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Problem Of Evil Argument Essay

1054 Words5 Pages

This paper explores the ‘’The problem of evil argument’’ as it has been a longstanding challenge for those who believe in the existence of God. It is a very interesting philosophical issue that is often used as an argument against the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. The problem of evil is concerned with reconciling the existence of evil and suffering in the world with the idea of a benevolent deity. In this essay, I will in the best of my understanding state and explain the problem of evil, discuss at least one criticism of the problem, and cross check whether the argument survives the criticism.
The problem of evil is stated as follows: ‘’In its simplest form the problem is this: God is omnipotent; God is wholly good; and yet evil exists’’ (J. L. Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence, Para 3"). If God exists and is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, then there would be no evil or suffering in the world. However, there is evil and suffering in the world. Therefore, God …show more content…

If God is all-powerful, he WOULD prevent evil, and if he is all-knowing then he would KNOW how to prevent it. If God is also all-good, he would WANT to prevent evil. Therefore, since there is the existence of evil and suffering in the world, it is evidence against the existence of God.The problem of evil is usually divided into two categories: natural evil and moral evil. The former is basically the suffering that occurs due to natural events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and diseases. While the latter,on the or hand, refers to the suffering that is caused by human actions/choices, such as war, murder, and theft. Both types of evil raise questions about the existence of God. If God is all-powerful, why does he allow natural disasters to occur and If God is all-good, why does he allow people to commit immoral

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