HowDoes Evil Present a Challenge to Religious Faith? (20)

Many would say that there is evil in the world and can take different forms. There is moral evil, which stems from human nature and the working of their minds, this could include terrorism which causes death to innocent men, women and children. This is a common form of evil and everyone has experienced some malice to them, which they would consider an evil act. How can man, the pinnacle of Gods creation fall so much from grace and inflict so much harm on his fellow man. Why did God create men capable of such evil potential such as Hitler or Bin Laden?

There is natural evil, which comes from the suffering natural hazards bring for example forest fires, volcanoes and earthquake. When Mount Versuvius erupted, it obliterated the whole of Pompeii with many of it inhabitants painfully suffocated by ash, there only sin was to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and losing their life as a result. It implies a fault in the design of the world, why would God create a world that had such dangers to mankind and caused so much death and destruction if he is all – powerful he would have created the world so this wouldn’t happen. Also if he was all – loving he would have seen the fault in his design and changed it so to spare human life which He cares so much about.

Finally there is metaphysical evil which involves issues which are not of this world such as the incompleteness and imperfections of creation. Why would an all-powerful God include this in his creation?

In conclusion, it appears that the world is full of imperfections that are considered evil within the limits of human understanding. Many would say that the God of classical theism is incompatible with the state the world is in and that the philosophy of God’s nature or even his very existence needs revising. Other philosophers use a range of explanations that keep in the boundaries of an all-loving, powerful and knowing God and still explain the existence of evil. Many people after an evil act has been bestowed upon them turn away from a so-called God that loves them. Atheism is fast becoming a dominant viewpoint in Western societies such as Britain. This takes the idea of evil out the question as ‘things just happen’ with no purpose or divine end. On the other hand Islam is growing support at a staggering level and the fundamentalist Christians are prominent in many areas of America. They clearly see evil as a problem that does not test their faith to the extent of doubt so to many the problem has been answered acceptably by philosophers throughout the ages.