Agnostics ask: If
God is all-powerful and all loving, then why does He permit evil and suffering
in the world? Another agnostic asked, If there is a God, why is there evil? Why
do bad things happen to good people? Why is there so much needless suffering in
the world, from natural disasters and such? Why would a loving God do
this? Numerous and various answers have been given but permanently
settling the issue is impossible because so many of our answers raise further
questions. Nevertheless, the lack of ability to answer the question perfectly
does not mean that we cannot offer solutions. Of course, I do not assume to be
able to answer these questions definitively, but I can offer some solutions.
I
will begin by saying let us first consider the meaning of the word “evil”.
What is evil?
Evil is
usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary, as does the
analysis of its root motives and causes; however, evil is commonly associated
with conscious and deliberate wrongdoing, disobeying the commandments of God or
gods or the rules of society, discrimination designed to harm others,
humiliation of people designed to diminish their psychological well-being and
dignity, destructiveness, motives of causing pain or suffering for selfish or malicious intentions, and acts of
unnecessary or indiscriminate violence, in contrast, there can be no such thing as
evil apart from the existence of God. Why
not? Without God, without a moral law giver, we would not have any
objective (real) standards (laws) by which we might deem something to be evil.
We would not be able to conclusively say, “Kidnapping children and murdering
them is evil.” We could say, "We don't like these
things." But we could not call that kind of behavior evil (that which is morally wrong). It would just
be a matter of opinion (one man's opinion against another's).
