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Why does God allow evil?

viole

viole

Ontological Naturalist
Premium Member
Gambit said:
Question:

Why does God allow evil (or the "privation or absence of good")?

Answer:

"God allows evil to happen in order to bring a greater good therefrom." - St. Thomas Aquinas
Click to expand...

Therefore, it is not man's fault, if evil (or the absence of good) exists. Correct?

For, how can you call "fault" something which necessarily brings a greater good?

So, if I load a gun and shoot the first child I see, the logical consequence is that this act will bring a greater good. He did not stop my hand, did He?

Why are you condemning me, then (if you condemn me), since by not shooting that child I would have reduced the amount of greater good that would follow?

Ciao

- viole
 
Baladas

Baladas

An Págánach
I think this should probably be in a section for a specific religion, or for Theism at least...I think that may be more what you are looking for.
It's just that not all of us have the same ideas about what the word "god" means.

Namaste
 
Ouroboros

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
Gambit said:
I don't know. I guess that's why they call it faith. Some people have it; some people don't.
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If you have faith in a greater good, wouldn't you have some kind of idea of what it is? How can you discern evil in relation to something you don't know anything about? If that's the case, then these are mere words without description or definition, and become arbitrary and subjective. So what is the greater good?
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
viole said:
Why are you condemning me, then (if you condemn me), since by not shooting that child I would have reduced the amount of greater good that would follow?
Click to expand...

Relax. I'm not condemning you. Regardless of your belief or disbelief in God's existence, whatever happens is either strictly determined (by the inexorable laws or the powers that be ) or the result of partial randomness. I'm simply providing a theistic explanation for why God allows evil.
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
seekingtruth said:
I think this should probably be in a section for a specific religion, or for Theism at least...I think that may be more what you are looking for.
It's just that not all of us have the same ideas about what the word "god" means.

Namaste
Click to expand...

I employed the term "God," not "god." There's a difference. I am simply providing a theistic explanation for why God allows evil. I'm certainly not promoting any particular religion. And if we are not allowed to debate God in a general religious debate forum, then I don't know what the heck we are supposed to be debating.

If you don't like the subject matter of my thread, then I suggest you find another one. Or, better yet, start your own.
 
Baladas

Baladas

An Págánach
I meant no offense. To me, there is no difference. Many use the term "God" to refer to all of existence, for example.
I merely meant that if we are to assume that "God" must refer to the Abrahamic God, then perhaps you should have posted this somewhere more specific.

EDIT:I apologize, I'm just being a grumpy arse. I am tired, and when I am tired, I end up putting my foot in my mouth.
 
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noh950

noh950

Noh
Gambit said:
Who is? And what is the test?
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1. Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things.
2. Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving; (Quran: 67,1 and 2 )
 
Ouroboros

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
noh950 said:
1. Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things.
2. Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving; (Quran: 67,1 and 2 )
Click to expand...
God is testing is by doing evil? God is good by being the opposite? I think we're getting somewhere finally.

Coincidentia oppositorum.
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
seekingtruth said:
I meant no offense. To me, there is no difference. Many use the term "God" to refer to all of existence, for example.
I merely meant that if we are to assume that "God" must refer to the Abrahamic God, then perhaps you should have posted this somewhere more specific.
Click to expand...

I made no particular assumption.
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
noh950 said:
1. Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things.
2. Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving; (Quran: 67,1 and 2 )
Click to expand...

So what exactly does this have to do with the subject at hand? Are you arguing that God allows evil in order to test us?
 
Baladas

Baladas

An Págánach
Ah, fair enough.
I apologize, I'm just being a grumpy arse. I am tired, and when I am tired, I end up putting my foot in my mouth.
 
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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

Coincidentia oppositorum
noh950 said:
Evil (Satan and his allies) are creatures.
Click to expand...
"Evil" is a creature? It's not a label of the actions of something or the things happening, but just a character/person? That would be kind'a mind-twisting in the other thread where "evil = absence of good". So... absence of good produces a creature... hmm...
 
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