The metaphysical engineers give a plausibility quotient of 0.2 for a God that fits all of the listed characteristics: omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient, the creator, the sustainer, eternally existing, and a personal god. Their first argument for why this God is inconsistent with the universe that we live in is the problem of evil and suffering. The problem of evil states that God cannot be all-powerful, all-loving, and all-knowing at the same time because otherwise there would be no evil. Since there is evil in the world, God is either unable to stop evil, unwilling to save people from evil, or unaware of the evil, therefore He cannot be omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient.
The flaw in this argument lies in the definition of evil. Evil is not something; it is the absence of something. Evil is, in fact, the absence of good. It is a divergence from the way things ought to be. God does not allow evil in the world, but he does allow choice. He allows people to diverge from what ought to be and in essence, to choose evil. In order for people to truly love God, they must have the choice to love him or not. Otherwise it would not be true love. Forced love is not love at all, therefore God gives people the opportunity to choose him, and through choosing him, to choose all that is good. Those who do not choose God choose evil because evil is the absence of good. God is aware of evil and is able to force people to choose him, but he gives people free will instead. He is all-loving because he gives people that choice instead of forcing love.
Many will argue that the free will argument does not explain natural evil such as tsunamis or disease. Natural evil is the result of living in a fallen world. God does not “make” disease because he cannot make evil. He does, however, allow that divergence from what ought to be, to happen because it is an indirect consequence of sin. Although sin does not cause evil, as shown because lying cannot cause cancer, this absence of good comes about through living in an imperfect world. As soon as people decided not to choose God and all that was good, the world ceased being perfect. Thus things like poor health and natural disasters are present because they are imperfections in the world. God does not cause natural disasters, but because he gives his people free will in order that they can truly love him, evil, or the absence of good, must exist in the world. Otherwise there would be no choice, only good, but also no love. God shows his love, power, and knowledge by using evil situations to bring out the good in the world.
"Do It Yourself Deity." Philosophersnet.com. 2010.
<http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/whatisgod.php>. Web.
Your idea of love and free will is an interesting concept. I propose to you this, if a parent allows their child to go up and touch a hot stove is this an act of love? Is it wrong to stop them?
ReplyDeleteIf God is all-knowing and infallible then there can be no free will as he already knows the outcome. This is known as Theological fatalism which states that if the is infallible foreknowledge of a human act then that makes the act necessary and hence unfree.
“For any future act you will perform, if some being infallibly believed in the past that the act would occur, there is nothing you can do now about the fact that he believed what he believed since nobody has any control over past events; nor can you make him mistaken in his belief, given that he is infallible. Therefore, there is nothing you can do now about the fact that he believed in a way that cannot be mistaken that you would do what you will do. But if so, you cannot do otherwise than what he believed you would do. And if you cannot do otherwise, you will not perform the act freely.”
If God does not make disease where did it come from and why is it not more exclusive on who it infects? Also why would the natural disasters happen to areas that have belief in god? The most recent instance of this were the droughts and wildfires in Texas a state with over 95% belief in God. http://www.bestplaces.net/religion/state/texas
“In the four months since Perry’s request for divine intervention, his state has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Nearly all of Texas is now in “extreme or exceptional” drought, as classified by federal meteorologists, the worst in Texas history.” This was followed by vast wildfires around the state.
This is an interesting video conception which parallels Ants in an Ant farm with Humans and God which relates well to this discussion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E15IC3YKv8g
I'd like to pull in a classical Greek philosopher here, namely Epicurius.
ReplyDelete"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?"
This thought experiment is independent of the source of evil. Epicurius did not get into where evil came from; he was more concerned about what was being done about it.
And that is what hasn't been addressed. Wherever evil comes from, what is being done to prevent its effects?
That is a very interesting and well put quote.
ReplyDelete