The Bible assures us that God is sovereign and all-powerful, and nothing happens that is outside of His control. But the Bible also tells us Evil is real, and sometimes evil things happen that are not part of God’s perfect will.
Originating with Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC) the logical argument from evil is as follows:
If an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient god exists, then evil does not.
There is evil in the world.
Therefore, an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient god does not exist.
This argument is logically valid: If its premises are true, the conclusion follows of necessity.
To show that the first premise is plausible, subsequent versions tend to expand on it, such as this modern example:
God exists.
God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient.
An omnipotent being has the power to prevent that evil from coming into existence.
An omnibenevolent being would want to prevent all evils.
An omniscient being knows every way in which evils can come into existence, and knows every way in which those evils could be prevented.
A being who knows every way in which an evil can come into existence, who is able to prevent that evil from coming into existence, and who wants to do so, would prevent the existence of that evil.
If there exists an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient God, then no evil exists.
Evil exists (logical contradiction).
Thus if God lacks any one of these qualities—omniscience, omnipotence, or omnibenevolence – then the logical problem of evil can be resolved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
“Spontaneously, without any theological training, I, a child, grasped the incompatibility of God and shit and thus came to question the basic thesis of Christian anthropology, namely that man was created in God’s image. Either/or: either man was created in God’s image – and has intestines! – or God lacks intestines and man is not like him.
The ancient Gnostics felt as I did at the age of five. In the second century, the Great Gnostic master Valentinus resolved the damnable dilemma by claiming that Jesus “ate and drank, but did not defecate.”
Shit is a more onerous theological problem than is evil. Since God gave man freedom, we can, if need be, accept the idea that He is not responsible for man’s crimes. The responsibility for shit, however, rests entirely with Him, the creator of man.”
Milan Kundera, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” (1984) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unbearable_Lightness_of_Being
(Vienna, March 20, 2019) An international research team, including a member of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna, investigated the role of “big gods” in the rise of complex large-scale societies. Big gods are defined as moralizing deities who punish ethical transgressions. Contrary to prevailing theories, the team found that beliefs in big gods are a consequence, not a cause, of the evolution of complex societies. The results are published in the current issue of the journal Nature. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/cshv-csg032019.php
The Bible assures us that God is sovereign and all-powerful, and nothing happens that is outside of His control. But the Bible also tells us Evil is real, and sometimes evil things happen that are not part of God’s perfect will.
Originating with Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC) the logical argument from evil is as follows:
If an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient god exists, then evil does not.
There is evil in the world.
Therefore, an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient god does not exist.
This argument is logically valid: If its premises are true, the conclusion follows of necessity.
To show that the first premise is plausible, subsequent versions tend to expand on it, such as this modern example:
God exists.
God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient.
An omnipotent being has the power to prevent that evil from coming into existence.
An omnibenevolent being would want to prevent all evils.
An omniscient being knows every way in which evils can come into existence, and knows every way in which those evils could be prevented.
A being who knows every way in which an evil can come into existence, who is able to prevent that evil from coming into existence, and who wants to do so, would prevent the existence of that evil.
If there exists an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient God, then no evil exists.
Evil exists (logical contradiction).
Thus if God lacks any one of these qualities—omniscience, omnipotence, or omnibenevolence – then the logical problem of evil can be resolved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
Mueller details Russian U.S. election meddling (Reuters UK 3/7/19) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-meddling-explainer-idUSKCN1QO1ED
The United States has yet to respond with an effective agenda designed to safeguard the democratic process against foreign interference. https://www.cfr.org/report/defending-america-foreign-election-interference
“Spontaneously, without any theological training, I, a child, grasped the incompatibility of God and shit and thus came to question the basic thesis of Christian anthropology, namely that man was created in God’s image. Either/or: either man was created in God’s image – and has intestines! – or God lacks intestines and man is not like him.
The ancient Gnostics felt as I did at the age of five. In the second century, the Great Gnostic master Valentinus resolved the damnable dilemma by claiming that Jesus “ate and drank, but did not defecate.”
Shit is a more onerous theological problem than is evil. Since God gave man freedom, we can, if need be, accept the idea that He is not responsible for man’s crimes. The responsibility for shit, however, rests entirely with Him, the creator of man.”
Milan Kundera, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” (1984) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unbearable_Lightness_of_Being
(Vienna, March 20, 2019) An international research team, including a member of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna, investigated the role of “big gods” in the rise of complex large-scale societies. Big gods are defined as moralizing deities who punish ethical transgressions. Contrary to prevailing theories, the team found that beliefs in big gods are a consequence, not a cause, of the evolution of complex societies. The results are published in the current issue of the journal Nature. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/cshv-csg032019.php