Evil, Suffering, and the Existence of God

• The problem of evil and suffering is a central argument against the existence of a Christian God.
• Atheists contend that an intelligent, benevolent creator would not allow evil to exist in the world.
• The essay explores moral evil, natural evil, and the incompatibility of an omnibenevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God with the presence of evil.
• The essay concludes that God cannot exist in the presence of evil and suffering.

The Free Will Defense

• A common Christian response is that evil exists because of humans' misuse of free will.
• The Bible states God created humans in his own image, "So God created man in his own image" (Genesis 1:27).

• If God designed humans, and humans are flawed, then God must also be flawed.

• Acts of moral evil, such as war, suggest humans are not a product of intelligent design.

God's Design and the Existence of Evil

• God is believed to be an intelligent designer who carefully crafted the world.
• Bertrand Russell argues that a perfect and powerful God should have been able to create a better world without the capacity for such extreme evil.
• If God created humans with the ability to do evil, then God is responsible for the existence of evil.
• Theist struggle to accept evil stemmed from God, which is a contradiction of beliefs.
• If God created everything, then God is fully responsible for evil.

The Necessity of Evil for Good

• A common Christian defense is that evil must exist for good to exist.
• John Stuart Mill argued that the immense evil and suffering in the world causes humans misery.
• Suffering contradicts the idea of an omnibenevolent God who would not want people to suffer.
• The existence of suffering challenges the very nature of God.

God's Omnipotence and the Persistence of Evil

• Christians believe they should fight evil, yet also believe God is omnipotent.
• Paul Romans 12:21 – overcome evil with good.
• If God is all-powerful, then why has he not eliminated evil?
• The presence of needless suffering, such as children with cancer, challenges the idea of an omnipotent God.
• A common argument is that we wouldn’t know how to good without evil present.

God's Benevolence and Human Suffering

• Atheists argue that if a Christian God exists, he is not omnibenevolent because he allows evil and suffering to occur.
• Richard Dawkins suggests that science is more effective than prayer in alleviating human suffering.
• The fact that God does not answer prayers suggests a non-loving God or no God at all.
• An all-loving God would not allow the level of suffering present in the world.

The Contradiction of Noah's Ark

• Christians believe evil should be fought with good, while atheists point to contradictions within the Bible.
• God sends a flood to erase evil in Noah's Ark, "I will send rain on earth for forty days and forty nights and I will wipe from the face of the earth every creature I have made".
• God confronts evil with more evil, causing further suffering.
• This contradicts the idea of an all-loving God and weakens the argument for God's existence.

Evolution and God's Plan

• Theists argue that evolution is part of God's plan.
• Charles Darwin highlighted the vicious nature of the "war of nature" and survival of the fittest.
• The brutal and competitive nature of evolution suggests God does not want living creatures to thrive.
• The idea that evil evolution is part of God's design is incompatible with the claim that God is all-loving.

The Problem of Hell

• The Bible states that those who commit unforgivable sins will go to hell for eternity.
• Matt 13:24 – unrighteous will be condemned to a place of blazing fire and utter darkness.
• Humans were not asked to be designed to commit such sins.

• John Stuart Mill argues that nature's everyday performances are things for which humans are punished.
• Humans are granted free will but punished for using it in ways deemed unforgivable.
• If God exists, he would not have created humans with the capacity to commit such sins.

Suffering as a Test or Torment

• Theists argue that God allows suffering to make individuals stronger, viewing it as discipline.
• It is discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.
• Atheists view suffering as either torment or evidence that God does not exist.
• Not everyone can endure God's "training," leading to severe consequences like suicide
• The existence of suicide disproves the idea of an omnibenevolent God.

The Unforgiving Nature of God

• Christians believe God forgives all, especially in the New Testament.
• God did not forgive Adam and Eve immediately, instead placing a curse on all living creatures.
• The idea of an omnibenevolent God causing such harm creates a weak and contradictory analogy.
• God’s curse was not removed even when he forgave Adam and Eve.
• God’s nature is unforgiving and evil.

Conclusion

• After analysing themes such as moral evil, natural evil and the idea that an omnibenevolent, omniscient and omnipotent God cannot co-exist, it is evident the existence of a christian God is disproven.
• Evil and suffering cannot allude to the triad of an omnibenevolent, omnipotent and omniscient God.
• If God created everything, it is only fair to argue that he also created evil and suffering.
• It is simpler to conclude that God does not exist, which aligns with Ockham's razor.