Evil and Suffering

It is quick to reprimand God's ideal traits such as omnibenevolence, omnipotence and omniscience when examining evil and suffering. However, there are multiple philosophers with various theories that do not contradict God's presented character. Instead they focus on evil itself rather than it as a constitute of God.

Christians, Jews and Muslims all portray God as these supreme being. Hindus and Buddhists elicit evil and suffering as an illusion and although they may be burdened by it, they choose to ignore it.

David Hume, a prominent philosopher constructed a theory called the 'inconsistent triad'. This model is wholly consistent about this idea that when presented with evil and suffering, God simply cannot be omnibenevolent, omniscient and omnipotent. These are incompatible hence we have to alter our image of God and perhaps question his motives with the world.

There are two types of evil:

1. Natural evil
2. Moral evil

They are exactly as they sound, natural evil revolves around natural disasters [2004 tsunami] whilst moral evil conveys man-made disasters and loss of life [9/11].

The Augustinian theory:

This is a powerful theory that completely contradicts Hume's inconsistent triad. God is depicted as good, all-knowing and all powerful in this theory. Evil on the other hand is presented as something that fills the absence of good. In the way that darkness fills a room when there is no light, evil consumes a place where there is no good. He supports this theory with a story of Adam and Eve.

Adam and Eve were made in a world full of good and no natural or moral evil. However, as God made humans with the capacity for free will, they exercised this free will and chose to turn away from goodness. They created an absence of good in themselves and in the world.

The Irenaen theory:

Another prominent philosopher, Irenaeas contemplated the existence of evil and suffering in the world. However he exercised this idea of being born in the image of God and developing a likeness to God as one grows older. He is emphasising the idea of not being born perfect, but born with intelligence, freedom and a moral nature. These traits are then developed so that one may become like God.

God hasn't created evil, he has simply provided free will and freedom to humans who then choose to deter from this path of morality.

For humans to exercise their freedom and their choices when it comes to morality, there must be pain and suffering in the world. Without it, one could not possible make a choice.