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Arguments Against The Existence Of God

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One argument that is often presented against the belief of Christians, more precisely that of the existence of God, is the problem of evil; and many apologists have continued to counter the questions and disputes. The problem of evil suggests that, if God truly exists, and is in fact good, then the evil we see in the world would not exist. How could a good God allow the rape of women and children? Or, how can a good God see the poverty and starvation of millions around the globe and do nothing? These are just a couple of questions among many. Two apologists, David Hart and Alvin Plantinga have addressed this issue that plagues many, both in the minds of unbelievers, as well as believers. To explore the approaches of each of these men, let …show more content…

It is us, humanity, with our fallen nature and our own evil inclinations, which are the ultimate cause of calamities and wickedness. It is allowed by God because His desire was a people who would choose Him and this is the world by which we are able to possess the free will needed in order to do any choosing at all. As a matter of fact, the possession of free will to choose a good, holy and just God suggests that there are those who will not – it also suggests two natures, the good and the bad. If choosing God is the perfect choice and the opposite is not, it also suggests that the world and mind necessarily would have the ability for both perfection and imperfection. This would also offer an account for the natural tragedies that we experience.
The idea of free will and the fall of man, in and of itself, does seem to answer the problems of malicious evil – murder, rape, oppression, robbery, etc. The issue with natural phenomena – such as the birth of a handicapped child, accidents that leave people disabled, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and death – is that all of these are not necessarily the result of a specific individual’s evil action, or a society’s evil philosophies. So how do we come to understand the issue of tragic natural …show more content…

It is humanity, the sinfulness, the fallen state, that provides the explanation for evil and ultimately for death. David Hart gives the bluntly stated point of view that death has no purpose. Scripture tells us that death is an enemy of God. One aspect of these “evils” that was not addressed was the use of them by God to further His purpose. Perhaps this is where the routine Christian response is birthed. We see in some area of Scripture where God used these things – such as the death of the first born in Egypt as an example, and other plagues; or perhaps we could look at the fire and brimstone that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah. These were used, by God, as both punishment and as a sign to His authority. The philosophers seemed to answer the question of evil in general, and harmonized in their account. However, it is important for us to understand that some things – such as the death of the firstborn of Egypt, both elderly and infant, was at the direction and command of God. Evil, it would seem, at least in some regards, is in the eye of the

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