God and Evil - 1273 Words

PHL 101 11 March 2012 A Summary of the problem of evil and a critical evaluation of how it is said to undermine the traditional characteristics of God. This paper will attempt to review the philosophical quandary of the existence of evil and if evil exists can God exist and if so can this God still be declared perfect? The epistemological issue that arises is One’s knowledge of God and the validity of God’s existence. What is good and what is evil? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines evil as: 1. a : morally reprehensible : sinful, wicked lt;an evil impulsegt; b : arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct lt;a person of evil reputationgt; 2 a: archaic : inferior b : causing discomfort or†¦show more content†¦As with a lot of things concerning God, it is based on an interpretation of what God says is good or not good. Those would be a form of evil that has no basis to be inherently good. If a parent punishes a child by spanking them, that is considered by a great many to be evil and wrong. But a good number of children will take this lesson as something not to be repeated. While the act is evil in nature, it can produce a positive outcome in the end. Looking at the Holocaust and the evil that was present there, how can we say this was allowed by God and what was the good of it. While on face value the mass murder of over 6 million people is not a good thing, we can learn a bit of tolerance from it. This evil act was perpetrated by one person who got a whole nation to believe what he said. While there are the ones who openly and covertly defied his will, humanity as a whole can learn from this. Jus t because an individual is part of a larger group doesn’t make him evil. Primo Levi and Auschwitz survivor wrote in his book about the guards, â€Å"These were not monsters. I didn’t see a single monster in my time in the camp. Instead I saw people like you and I who were acting in that way because there was Fascism, Nazism in Germany. Were some form of Fascism or Nazism to return, there would be people, like us, who would act in the same way, everywhere.† (Cantacuzino) Does evil undermine God? It all depends on how you look at it. Evil isShow MoreRelatedEvil And The Existence Of God1147 Words   |  5 PagesThis essay is based on how the problem of evil attacks head on into the existence of god who is all good, all powerful and all knowing. The problem of evil is a wide area that can t be outrun easily. The concept of evil has been problematic to many philosophers. When speaking about evil, we all have the idea that is the absence of good. For some religious people, Evil has been described as a supernatural force, although for others is been described as part of the human nature. Blackburn mainly raiseRead MoreThe Existence Of God : Evil1297 Words   |  6 PagesThe Existence of God Throughout the years as the human species keeps learning about the world we live in, we are finding out that we are surrounded everywhere by evil. This seems to conflict with the belief of theism, one who believes in a God or Gods, especially a personal God who’s in control of the world. If there was an all-omnipotent, all-omniscient, and all-benevolent God, then he should have consummate knowledge that there’s evil in the world. Given that, if he knows there’s corruptionRead MoreIs God Good Or Evil?897 Words   |  4 PagesIn order for us to ask whether God is good and all-knowing or negligent to the evil andsorrow our lives contain, we must examine ourselves. 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Genesis 1:27 KJV â€Å"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.† â€Å"The phrase â€Å"The problem of evil† is a label of such problems involving both God andRead MoreThe Evil Of Gods And Goddesses1176 Words   |  5 PagesMany years ago, the humans set ablaze the Earth. Destruction was all around their disfigured bodies, and where life once thrived, it vanished into an abyss. The gods and goddesses were horrified, so Zeus took charge. He ordered Hephaestus to create a human baby that’s blessed with godlike qualities. The child would seem to be a gift from the heavens, but in reality, she is going to destroy the world in unforgiving heat. The child’s name is Xiuhcoatl. Zeus kept the child a secret from the rest, andRead MoreThe Problem Of Evil And The Existence Of God1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Problem of Evil is one of the most influential and common arguments in modern philosophy against the existence of a Greater Being, God (Trakakis, 2006). Both Theist, those who believe in the existence of God, and Atheist, those who don’t believe in the existence of God, argue that evil exists in the world. The Problem of Evil explores whether the existence of evil and suffering constitutes significance evidence for atheism. When looking at the definition of the greater being, most refer to theRead More God And The Problem Of Evil Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesGod And The Problem Of Evil Everyday it is possible to read a newspaper, or turn on TV or radio news and learn about evil going on in our world. Banks are robbed, cars are stolen, violent murders and rapes are committed. Somewhere in the world the aftershock of an earthquake is being felt. 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