RE -- Good and Evil (Philosophical challenges posed by the inconsistent triad)

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  • RE -- Good and Evil (Philosophical challenges posed by the inconsistent triad)
    • Creator ex nihilo
      • Created from nothing
    • Interventionistand personal
      • This means he is still active and changing things in the world as well as knowing you personally
    • The descriptions fo God yet existence of evil contradicts
      • Epicurus once said “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
    • Proof of suffering
      • The Holocaust, murder of 6 million Jews
        • Whole communities wiped out
      • Why did miracles only happen in Biblical times, why not our times?
    • Problem of free will
      • Argument from theology
        • God made Adam and Eve with free will (the ability to choose good or evil). They disobeyed him through their own free will. They deserve punishment for this.
      • If God is omnicient he cannot be wrong, God is omniscient and omnipotent, you cannot not do it
      • Developmentof this
        • Augustine felt that since the fall we are so bound by our evil nature we are dependant on God's grace to save us
          • Divine election, predestination
        • Many Roman Catholics do not view free will as existing apart from a response to grace. Accept salvation or reject it.
    • Other denominations views
      • Methodists believe that while god is all-knowing and knows what choices  we will make, he still gives us the choice
      • Many Lutherans believe that humanity is free to choose and act in every regard except for the choice of salvation
    • Evil and Suffering -- and perfect link?
      • Evil (moral or natural) causes suffering. You can have suffering without evil but not evil without suffering.  Good, (sometimes linked to evil because it is compassion) has the power to alleviate suffering. All religious people (and others without faith) believe that it is important to try and help those who are suffering around them.

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