From what I understand the problem of evil is an argument against the existence of God. I believe it says that if God who is suppose to be all loving and caring of all humans then how could He let there be so much evil in the world. Why are bad people aloud to do bad things to people who seem good? Why do natural disasters happen to people that seem good if they are living good lives? This “good” God cannot allow such things to happen if He was fair and just. I conclude that it is just a misunderstanding. The argument seems reasonable from the point of view of a person who does understand. Those who support this argument seem to believe that this “Good” God has to function within the grasp and understanding of their mind and feelings. A common example I use is that of a mother and her 14 year old daughter. This mother knows what the world is like and how dangerous it can be. Now this daughter wants to go to a club on the weekend to go dancing and meet guys. The mother tells the girl no and explains that she is saying no because she loves her and that she knows how dangerous it can be and that her daughter is not ready enough to go to that type of situation. From the daughters perspective throws a fit and complains that her mother does not really love her or she would let her do what see wants and have fun. She tells her that she is just a killjoy and just wants her to be miserable. Of course depending on your perception and assumption, for me, I know the mother was showing love toward her daughter and wanted her to be safe. Now I compare the daughter with those who support the problem with evil argument. I believe that they have the same tendency as the daughter to not see what it is that God is doing. They assume that since bad things may happen to good people that God is not loving or contradictory. And I feel they make these assumptions because they simply do not understand. Just because there is a God who is all knowing and all loving and “good” does not mean that He said life would seem fair. He created a world that is governed by the laws of physics and never said we may never be burned by a volcano or drown in a tidal wave. When someone does not understand the purpose of life or God’s work and glory how could you expect them to understand how everything works? Just like how the daughter may learn some day that her mother really was loving her and caring for her or she may not there are those people out there that one day may learn or may not learn how things work with this all knowing all loving “good” God. They also do not understand evil. Because there is a “perfect good God” they assume there is a “perfect bad devil or evil”. This is not the case. God gives us the ability to choose and do what we want. How loving would this God be if he forced us against our will to do things? But because of how He has designed things he has given us the ability to make our own choices. Sometimes those choices can affect others. Even if they are good people we can hurt them, and that may seem to us unfair. What happens with people is they want what seems to them fair. Someone may stub their toe and say “Alright that hurt but I’m okay”. Another person may have their car breakdown in the middle of nowhere and say “Okay this sucks but I will get out of it”. Another person may lose their job and say “I don’t know what I am going to do now. I have to feed my family but I can get through this”. Then a person may say after losing a child at an early age “Now this I can’t take. That is it. God could never let this happen”. I conclude that people have different levels of being able to take hard things. I have never heard anyone say God does not exist because stubbing their toe hurts and since they were a good person it should not have happened. I believe it is those people, who in their points of view, feel that they are being treated unjustly, that have a problem with God’s existence because they simply do not understand. So there is no problem with evil only some peoples perception of it.
Good and evil are sometimes relative. What seems evil to one person or group may function as good to another. Sometimes things are judged to be evil simply because they are not what is expected, or they seem too scary and unknown. Take for example George W Bush and Osama Bin Laden -- they are either loved or hated. Bush was seen as good by people who shared his fear based thought system. Those who have a compassionate concern for all of mankind often saw him as evil. Bin laden is much the same. He is a villain in much of the western world, but he is somewhat of a celebrated pop star on the Middle East. It all depends on our perspective.
Sometimes by dealing with a perceived evil, good things come out in the end that would not have been possible otherwise. There is no way of knowing if there is a "God" behind the scenes trying to help us all see a bigger picture where everything is working out for the good. You just can't say for certain until it's all over. Of course, by then it will be too late, so all we can do is try to find ways to turn the things we judge as evil into good outcomes, and hope for success.
The conflict between good and evil is an eternal one, taking place on both a world scale between individuals and ideologies and as an inner battle between the good sto live a good life. It is up to one’s own judgment to live that life or not. God is considered all good because he laid out the framework for what is good and what is evil. Humans made the choice to learn evil and their free will is what keeps evil existing in the world. The choice is an individual choice.
The problems associated with good and evil begin with perception. Each individual has a different idea about what is considered good and what is considered evil. When referring to religion generally the thought is that God is good and Hell or the devil is evil. The problem again is each individual perception of good and evil acts. I might say that someone whom commits sins is evil but someone else might say that it depends on the severity of the sin. For example, if someone is an adulterer does that put them on the same level as a child molester? In my eyes both of these acts are sinful but a child molester is a bad or evil person whereas the adulterer has just made a bad choice. I believe that in order for “God” to exist in his perfect goodness that evilness must also exist. Suffering is a product of God to demonstrate our need for faith and spirituality. There must be consequences to bad choices and the fear of evil or the afterlife in hell is what drives humans to commit to their faith. I believe God created evil in order to make us a stronger mankind. There are many trying times and choices each person faces along their life journey and most times the person comes out on top and becomes stronger for enduring the suffering.
