I think we run into problems when we start asking questions of the Bible that it’s not interested in addressing. Michele, this is such a great post. Here is one formal presentation of the problem of evil. Ted Bundy. In this crazy world, in the uncertainties of life, I cling to the truth that God is sovereign and He is loving. - One question that has always tormented many God fearing/God loving, and religious people, from time immemorial is---- why should there be so much evil… There’s comfort in these truths, even when circumstances try to appear otherwise. God does not cause the evil, but He does control the outcome when evil happens. Habakkuk is one of my favorite books. A gray, windy morning for a walk at Beech Hill Preserve. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. C.S. Evil Exists Purely as a Consequence of the Law of Opposites. Psychology Today © 2021 Sussex Publishers, LLC, New Research: 8 Common Reasons People Use Porn. One of the principle objections offered by Bible skeptics is that if there were a loving and all-powerful God, then, why is the world such an evil place? Clement's idea was criticised for its inability to explain suffering in the world, if evil did not exist. The ways of God are inscrutable, “past finding out” according to Paul, and yet we get a glimpse of his nature here as he employs an evil empire in the ultimate rescue of his people through the fire of exile and the devastating loss of their homeland. Playing. The important thing is to be aware that some kind of evil spirit does seem to exist. Before discussing whether good and evil exist, we have to face one unpalatable truth, one that many people go to unreasonable lengths to avoid. If God Created All Things Good, Why Does Evil Exist? Happy New Year, my friend! But evil does exist, which means: God unable to help, God doesn’t care, or ; God isn’t real. I told you that I was going to speak on the problem of evil: why did God allow evil in the world? In other words, evil does not have an ontological existence, it’s like a shadow (7). The reason is sin. You could frame the question a number of ways. There will be a time when such evil and cruelty will come to an end, but it must be in God's time. Pedophilia qualifies as evil because of the great harm caused to abused children, from immediate distress to long-term mental illness and difficulties with relationships, sometimes leading to suicide. Thank God, He is unchanged and unchanging and so the words of scripture are powerful to us today – must put this on my TRL . So comforting to know that God is never changing, and can speak to each and every generation, no matter what we are going through. View all posts by Michele Morin, Habakkuk is a favorite book of mine as it offers such hope in the midst of difficult days. “Can God exist?” We often ask this question as we look at the suffering and pain around us, and the question that is really on the heart is, “How can I come to understand how God is love when there is this suffering?” which is a different question. You could frame the question a number of ways. The nicest conclusion would be that there is some force for good in the universe, but there is no force for evil. Next. Nature, Satan, Men were cursed. Thanks so much for reading! (Babies have to be taught not to bite, after all.) Stepping into a new year, what questions are you bringing to God on the regular? Some translators have labeled Romans 12:9–21 as “Marks of the True Christian.” I can’t think of any better advice for women striving to be good Christian mothers-in-law. We need the contrast. Here, evil just means being severely immoral, acting strongly contrary to the needs of people. Please stay safe and healthy. Thus, there is reason to believe that an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good creator does not exist. “Unchanged and unchanging, he pursues you and me today and he will stop at nothing to get our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection.” I find such comfort and strength in this truth, Michele! Hope you will share your thoughts if you end up reading it. Soon we find creation has become corrupted and evil has entered the world. The world that we live in, is a world of opposites: day is followed by night, darkness by light, birth by death, happiness by sorrow, and laughter by tears. Blessings to you and yours in 2021! Diseases are best understood as breakdowns in mechanisms, for example when the influenza virus disrupts the operations of cells and organs such as the lungs. Molecular causes may operate through epigenetic effects such as the methylation of the gene for oxytocin receptors. What you wrote today fascinates me to want to read more. Did God create evil? Blessings. Men with high testosterone or low oxytocin may be more inclined to violent behavior. (2014). I wrote about Biblical podcasts this week and one of them is reading Job right now. I told you that I was going to speak on the problem of evil: why did God allow evil in the world? G. Summary. Would it not be more plausible to suppose the people are inherently evil, so that good behavior is actually the rare accomplishment of cultural developments such as religion? Wow, that’s so true. If you’ve spent anytime at all turning pages in a Bible, you know we’re not the first to ask these big questions, and we certainly will not be the last. It’s not when I’m sitting alert with open journal and quiet mind, but rather when I’m pushing a shopping cart or a vacuum cleaner hose; when I’m mixing cookie dough or scrubbing a pot, that a face comes to mind or a news report hooks my ear: A powerful hurricane flattens a poor villageThe simmering soup in Washington D.C. bubbles over onto the stove–againAnother local suicideAnother big name succumbs to a moral crash and burn. And if God is perfectly good, he would want to stop all the evil in the world. