In the course introduction, we reviewed ground rules. Remember to apply these rules as you engage in the following discussion. This discussion is not the place to offer a justification of your religious belief as opposed to anyone else’s religious belief (or lack thereof). It IS the place to think about the reasons you believe what you do about God’s existence and one of the major intellectual objections to belief in God, the problem of evil.
While we might explain moral evil as the result of human actions, suffering caused by natural forces presents a different type of problem. There are diseases and events in the natural world that make some people wonder why the world needs to be the way it is. Why is the world constructed in such a way that disease, natural disasters, and even the need to kill other animals is necessary for survival? Why would a good creator who loves his creation make disease and death necessary? That type of consideration is the real source of the force of the argument from evil.
First: In this discussion, tell us why you are—or are not—persuaded by the argument from evil. Do you think it makes any difference to your beliefs about whether God exists? Do not try to answer the problem of evil, but do share your thoughts about whether it is a significant issue for you when you think about God’s existence.
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Second:
For your response posts, remember that strong critical thinking is essential in responding to other students. This means that you should be finding things that support or extend your classmates’ thoughts or that you take critical issue with in their arguments and positions. When possible, providing alternatives to another person’s arguments or positions is part of the task of a critical thinker.
#1
Christopher McClung-
Hey Class,
This discussion definitely comes with some deep thought. While I do believe that God exists, the occurrences of death, disease, and disasters don’t really change my viewpoint. I have always thought of the concept of natural disasters and disease as a neutral occurrence. Humans have a tendency to relate everything happening naturally in the world to themselves; we are self-important. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when things such as disease or natural disasters happen, we tend to think why did this have to happen to me? Why would God let such a thing happen? In reality, these things have to happen. Just as we have to self-sustain as humans, so must the Earth change and adapt to its own environment. This is less a question of God’s allowance of natural evils to happen, and more of a realization that our individual lives in relation to the entirety of all life is almost inconsequential. Though at the same time, that’s what makes life special.; because it only happens once, and it can go so fast. But death, disease, and disaster must not be taken personally. Because it is just as much a part of life, it’s just Nature’s life. These happenings have happened long before us humans and will happen long after we die.
#2
Quinnisha Barbour
Happy 6th week!
For me, a spiritual being, I believe that a creator exists. I think it would make a massive difference to my beliefs if God didn’t exist. However, when I say God exists, I’m personally not thinking of the Judeo-Christian God, strictly due to my spiritual beliefs. As a spiritual being, I do question the evils of the world. More so, the natural things that happen such as natural disasters and disease. Some diseases are simply caused by the lack of care and attention we give to our bodies. However, some we are born with, some happen due to our environment, some due to lack of access to certain resources, and the list goes on. Regardless, there are diseases that overtake our bodies that we had no parts in. A thought of mine is the cliché saying “everything happens for a reason.” I truly feel that some things can’t be explained because they are bigger than us. The reasoning is more than we can fathom. Perhaps this all-knowing creator wants to teach a lesson to a particular person or the people around them and this is the only way. There are many reasons but maybe some will be left unknown, working their magic in the background. Some things we just will truly never know or may not see the effects of in our lifetime. These are the mysteries of the world and while I wouldn’t necessarily deem them evil I do understand why people do so.
It’s hard to believe that a being that is supposed to care for us would let certain things happen but who’s to say whatever occurred wasn’t placed in our pathways for a much greater reason? A reason that we, as humans, just simply won’t understand is because of our limited mindset. What I DON’T understand is the evils that come with people causing harm to others. Then again, this could be a part of their upbringing, what they’ve learned, their environment, the influence of TV, movies, and video games, etc. Of course, not to say that ANY of this is right. I truly believe that even the way we perceive these things depends on the knowledge we hold and what we were taught at a young age. So many factors can stem from the question of why evil exists; perhaps we will never know the answer.
