Theologians and religious philosophers of every stripe are forever bumping their heads up against the "unsolvable" problem of the theodicy -- the question of why God allows evil. Beyond perhaps assuring them a measure of job security, I have no idea why they or anyone else should find the theodicy such an enduring conundrum. If you accept as real an overseeing, all-powerful God -- and certainly if you accept the figure of Jesus as a manifestation of that God---the theodicy is solved. (Those who do not believe in God, of course, have a separate set of challenges relative to understanding or explaining evil.)
Also, just a quick note about Xtranormal.com, the site whose free online tools I used to make this and my other Xtranormal movies. When making Xtranormal movies, you have very limited choices with regards to setting, characters, and voices. For this movie, I chose the character of Jesus (which Xtranromal introduced just last week); I gave him the British voice I did because of the three other English-speaking voices it seemed best suited; and for the setting I chose "Airport" because, again, of those choices offered, I liked it best.
I've done this video because I thought it might be a good way to, in a unique (and hopefully engaging) way, bring forth a thought or two central to Christianity. I know illustrating Jesus in this manner is tricky business; as a Christian, I'm certainly sensitive to anything slighting Jesus. I don't think this does. I hope (if you care at all) that you agree.
John also blogs at JohnShore.com.
The script for this video was derived from his book, "Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: Why I Do the Things I Do," by God (as told to John Shore).
The Progressive Christian Alliance recently reviewed "Penguins."
Follow John Shore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/johnshore
I think you are looking at this as human life on earth being the only life that counts.
As a Christian - I know there is another kingdom that awaits that I have no clue of. I can speculate, but I got no clue.
Our reactions to the evil that manifests itself are the opportunities for us to get closer to what we should become. That is the real preparation for heaven.
If God really gave mankind complete authority to permit or forbid, what happened on earth, did God still have complete authority in the earth, after God gave complete authority in the earth to mankind? And if evil happened or didn't happen in the earth, who was responsible for permitting or forbidding it?
Genesis 3:17(AMP) - ...the ground(earth) is under a CURSE because of you(Adam).
If the ground or earth became cursed after Adam's transgression, was the ground or earth cursed before then? So, who permitted the curse or evil to enter the earth, God or mankind and who was responsible for forbidding the curse or evil from the earth?
Matthew 18:18(AMP) - Whatever you(mankind) FORBID on earth, will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you(mankind) PERMIT on earth, will be permitted in heaven.
If Jesus himself clearly stated, that it was up to mankind to forbid or permit, what happens in the earth, is God or Jesus really responsible for what happens or doesn't happen on earth? And if mankind do not do, what both God and Jesus told them to, will God or Jesus do it for them? Is God or Jesus really going to do, what they have told mankind to do? Why would God and Jesus, both tell mankind to do something, if they were going to do it for mankind?
Perhaps because he doesn't?
The story about natural evil makes little sense and answers nothing. What if the little boy had been killed in a landslide, or hurricane, or some other natural disaster. IMO the concept of a separate all powerful but benevolent creator who controls the universe and wants our worship and obedience doesn't mesh with our current knowledge about how things work. If there is anything beyond this mortal life, what makes more sense is that we are part of a larger whole, co creators of it all and volunteers in this mortal experience of duality, free will, and choice.
The little boy example is "The Evil of Indifference" which again religion subscribes to some supernatural influence but I see as a social issue. Take our own political climate where supposed religiously minded individuals are working for the reduction or elimination of services to the most disadvantaged. They could arguably take money from other areas but they choose to appease the more powerful members of the constituency over the needs of the poor. This is not truly evil, its just selfishness and the desire to further their own careers.
I see your point, but I think there are people so destructive that they can be called evil, but more often it's people swept up in self interest, who fail to see the connection,or the consequences of certain actions. We all do a certain amount of justifying our self serving traits.
First, our Christ is not God! Scripture makes that point very clear. A short history: the Christian hierarchy, back in the 4th. Century basically became a mule to the Emperor of Rome Constantine -- who hijacked the movement, and made himself the head. Constantine, an earthly god figure himself (delusional) could not see himself being subjugated to a ‘son of a celestial god’ muscled those ‘cut a deal’ clergies to elevate Jesus to God Himself. Those that did not agree got killed – and the Trinity doctrine became the cornerstone to the Christian community! That is basically what took place at the Council of Nicaea.
Secondly, God has to be a very secure and loving person to have created man with “Free Will.” This gift allows everyone to direct his or her own life – giving uniqueness to each, an extraordinary provision. Question, would man ever create a powerful thinking machine that he could not totally control? “NO Way” is the answer! Too risky!
Parents think how ‘free will’ is respected will our children, especially on the real rebellious ones! At young adulthood – we know to allow their journey has to be on their terms! Many times knowing full well ‘disaster awaits’ – still we have to let his or her journey to take hold, otherwise there is no learning, nor discernment! This pilot program on earth, man wanted! We knew the risk, and still said yes! And no to God guidance!
