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The argument from evil

posted 8 years ago by Jwink72
7 replies | jump to latest

The usual answer to the question why is there evil from christians is humans are free entities, and therefore can freely choose to do evil things (this is in addressing human evil and not natural evil or suffering).

But I'm not sure either type of evil is justified (unless the believer contends that they are good). Let me explain:

Gods nature is one which is not chosen by him, is not changing, and is objective. Gods nature, then, is impossible to escape. For example, his nature is logical. You cannot make a circular square or smell the color blue. Gods nature is something he and all his creation is bounded by. How, then, can anything exist outside his nature, and how can anyone choose to do something outside his nature? If humans are able to choose to do something outside his nature, then isn't that something which must be explained? We were created by god and given no other attributes beyond his nature, so doing evil would then be akin to seeing colors outside of the spectrum, would it not?

[–] cosmic_surveyor 8 years ago

You cannot ... smell the color blue.
Synaesthesia.

Nature is like politics. It's mostly local. We make assumptions about remote regions based on our local experiences. Until we made moons orbiting the distant planets in our solar system 'local', we could not imagine what their conditions might be. Autism spectrum disorder was outside our frame of reference until it hit home, or close to home.

Similarly, harmful actions are seen as remote phenomena until they happen in our peaceful settings. Then we categorize further if the agent(s) of these harmful actions is one of our own or some 'alien'. And we categorize in finer detail if one of our own is 'not' really one of our own, a deviant or black sheep, or is a loved one who was perverted by some 'alien' outsider. And we continue until we find a comfortable assignation, 'evil', perpetuated by a Devil. Then, we can look away and get back to the business of living.

______

Est modus in rebus sunt certi denique fines quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum Goldilocks

[–] rocinante-421-313928 8 years ago

I think you're confused because you're using terms like "nature" very vaguely. What's nature? How can you define God's nature? How do you know He and His creation is bounded by this?

Seriously, there are centuries of theology and philosophy dealing with this. You should study that first, instead of trying to come up with your own from scratch.

[–] Jwink72 8 years ago

I mean what god is. I didn't know that was in such disputation amongst believers. Is god not what he is? Or are we at a lack of understanding of what god is? And, in that case, aren't we in no position to discuss morality?

What else could I mean by nature? I am using the same natural law theory almost every modern theologian (and classical theologian) has offered.

Any thoughts?

[–] rocinante-421-313928 8 years ago

I didn't know that was in such disputation amongst believers.

Q.E.D.

[–] matt_shade 8 years ago

And, in that case, aren't we in no position to discuss morality?
Rape is evil. Killing kittens for fun is evil. The universe doesn't care about rape or kittens or how evil you are during your lifetime. But other people might pick up a rock and kill you with it for being evil. So be evil at your peril.

Also, this: http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000130/nest/263626706

[–] matt_shade 8 years ago

But I'm not sure either type of evil is justifiedNothing in the universe is "justified", we made that up.

Also, this: http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000130/nest/263626706

[–] Strannger (2007) 8 years ago

Evil exists in many forms. Some people are born crazy or psychopathic and told to do an act that most consider evil. Did we make up evil or does something influence human nature to destroy? Most humans see killing someone for the heck of it, cannibalism or being a predator as not the norm.