The Problem of Evil

[luckey09]

Taken from here: *Violation of the ToS: No links*

"Long ago, Epicurus once said,


'Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?'

There is no doubt this question is not easily resolved. But there is also no doubt to God's endless love and majesty.

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'..." - 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

It is not that God is not willing, or is not able, to abolish evil, but it is that He manifests that power though man, and his willingness and ability to resist evil. It is not God's problem with evil, it is our own."

Anyone have thoughts on this? Agree/Disagree?

 

[ivdavid]

If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked.

This is the logical flaw in his premise. He has assumed that evil is outside of men. But when he takes into account that every man in the flesh is inherently evil because of sin, God actually is a God of love to delay His removing this evil.

Mat 13:27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?'
Mat 13:28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
Mat 13:29 But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

 

[Free]

To which statement is the poll referring?

"Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?"

or

"It is not that God is not willing, or is not able, to abolish evil, but it is that He manifests that power though man, and his willingness and ability to resist evil. It is not God's problem with evil, it is our own."

 

[luckey09]

It was intended for the latter.

 

[Free]

It was intended for the latter.

Answered.