According to standard theology, God can totally control man whenever he wants and the Bible contains examples of that control. Even without any control, man has no power to harm God, except perhaps emotionally. Accordingly, there is nothing at all remarkable about God creating beings with a free will. Human beings create and do numerous things with uncertain outcomes. They do it on a daily basis.
As for parents, you have got that badly wrong. No loving parent is going to let anything really bad happen to their child (blindness, spinal injuries, shooting, burning, death) if they can prevent it. Parents allow children some scope to learn from experience, but, to the extent that they are able, parents prevent exposure to serious harm. If you think otherwise, I hope you are never a parent.
In any case, parents have much less power to successfully intervene in their child's lives than would omnipotent God. Much of parental non-intervention is merely a reflection of that lack of power.
So I guess jesus is saying he could stop evil but doesn't as that is an essential element of his plan for salvation. So evil is in service to jesus plan. It would also seem that jesus could not know the future outcomes as that would take the element of free will out of the equation. So, jesus needs us to fulfil his plan, his plan requires independence of thought and so he cannot know the future outcome, and evil is an essential aspect of that plan. Sounds not much different from winging it and claiming you have everything worked out when you don't.
If god is in a position of being constrained by the context of his creation, he is no better a place than any one of us. Not "all knowing" and not "all powerful" is a strange thing to have argued by a computer voice in a cartoon of god in an airport waiting to see if he is on the no fly list and to get his full body pat down.
Magical powers that can't be used, is no better than not having them. Good moral for the story.
If you have a communist/Atheist/New Age worshipper of Satan/homosexual/heathen/feminist living near you or in the greater area where you live, God will send judicial hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, nuclear disasters and kill the whole bally lot of you just for tolerating all of the above.
See Pat and the Hurricane Katrina.
a) Pat Robertson
b) the late Jerry Falwell and Sons Ltd
c) Terry Jones
d) the WBC
e) Keenan Roberts
f) the late Paul Hill
A lot of small percentages added together make a force to be reckoned with. All share the same fundamentalist views.
If Jehovah God is all-powerful, loving, wise, and just, why is the world so full of hatred and injustice? Have you ever wondered about these things yourself?
Is it wrong to ask why God allows suffering?
Some worry that asking such a question means that they do not have enough faith or that they are showing disrespect for God. When reading the Bible, however, you will find that faithful, God-fearing people had similar questions.
For example, prophet Habakkuk asked Jehovah: “Why is it that you make me see what is hurtful, and you keep looking upon mere trouble? And why are despoiling and violence in front of me, and why does quarreling occur, and why is strife carried?”—Habakkuk 1:3.
Did Jehovah scold the faithful prophet Habakkuk for asking such questions? No. Instead, God included Habakkuk’s sincere words in the inspired Bible record. God also helped him to get a clearer understanding of matters and to gain greater faith. Jehovah wants to do the same for you. Remember, the Bible teaches that “he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) God hates wickedness and the suffering it causes far more than any human does. (Isaiah 55:8, 9)
Why, then, is there so much suffering in the world?---
Has God caused the suffering in the world?
What issue was raised in the garden of Eden?
How will God undo the effects of human suffering?"
http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_11.htm
[[ YOU do not have to look far to see that evil and suffering abound. Wars kill civilians as well as soldiers. Crime and violence are commonplace. Perhaps you have recently been a victim of prejudice or injustice. In view of what you have seen and experienced, you have very likely asked, ‘Why does God permit wickedness?’
That question is not a new one. Some 3,600 years ago, a loyal servant of God named Job asked: “Why is it that the wicked themselves keep living?” (Job 21:7) Troubled by the evil deeds of his countrymen, the prophet Jeremiah of the seventh century B.C.E. asked: “Why is it that the way of wicked ones is what has succeeded, that all those who are committing treachery are the unworried ones?” (Jeremiah 12:1) Both Job and Jeremiah knew that God is righteous. Yet, they wondered why there was so much wickedness. Perhaps you too are puzzled by this.
Some people blame God for wickedness and suffering. Others wonder: ‘If God is all-powerful, just, and loving, why does he not put an end to evil and suffering? Why has he allowed evil to continue until our day?’ The following article considers answers to these and other vital questions. ]]
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20070915/article_01.htm
For natural evil, well I look at it this way, its evolution. If nature provided everything we ever needed, we would not evolve past a single celled organism. Environmental pressures are necessary for evolution, and to some extent, the evil that we perpetrate against each other is merely an environmental pressure that will change the course of evolution, meaning we could win the Darwin Award by causing our own extinction, we could devolve into violent tribalistic primates with pea-sized brains, or if we choose intellectual and peaceful pursuits, we could evolve to a higher order of intelligent life, because humans have the unique ability to manage primal impulses using logic and intelligence.
which reminds me, if people have free will, they have more choices than accept Jesus or go to hell.