Can God be all Powerful, All Good, All Knowing and yet Evil Exists?

Can God be all Powerful, All Good, All Knowing and yet Evil Exists?

This is a common argument against God presented in philosophy class. If God is all Powerful, All Good, All Knowing, then why does evil exist? Since He is all good, He hates evil; since He is all knowing, He should know that evil exists; and since He is all powerful, He should have enough power to take care of it. So how can evil exist if God exists?

Opponent Response ► No.

“1) Billions of innocent people are suffering in the world, both now and throughout history.
2) Evil is allowed to exist, run rampant, and attain positions of power in the majority of cases, more often than good virtuous people do.
3) God is all-powerful and all-good, yet allows #1 and #2 to exist, both now and throughout history.

All three of the above CANNOT logically co-exist at the same time. The only logical possibilities are:

1) God is not that powerful. (if so, then how did he create the whole universe?)
2) God is evil, or not good, or doesn’t care.
3) God doesn’t exist.
4) God is nothing like what you think he is, or is something beyond your comprehension.
5) God lets suffering and evil exist for reasons beyond your comprehension, and/or does not have the same morals that you do. Thus he does not do what you would do if you were him.

http://www.debunkingskeptics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1711

◄ Christian Response You’re completely ignoring the Will of God, freewill, consequences of sin, and the complexity of the situation.

Please view arguments below.

◄ Christian Response Actually, in regard to point 2, God uses evil people to punish evil (Biblical)

He has done this many times with Israel, because of Israel’s lack of repentance. And when kings get too prideful and think they have conquered the world with their wickedness, God reveals to them that it was actually God that merely used them to do his Will without them knowing (and part of his Will was to punish evil doers). In other words, the wicked people you think that have power will get torn down by other wicked people.

◄ Christian Response Yes… these arguments against God’s existence rely on knowing what evil and justice are, which are defined from God’s existence to begin with.

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust…? Of course, I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too—for the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my private fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist—in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless—I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality—namely my idea of justice—was full of sense. Consequently, atheism turns out to be too simple

– CS Lewis, 1952, p. 45-46, italics in orig.

“I think that evil, paradoxically, actually proves the existence of God. My argument would go like this: If God does not exist then objective moral values do not exist. (2) Evil exists, (3) therefore objective moral values exist, that is to say, some things are really evil. Therefore, God exists. Thus, although evil and suffering at one level seem to call into question God’s existence, on a deeper more fundamental level, they actually prove God’s existence (n.d.). ”

– William Lane Craig (Theistic apologist)   http://espanol.apologeticspress.org/articles/240166 

“When you say there’s too much evil in this world you assume there’s good. When you assume there’s good, you assume there’s such a thing as a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil. But if you assume a moral law, you must posit a moral Law Giver, but that’s Who you’re trying to disprove and not prove. Because if there’s no moral Law Giver, there’s no moral law. If there’s no moral law, there’s no good. If there’s no good, there’s no evil. What is your question?”

– Ravi Zacharias

◄ Christian Response STRONG If He judges now, then it would be premature… hence it’s not a good idea to judge now (Biblical)

In other words, if God kills all the evil people, then the maturity of the good people (mixed with evil people) would never be reached. Here’s the biblical source for this argument:

◄ Christian Response Evil happens because evil is caused by people, and God lets people commit evil so that they can see the results of their actions.

If God stopped all people’s actions, then no one could be blamed for what he did, because what he did never really actualized. For example, if a murderer was about to kill someone, but God stepped in and saved the victim’s life, then how could the murderer be charged for killing the person, if he never fully killed the person? The only thing he could be charged for is attempting to kill a person, but we know that that charge in courts is not as severely punished as the charge of killing someone.

If someone were charged for attempt of murder with the same degree as someone charged for murder, then it makes no sense… someone who “attempted” murder could probably have changed her mind before the act, where as someone who murdered had finalized their action. These two should have different punishments.

Opponent Response ► WEAK But God should heal the person afterward, so that no evil is committed.

God should let the murderer kill the victim, so that the murderer can know what he did, but then afterward, God raises the victim to life so that evil does not really happen. So there can be less broken families and less problems as a result of a dead loved one.

◄ Christian Response STRONG That’s missing the point. Evil has already been committed.

It’s just that God has healed an evil act.

Nonetheless, again, evil was still committed. It’s like the victim getting shot by a murderer, and the doctors taking the bullet out. It’s as if the victim never got shot, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t get shot… the murderer still committed an evil act, and hence here, evil exists. The only way for evil to not really exist is if the murderer NEVER shot his weapon. But then that would be taking away free-will of the murderer.

In addition, evil is doing an act to someone when you know that this act can kill a kill-able being (because of the curse of death brought by the forbidden fruit).

Opponent Response ► So then why doesn’t God just heal all the victims of evil after evil was committed?

Again, so that there can be less broken families and less problems as a result of a dead loved one.

◄ Christian Response STRONG Good question, but notice how evil existing doesn’t contradict God’s existence.

This question is more about God’s character rather than a contradiction. However, God not healing the person is explained by good people being told to take care of the hurt people, those being victims of evil.

This is where Christian doctrine comes in. The power to destroy and fight evil is given to humans, including Christians. Whenever a person suffers, it is our responsibility, not all the time God’s responsibility, to take care of it. With all the problems in the world, we should be the light of the world. Americans especially have so much responsibility because of how much power and money they have compared to the rest of the world. (from another argument)

◄ Christian Response It’s the upright and righteous people’s responsibility to take care of evil.

The power to destroy and fight evil is given to all of us. Whenever a person suffers due to evil acts, it is our responsibility, not all the time God’s responsibility, to take care of it. With all the problems in the world, we should be the light of the world, the source for hope. Americans especially have so much responsibility because of how much power and money they have compared to the rest of the world. For with much great resources and power comes greater responsibility (Luke 19:12 – 27), and like the Spider Man movie said “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Websites that support this view: http://www.everydaychristian.com/blogs/post/7501/

Opponent Response ► The Luke 19:12 – 27 passage has nothing to do with justice but with resources to invest with to bring in more resources.

◄ Christian Response STRONG True in that it’s not explicit, but in light of other passages with similar themes, it can be interpreted to regard justice as well.

For example, within the same gospel, it says exactly verbatim regarding this: with much power and resources, much is required, in accordance to God’s Will, which certainly includes Justice. See the following:

Luke 12:47  And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
Luke 12:48  But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. 

[please read context as well]

So as you can see, we just read in verse 48 exactly the concept of the relationship between power and responsibility in accordance to God’s Will. It seems clear that God wants us to be involved with Justice, as He clearly talks about the need for the people to seek after establishing Justice in the Tanakh (OT) very often. So Justice clearly is part of God’s Will.

[added 10/27/2012]