person? Do you believe that people are judged by their actions and deeds? When I say judged I mean by other people. How do we determine on a day to day basis if any particular person is a good person or an evil person?

What is your criteria for judging an act good?

Those werent rhetorical questions. It would be nice if you would answer them

How can I answer them if you don't help me to understand your concept of what is Good and what is evil?

[MAGSolo]

So MAGSolo,

A God who is good, and omniscient and all-powerful would not allow evil. So this all-knowing God would know whatever was going to happen before it happened, correct?

So in your view, an all-powerful, all-knowing God should prevent any evil, or pain from happening before it actually happens? Is that what you're saying?

I wouldnt say any pain but when a nutcase is about to go shoot up a classroom of defenseless 6 year old kids, a mother of three goes to the grocery and gets abducted, raped, beat to a pulp, then strangled to death or when a 3 year old child gets cooked in an oven by his mother http://www.truecrimereport.com/2011/03/ ... with_k.php I would expect an all-powerful and good God to do something to prevent it. Im not saying God needs to step in before anyone ever stubs their toe on a piece of furniture. Ive been robbed at gunpoint before and while it sucked, it wasnt something I was questioning Gods existence over, but stuff like this http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3125964/ yeah, I dont think its too unfair to question how an all-powerful and supposedly good God would allow stuff like this to happen on a regular basis

[Byblos]

Why do you think that the existence of evil is evidence against Christ and Our Father?

It's a waste of your time Paul. Magsolo has no intention whatsoever to listen. Not that he doesn't want to, he may on some level, I don't know. It's that he is utterly incapable of comprehending.

If I were to say something like that about one of you I would probably be banned. You are correct in saying that its a waste of time in the sense that it is impossible to come up with a logically sound explanation for how an all-powerful, just, and good God could allow evil and still be considered good. The notions are mutually exclusive and an oxymoron like a squared circle.

Exactly why I said you read but you do not comprehend. It wasn't an insult nor an ad homonim attack Mag. I certainly did not mean that you're stupid in any way, if that's what you took from my comment, far from it. You are incapable of comprehending in the same sense Pharaoh was incapable of softening his own heart. We have gone around many laps with you on the subject of evil and shown you how in fact it supports the notion of an omnipotent God but you do not comprehend. We've referenced many times Aquinas' five ways and Aristotle's prime mover (neither of which can even be touched by modern philosophy) and yet you do not comprehend. Do you not wonder sometimes, in the face of such overwhelming evidence from reason and science, why you do not comprehend still? The only reasonable conclusion is that you are in fact incapable of comprehending.