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories. How He can do this is beyond our understanding, but that doesn’t make it untrue. However, a closer look at the logic shows that the problem of evil is not a problem for theists, but it is a problem for atheists. That is the "New Age" position. If you should decide to purchase any of the books I’ve shared, simply click on the image, and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon. God’s Word provides all we need to take the next step in our journey with God. “It’s clear that God wanted Israel’s heart with such a ferocious love that he would go to any length to secure it. We have become much too intolerant of one another lately and it is so heart breaking. Change ). Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. For example, corrupt politicians may be able to convince themselves that they really are doing their best. Thanks for linking. If people are biologically equipped to care about others, why do they so commonly treat each other badly? Habakkuk: Remembering God’s Faithfulness When He Seems Silent by Dannah Gresh uses the breadth of scripture to interpret the prophet’s message and his times in a six-week study that incorporates a deep reading of the text with prayer prompts that encourage meditation on the message. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” It’s a real challenging study. Look among the nations and watch–Be utterly astounded!For I will work a work in your daysWhich you would not believe,though it were told you” (Habakkuk 1:5). New York: Basic Books. The quick answer as to why world conditions are the way they are now is that all people are sinners who have strayed from God's commandments. Most people find children deserving of care, so how does it happen that approximately 1 percent of males are inclined to have sex with children? I love his honest questions, and how it shows that God is still in charge in the midst of the chaos, even though his plans for working things out might not be what we expect. by Living Our Days     Mindfulness by Debbie-Dabble Blog   Kindness by Comfort […], […] Finances for Homemakers by The Farm Wife Why Does Evil Exist in the World? Religions have long worried about the problem of evil, of how there could be so much bad in a world created by a supposedly benign God. Yes, I’ve been eyeing it up on Moody, contemplating if I want to do a review of it. Lewis, writing from the cruel jaws of grief, concluded that his loss was not likely to make him disbelieve in God, but rather, “to believe such dreadful things about him.” In a world that offers pandemics and racial tension and political vitriol as evidence, we must cling to what we know from scripture about God’s goodness and his sovereignty in order to think biblically about the presence of evil alongside the reality of a holy and loving God. But there is a path through this conundrum. If you believe we live a world under divine control, why should evil exist at all?" Just as I have prayed for 27 years for grace to be a good mother, I am now trusting for grace to be a good mother-in-law. He certainly allowed his heart and his response to be shaped by truth. Beautiful views and our first glimpse of an Eastern Towhee. Yes, his faithfulness is a given and we are blessed. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees. The Rwandan genocide. Types of evil and suffering. Blessings! Evil came as a result of the selfishness of man.The Bible says that God is a God of love and He desired to create a person and eventually a race that would love Him. Every time you read the news or watch television, bad behaviour that causes harm is on display. Evil exists… so that a true, genuine, Goodness can exist! This seems reasonable at first, at least on an emotional level. Knowing the chemistry of morality gives us keen insights into why most of us are good most of the time, and why some people like Hans Reiser are evil. Playing. If brains are set up for caring and empathy, why is the world full of child neglect and abuse, battered spouses, rape, murder, corruption, and war? Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Why Does Evil Exist In The World Today? If you’re encouraged by what you read here, be sure to spread the word! There is no freedom without the potential for and Thanks for the reminders! The problem of evil is one that every religion, and every worldview wrestles with. Michele, I often wonder why God chose the Babylonians to inflict his judgment on Isreal, then ultimately promise the destruction of the evil empire. Baron-Cohen, S. (2011). Evil is not a thing; it is instead the absence of a good thing. Great post, Michele! In fact, evil is the default state of humanity. These sorts of people exist, have existed, and will continue to … I am discovering more and more how relevant God’s word is in our current world situation. Since God is holy and omnipotent why do bad things happen? Habakkuk is not a book of the Bible I know very well. Michele, Wow, I love that you can have such a meaty conversation! Empathy deficits can result from stress, fatigue, or alcohol, contributing to the neglect of the needs of others. What does all this mean, and how are we to make sense of a world where evil seems to be sitting in the driver’s seat most of the time? I’m intrigued about the 6 habits, Michele. 