The problem of evil is a philosophical and theological debate about the nature of God and why evil exists. It is difficult to reconcile an omnipotent God with the existence of evil. Some suggest it is linked to free will, while others see it as punishment or divine retribution. The problem of evil can lead to atheism or renewed belief in an unknowable master plan. People have different approaches to solving the problem, including creating good out of bad through advocacy and service.
The problem of evil refers to an ongoing, and perhaps unending philosophical and theological debate about the nature of God, the existence of God, and how a person can resolve the question of why evil exists in the world. Evil has proven a divisive issue for millennia, predating the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. When gods/God is seen as omnipotent, it’s hard to reconcile this fact with evil in the world. Why would a God allow for evil to exist, or allow people to suffer the consequences of other people’s evil actions? Some explain away the problem of evil suggesting that we do not know God’s plan, and we cannot see the ultimate good that might result from evil acts.
Many try to create good things out of bad. The number of parental advocates and organizations that have sprung up to help other families whose children have been murdered or kidnapped are one practical way to address the problem. These organizations are usually founded as a result of an extreme evil: the murder or kidnapping of a child. They do not solve the problem of evil and may not even address the existence of God, but they try to turn extreme evil into good by offering help, service and love to other sufferers.
From a theological or philosophical point of view, the problem of evil is approached in myriad ways. The fundamental question is the following: how can an omniscient, benevolent and omnipotent God allow evil to exist, and above all allow harm to be done to his followers? Some explain it as inexorably linked to the principle of free will. When people are allowed to make their own choices, some people will ultimately choose to act in sinful ways (lesser or greater). Since God has given us free will, evil remains, because it is a choice people can make.
Others suggest that the problem is solved by saying that the God of Christians, Jews and Muslims, who created free will, is an impersonal, not a personal God. Having created this world, he allows it to be. It is difficult to reconcile the concept of a personal God with the problem of evil, as it is difficult to explain how an all-powerful God would allow his followers to experience the evil of others. In other words, the presence of evil suggests to some that God doesn’t always choose to intervene.
For some, the problem of evil flows directly into atheism. Since God does not want to, or does not seem to take a direct part in events, he cannot exist. How could God allow holocaust or ethnic cleansing? How could God abuse those more innocent than himself (such as children)? The universe is godless, as a good god would intervene. For the spiritual, direct contact with tragedy can lead to a renewed belief in an unknowable master plan that is unclear to them, or it can lead to a spiritual crisis.
Others see certain events as direct punishment from God for what they consider “evil deeds.” Certain plagues and diseases have been considered “purifications” by God – modern recreations of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even some natural and man-made disasters have been attributed to divine retribution for immoral acts and religious or cultural practices.
To summarize, the problem of evil exists in almost all cultures and all religions and leads to the following and many other conclusions:
People have free will; therefore the potential for evil exists.
God is impersonal; therefore he does not intervene to save his faithful.
God has a master plan that will be made clear to us over time.
God cannot exist, because a loving God cannot allow his children to be harmed.
God is fickle and sometimes allows evil to occur.
God is a personal God who uses evil to punish sinners.
Our understanding of God is minimal and imperfect, and therefore we are not qualified to question his actions.
God is not omnipotent, loving or benevolent.
God wants us to solve evil to serve him.
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