Summary Of Chapter 15 Of God And Evil As Evidence For Christianity

The problem of evil cripples reasonable belief in the God of theism and although successful theodicies have been made to subvert the problem of evil, they cannot get rid of the doubt and for some the proof that God does not exist.

In the course of this essay I will argue that evil is not compatible with the existence of god. This means that evil and God cannot coexist because if god were present, the existence of evil would contradict all that god is believed to be. Abrahamic religions insist that God both created the world and that he preserves and maintains it. Christianity claims that God is all knowing and is boundless in his abilities. Religions claim that God is benevolent, and only wants the best for humanity and the universe, as his creations. If all of the above statements be true, then it is hard to understand why god would allow evil to thrive right from the beginning of time.

“The problem of evil is often divided between the logical and evidential problems.” At the heart of each problem is the belief that the existence of God and the existence evil are incompatible. They present an “either/or” dilemma: either God

This essay features the discussion of the problem of evil in relation to the existence of god. Specifically outlining two sections where the problem of evil is discussed from atheist and theistic viewpoint.

Chapter two teaches about the problem of evil. Dr. Keller writes that evil is not evidence against God, but rather it is evidence for God, if anything. Keller then goes on to write that readers should remember that Christ and God the Father both suffered and went through evil. They, however, went through it willingly to save mankind. He teaches that through the cross the resurrection of

On the topic of the existence of God, Ernest Nagel and Richard Swinburne have construct arguments that challenge one another. In Nagel’s article, “Does God Exist?” he argues that if God is all-powerful, omniscient, and benevolent; he would know when evil occurs and has the power to prevent it. Because evil occurs, God does not exist. This is the problem of evil. Challenging Nagel, the article by Swinburne, “Why God Allows Evil,” argues that God has the right to allow moral and natural evils to occur because those evils reap greater goods that make the lives of human-beings meaningful. He extends his argument to the idea that God seeks to provide human beings with goods such as freewill and responsibility of not only ourselves, but of the world and others. While Nagel utilizes the problem of evil as an objection to the existence of God, Swinburne employs it to show that God allows evil to occur to provide human beings with goods that go beyond moments of pleasure and joys of happiness.

In J. L. Mackie’s “Evil and Omnipotence,” the author presents an argument detailing why belief in a both omnipotent and wholly good God is contradictory to a God who allows evil to exist. He utilizes this philosophy to show that God doesn’t exist due to the problem of evil. As Mackie’s delineates in his first paragraph, “I think, however, that a more telling criticism can be made by way of the traditional problem of evil. Here it can be shown, not only that religious beliefs lack rational support, but that they are positively irrational, that the several parts of the essential theological doctrine are inconsistent with one another.” (p. 100) Mackie discusses

We have now come to the fourth and final book of Mere Christianity. In this book, the author takes us to the place in our Christian growth where we begin to rely more heavily on the power of God and less on ourselves to become the being that God originally intended for us to be — a son of God. He begins with an explanation of the difference between “making” and “begetting”.

The problem of evil (the problem of suffering) is an argument against the existence of God

Stephen Law conducted a thought experiment with a purpose of establishing the existence of an evil God, whereby he challenged those who believed in the presence of a kind and good God, doing nothing evil, and argued that the existent God is wicked indeed. The hypothesis developed into the challenge based on the argument that, if an omnibenevolent God is said to exist, yet there is so much evil in the world, then there is as well a possibility that an evil God exists, yet there is so much good. Law aimed to doubt not the fact of the existence of God, but the generally accepted assumption that the existing God is benevolent. Another researcher, Rowe, refutes this approach, arguing that the existence of a Supreme Being, who created people and hence cares for them, cannot be associated with evil. In fact, the presence of evil is a clear sign of the absence of a God. This paper seeks to take a position opposing to Law’s theory and prove that, despite the presence of evil, an omnibenevolent God still exists.

The problem of evil questions the nature of God and threatens his status as a figure worthy of worship. Surely human beings would not wish to worship a God that is neither all good nor all-powerful? The figure we call God is seen to be entirely perfect and flawless in every way. The problem of evil also questions God’s omniscience, in respects that he is all knowing. If God is omniscient then he must know the harm that evil does and the suffering it will cause. The attributes in question are the essence of the nature of God and without them he becomes more like a human than a God. If any of God’s characteristics are omitted, he

As a result of Nietzsche's support for his argument, Christianity does reject life, for it rejects master morality. Christianity rejects life overall because it does not allow people to grow as a human and to expand humanity in its best interest. This is through the following instances that it promotes hatred of the earth, slave morality, an inferior lifestyle, and finally self-denial. From all of these examples Nietzsche provides, Christianity is not in humanity's best interest. Christianity does not care about one's capability to succeed and to evolve in life. However, a person does, in fact, have the potential to do so. Nietzsche strongly believes in this, and clearly, continues to state the endless possibilities man has to offer towards

In the next part of the passage, Farinaccio starts to says that " There is no moral universe without a moral standard rooted in the transcendent, unchanging character of God. Without it nothing is truly evil, and therefore, there is no problem of evil." Therefore in order to make any assumptions about evil you must first rely on a Christian worldview. Farinaccio confirms that from the scriptures in the bible it is evident that God permits evil and suffering to exist to achieve certain ends. Farinaccio concludes his argument by saying that through a Christian worldview God was the one who allowed both good and evil things to exist, though we may not know why he allowed evil to exist as

The dialogue on god, evil and the existence of god was between Gretchen Weirob, Sam Miller and Gretchen Weinrob. At the beginning, Weirob was sick and miller came to visit and ask Weirob to pray with him so god would cure her, but Weirob was a none believer and she refused to do so. Miller tried to convince Weirob that god exists and she should pray. Weirob tried to convince Miller that god did not exist by asking him if god exists and he is all knowing and all powerful, why did he let her get sick from the beginning? and why did he not let the illness that she suffers from go away. On the other hand, Miller gave her an example about a

Christians also believe in the fight between God and Satan, the fight between good and evil which exists in the world. Evidence of God is recorded in the Holy Bible, which is made of up of 66 books and letters that testify to Him, describe His character, commandments, and stories of His interaction with humans over history. Because God is the source of all purpose and meaning; the whole point of the Christian faith is to have a relationship with God. Christians affirm their faith in Him by praying to Him, reading the Bible (His Word), going to church to worship Him, living according to His commandments and spreading the gospel. God is the source of morality for Christians and is at the centre of their lives and decisions. “It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say