Free Essay Sample on the Problem of Evil

The existence of God with reference to the problem of evil provides one with arguments that support as well as refute the said existence; however, the consistent reference is to the existence of a God depending on the ideologies used. The reconciliation of evil in the same realm as the existence of God has baffled many. However, philosophers such as St. Augustine, Aquinas, and Hamza have provided analogies and perceptions that have irrefutably supported the existence of God. This is despite the consistent lack of support from left wing philosophers who have provided arguments that seemingly contradicts the arguments raised for the existence of God. The Bible and the Quran will also provide a different perspective regarding the problem of evil and thus the resulting arguments either supporting the existence or non existence of God. The problem of evil provides a new perspective regarding the knowledge and belief held regarding the existence of God, addressing this issues based on arguments addressed by different philosophers will help in determining that God truly exists.

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The quality of omnibenevolence is highly stressed throughout the Quran. This is to say that God is all powerful and has no way of having any evil emanate from him (Ganeri 547). According to the Quran, the presence of evil in the world cannot be ignored nor can it be refuted, however, the core argument is that the evil in the world emanates from Gods creation and not from God himself. This goes to prove that in fact God exists. The problem of Evil is proof that God does exist. This deduction comes from the fact that according to the Quran, the Evil is an indirect creation of God (Ganeri 965). The evil emanating from Gods creation wishing to go on its own way is a direct revolt against Gods ways. Therefore, there can be no Evil without God. The reverse is also true. However, the Quran exonerates God from the negative results emanating from the resultant evil.

The bible on the other hand provides references on evil on several instances. However, the bible states that Evil is on the opposition of God. Therefore, the problem of Evil according to the bible is low in existence. There is coexistence between the two, though the existence between the two is one of opposition. The presence of Evil has been accepted as being a reality by the bible, and therefore has inferred the Existence of God (Aitken 567). The evidence of the problem of Evils is not as rampant in the Bible as it is in the Quran. The possibility of God diminishing in power as a result in the interruption by the Evil around God has resulted in a diminishing argument against the existence of God (Aitken 300). In effect, this has resulted in the acceptance and thus proof of the existence of God. The existence of God and his powers is therefore enhanced by the expounding of the problem of evil in the Bible.

Several philosophers have contributed towards content used in the argument of the existence of God in the context of the problem of evil. One such philosopher is St Thomas Aquinas. According to Aquinas, the presence of Evil in the world is problem for all those who believe in God (McCabe et al. 231). This is because the existence of the two in one realm introduces several complexities. While God is considered all-good, the existence of Evil is found to tarnish the power attributed by the believers to their God. However, on thin that Aquinas comes to accept is that both need each other to exist in this world. Therefore, the problem of evil inadvertently clears the way for the acceptance of the existence of God. The result of this argument is that the individual that believes in an all-good God may have trouble having to accept that Evil occupies space in the world (McCabe et al. 221). However, this individual will also accept that the presence of God in the universe serves to combat that very Evil.

St Augustine, through argument revolving around the aesthetic conception of evil, argues that there really is no evil in the world (Augustine and Sheed 98). According to this form of argument, the problem of Evil is completely nonexistent as all evil is good depending on the context as well as perception. The argument pushes for the ideology that the evil committed in the world will lead to a bigger good. Therefore, any action ad/or event that is occurring around the world has been implemented such that the result will be a bigger form of God. With the removal of the problem of Evil based on this argument, it is clear to see that God does exist (Augustine and Sheed 109). The existence of God is proven by the clear nonexistence of evil, and thus agreeing with the notion that God is all powerful and all good. This goes to show that God does not have any form of opposition as all events serve to provide the results favoring the good.

The concept of denying God within the confines of the problem of evil is a forte that Hamza Andreas has chosen to discuss and analyze on a deeper level that the previous philosophers. According to Hamza, the denial of the existence of God is the acceptance of Evil as being an integral part of life (Teehan 325). Hamza is a proponent of the ideology that there need not be any proof for the existence of God. To him, the mere fact that we survive every form of evil that tries to erode the comfort and lives of each individual on earth is proof enough. According to Hamza, the fact that the world has not been wiped out by the existence of evil is proof that God is providing those who believe in him with the necessary protection (Teehan 330). This argument is different from the other arguments in that it uses the presence of evil as a means for determining and accepting the existence of God.

