It is often argued that a good God would not allow evil* to exist or occur. This argument is usually based not from any particular religious scripture, but on moral intuition.
As it stands, the idea that "God would not allow evil" is at best conjecture. Indeed, many non-theists admit that this is an unfounded theological assumption, to say that God "must not allow evil" - which amounts to saying what God can or cannot do! Of course, they would then go on to say that if such a God would allow evil to occur, then he is not worthy of our worship (another moral intuition).
Let me therefore introduce another reasonable assumption. Suppose God exists and evil exists. Is it not reasonable to assume that our moral abhorrence of evil stems not from ourselves, but from the God who created us?
In this scenario, the same morality which we use to dismiss God is the same morality which was give to us by God.
The question still remains as to why would God allow evil. However, assuming that our knowledge of good and evil is equivalent (actually, I would argue that it is inferior) to that of God we must therefore look to other alternatives as to why a good God would allow evil to exist (rather than concluding that he therefore does not exist, which is a non-sequitur).
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* I would like to note that the problem of evil is not an objection to God's existence but to God's character.
As it stands, the idea that "God would not allow evil" is at best conjecture. Indeed, many non-theists admit that this is an unfounded theological assumption, to say that God "must not allow evil" - which amounts to saying what God can or cannot do! Of course, they would then go on to say that if such a God would allow evil to occur, then he is not worthy of our worship (another moral intuition).
Let me therefore introduce another reasonable assumption. Suppose God exists and evil exists. Is it not reasonable to assume that our moral abhorrence of evil stems not from ourselves, but from the God who created us?
In this scenario, the same morality which we use to dismiss God is the same morality which was give to us by God.
The question still remains as to why would God allow evil. However, assuming that our knowledge of good and evil is equivalent (actually, I would argue that it is inferior) to that of God we must therefore look to other alternatives as to why a good God would allow evil to exist (rather than concluding that he therefore does not exist, which is a non-sequitur).
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* I would like to note that the problem of evil is not an objection to God's existence but to God's character.
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