5 Min Read. This book sounds like an absolute must-read, Michele, especially in this day and age. The problem of evil is the problem of accounting for evil in a world created by an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God. Set against a backdrop of moral decline and impending exile, Habakkuk opens with a raging question, flung into the silence of God: O LORD, how long shall I cry,And you will not hear?Even cry out to you, ‘Violence!’And you will not save.”. Unchanged and unchanging, he pursues you and me today and he will stop at nothing to get our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection. This suggests that, because evil and suffering clearly exist in the world, either God does not exist or he cannot be omnibenevolent, omnipotent and omniscient. This seems reasonable at first, at least on an emotional level. Yet the Bible paints a picture in which God, in the beginning, created perfect surroundings for the first man and woman to live in. Why is it that the big questions float to the surface unexpectedly? If God is good, evil shouldn’t exist. We don’t always go there for answers. Does Genuine Love Benefit from Moderate Passion? We as Christians have to admit that God has good reasons for allowing evil in this world. 56 thoughts on “Why Does Evil Exist in the World?” Joanne Viola January 10, 2021 7:02 am Reply. ( Log Out /  Normal functioning depends on the operations of biological mechanisms, which are combinations of interconnected parts whose interactions cause regular changes. Environmental stresses such as lack of food, water, and sleep can lead to faulty emotional judgments through limited coherence calculations. Sometimes (always?) More general breakdowns in moral behavior occur in psychopaths, who routinely engage in manipulative, self-serving behaviors with no regard for others. The birth pangs are growing closer together; surely Jesus is coming back soon. This question is analogous to the question of how disease arises. I have been discussing this topic with my 9 year old this week as he has been learning about the story of Pandora’s box #MischiefsAndMemories. The Purpose of Evil The answer is two-fold. Please keep sharing your beautiful messages of hope with us! Some people blame God for that. In a world that offers pandemics, racial tension and political vitriol as evidence, we must cling to truth about God’s goodness and his sovereignty in order to think biblically about the presence of evil alongside the reality of a holy and loving God. Many people it as an “either/or” problem, a contradiction between God’s all-goodness and what we experience in the world. In the opposite way, evil leads to destruction and suffering. Many thinks to Moody Publishing for providing this book to facilitate my review which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty. ( Log Out /  However the Bible makes it plain that God did not create the world in the state in which it is now. Learn how your comment data is processed. Guilty feelings can be resisted by concocting stories about how situations are ambiguous, actions have complex consequences, and other people are worse. The psalms overflow with tears and bristle with question marks while Job hangs onto his faith by a thin thread. Contact Us; 800-55-GRACE [email protected] Account I don't mean that there is a devilish-looking fellow creeping about, ready to spring from under the stairs. Saying that “god’s word is alive and active” is not just a Christianese saying but the truth. Habakkuk: Remembering God’s Faithfulness When He Seems Silent, Popularity, Daily Habits and Blogger's Pit Stop #254 - Ask Dr. Ho, You’re The Star Blog Hop Family’s Love – Decor Craft Design, “You’re the Star” Blog Hop! God’s ways are inscrutable. WHY DOES EVIL EXIST IN THE WORLD? Psychopaths: The Worst People Who Don’t Exist, Nurturing Hyper-Systematizers, Including Autistic People, 6 Obstacles to a Relationship With a Psychopath, The 3 Most Common Preventable Reasons People Divorce. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Throughout the rest of the book, we see the fruits of this evil: murder, fratricide, genocide, rape, incest, adultery, deception, theft, etc. For one thing, God could have made a world with no evil in it. GREAT post, Michele! There was no death before the fall – even in the animal kingdom. - One question that has always tormented many God fearing/God loving, and religious people, from time immemorial is---- why should there be so much evil… Sexual Abuse, 26(2), 149-177. Why Do Suffering and Evil Exist? That’s so good to know, Debi. Religions have long worried about the problem of evil, of how there could be so much bad in a world created by a supposedly benign God. If you decide to buy, I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Michele Morin is a teacher, blogger, reader, and gardener who finds joy in sitting at a table surrounded by women with open Bibles. We have been amazed at how horrific a pandemic can be, greatly altering our lives. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Reviewed by Jessica Schrader. The pursuit of calm can itself become a major stressor, especially if you've already tried the standard prescriptions. 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