The problem of evil has a way of delimiting the powers of God. This is also an argument that would normally reduce the tendency of one to believe the presence of God in a given instance or location (Thang 32). For instance, an individual who considers themselves polytheist would have the ideology that God would lack in one of the key powers of omnipresent as well as omniscient. The retraction of such power from God would require that God exist in the first place. While this may seem to be a crude way of introducing and arguing the existence of God, it provides an insight to the various perceptions that one may form with regards to the arguments that may be raised to counter the existence of God (Thang 39). In this case, both God and Evils are seen as two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. However, the power of God is generally accepted as being superior in comparison to the rest.

The philosopher peter Kreeft was fond of providing explanations that were inconsistent with those of his peers. Kreeeft points out that the problem of evil can b eradicated when one can accept that the presence of evil can be used by God in the provision of better results. For instance, it is argued that the presence of pain can be a path towards righteousness and thus one being closer to God. Kreeft uses the crucifixion of Jesus as the analogy that provides an understanding of the importance of Evil in the society. However, Kreeft has also indirectly resulted in the provision of proof that God does exists. Kreeft has also discredited the being of an Evil that would result in the problem of Evil. In place of this evil is a power that is meant to provide the people with leadership through the dark times, this power is God.

One of the many philosophers who were first to denounce the omnipotence and thus the all goodness of God was Gottfried. According to him, all the suffering that he went through in his life was unwarranted. This was as a result of the lack of benevolence exacted towards him by his peers and fellows. The calling of the problems that one faces by the society as being theodicic can clearly depict an individual who had a negative perception of the perception that God could be omnipresencent or all powerful (Macdonald & Paul 607). However, one point to note is that the philosopher had indirectly accepted the existence of God by not accepting that God would have such powers. For God not to have the privilege of having the said powers, he would have to be in existence in the first place. This has allowed many of those who doubted the existence of God to have a reliable reference point.

The problem of Evil can also be used to discredit the possibility of God existing. For instance, the identification of karma by different religions and societies around the world has been used to discredit the presence of evil in the world. According to this argument, there is minimal presence of evil in the world because all the suffering that human beings suffer today is as a result of the action they have instigated in the world (Dumsday 315). In effect, the ideology of karma has served to eradicate the possibility of there being any form of evil in the world. The result of this argument is the absence of a God in the society. This is because this ideology thrive o the idea that everyone can control the results and experience in their lives. The eventual realization of the fact that the absence of evil may mean the absence of God is the reasoning behind the introduction of the deities used by the communities that are vehement regarding the belief of karma.

Philosophers have also provided the fact that there is an evidential problem with regards to the proving of Gods existence, and thus are more likely to decline the argument that God exists. Such an argument has been raised by the use of analogies that go to show that the existence of evil in the first place is also dependent on the situation as well as the events in question. For instance, the event of a forest fire that has been started by a lighting strike on an old tree is purely coincidental (Thang 35). No one has started the fire based on their skewed ideologies. However, the trapping of an animal I one of the bushes will result in the animal burning and dying a death of pain. Therefore, it is essential to identify the situation as being purely coincidental and lacking the presence of evil. The lack of evidence supporting the presence of evil in this situation leads to the inference of the non existence of God too.

The existence of God can be difficult to point out in the context of the problem of evil. This is because the problem of evil puts up n ideology that God and Evil cannot exist in one place. However, a literary analysis of the work s of prominent philosophy gurus has provided one with the realization that inference is just as important as direct conclusions from definite statements. The different arguments against the coexistence between God and evil have inadvertently helped in the acceptance of the existence of God. This conclusion has been drawn on several instances after it was determined that god is the opposite of the situation being discussed. Therefore, an acknowledging the presence of evil is also an acceptance of the existence of God in the first place.

Works Cited

Ganeri, Anita. The Quran. London: Evans, 2002. Print.

Aitken, Robert. The Holy Bible. New York: Arno Press, 1968. Print.

McCabe, Herbert, Brian Davies, and Terry Eagleton. God and Evil in the Theology of St Thomas Aquinas. London: Continuum, 2010. Print.

Augustine and F J. Sheed. The Confessions of St. Augustine: Books I-X. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1942. Print.

Teehan, John. "The Cognitive Bases Of The Problem Of Evil." Monist 96.3 (2013): 325-348. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Thang Moe, David. "Sin And Evil In Christian And Buddhist Perspectives: A Quest For Theodicy." Asia Journal Of Theology 29.1 (2015): 22-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Macdonald Jr., Paul A. "Hell, The Problem Of Evil, And The Perfe...