To my understanding the problem or issue of good and evil is that one has to exist in order for the other to exist as well. In some odd way good and evil kind of gives the world its balance. Usually good always wins and comes on top and defeats evil. For example many people who are atheist don’t believe in god because they don’t understand how so much evil or bad things are happening in the world and where is the so called god to help mankind and keep them from evils danger and or harm. But for those that do believe in god know that even if there are such evil things roaming the world if they have faith and trust in god they know that they are protected from the snare of the evil that roams. In other words we kind of need evil to be around to prove or show god our faith and trust we have in him and to show man kind that even when there is evil or bad people or things happening out in the world with little hope good will overcome and once again show the defeat of evil.
Good and evil are the basic guidelines we use to navigate through life. As we are raised, we develop skills to recognize good and evil. These skills we use as a survival mechanism. The problem with good and evil is that they are not always black and white. They are merely a personal opinion of what each individual finds to be moral or unmoral. Although good and evil can have different meanings for everyone, people tend to latch on to their own beliefs when hearing the words. For instance, in the theory of absolutism people believe that moral values are absolute. To clarify, this means that if someone causes harm to anyone they are wrong no matter what their justification is. Not everyone would agree with this particular opinion. When we look at the children’s story of Robin Hood, we find a character that robs from the rich and gives to the poor. In this famous story Robin Hood is betrayed as a hero but absolutism wouldn’t agree. In consequentialism they refer to a morality based on a person’s character. If someone does something with good intentions then it is morally right. I have a problem with this. Just because someone thinks they are doing” good” doesn’t necessarily mean they are. There are plenty of crazy people out there that might have good attentions, but when they harm others they are still wrong. The last theory I will talk about, and my personal favorite, is utilitarianism. This theory defines morality as whatever benefits the largest group of people. This is something I believe in. I don’t see how you could be wrong if you’re helping more than you’re hurting. In conclusion, there are many different views of good and evil. I went through three very common views but there are many more. Good and evil is a personal belief therefore indefinable. This is the problem I find of good and evil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative_ethics
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6 comments:
Trent Aldridge
From what I understand the problem of evil is an argument against the existence of God. I believe it says that if God who is suppose to be all loving and caring of all humans then how could He let there be so much evil in the world. Why are bad people aloud to do bad things to people who seem good? Why do natural disasters happen to people that seem good if they are living good lives? This “good” God cannot allow such things to happen if He was fair and just.
I conclude that it is just a misunderstanding. The argument seems reasonable from the point of view of a person who does understand. Those who support this argument seem to believe that this “Good” God has to function within the grasp and understanding of their mind and feelings.
A common example I use is that of a mother and her 14 year old daughter. This mother knows what the world is like and how dangerous it can be. Now this daughter wants to go to a club on the weekend to go dancing and meet guys. The mother tells the girl no and explains that she is saying no because she loves her and that she knows how dangerous it can be and that her daughter is not ready enough to go to that type of situation. From the daughters perspective throws a fit and complains that her mother does not really love her or she would let her do what see wants and have fun. She tells her that she is just a killjoy and just wants her to be miserable. Of course depending on your perception and assumption, for me, I know the mother was showing love toward her daughter and wanted her to be safe.
Now I compare the daughter with those who support the problem with evil argument. I believe that they have the same tendency as the daughter to not see what it is that God is doing. They assume that since bad things may happen to good people that God is not loving or contradictory. And I feel they make these assumptions because they simply do not understand. Just because there is a God who is all knowing and all loving and “good” does not mean that He said life would seem fair. He created a world that is governed by the laws of physics and never said we may never be burned by a volcano or drown in a tidal wave. When someone does not understand the purpose of life or God’s work and glory how could you expect them to understand how everything works? Just like how the daughter may learn some day that her mother really was loving her and caring for her or she may not there are those people out there that one day may learn or may not learn how things work with this all knowing all loving “good” God.
They also do not understand evil. Because there is a “perfect good God” they assume there is a “perfect bad devil or evil”. This is not the case. God gives us the ability to choose and do what we want. How loving would this God be if he forced us against our will to do things? But because of how He has designed things he has given us the ability to make our own choices. Sometimes those choices can affect others. Even if they are good people we can hurt them, and that may seem to us unfair. What happens with people is they want what seems to them fair. Someone may stub their toe and say “Alright that hurt but I’m okay”. Another person may have their car breakdown in the middle of nowhere and say “Okay this sucks but I will get out of it”. Another person may lose their job and say “I don’t know what I am going to do now. I have to feed my family but I can get through this”. Then a person may say after losing a child at an early age “Now this I can’t take. That is it. God could never let this happen”. I conclude that people have different levels of being able to take hard things. I have never heard anyone say God does not exist because stubbing their toe hurts and since they were a good person it should not have happened. I believe it is those people, who in their points of view, feel that they are being treated unjustly, that have a problem with God’s existence because they simply do not understand. So there is no problem with evil only some peoples perception of it.
Yoseline Castillo
PHI-101
Good and evil are sometimes relative. What seems evil to one person or group may function as good to another. Sometimes things are judged to be evil simply because they are not what is expected, or they seem too scary and unknown. Take for example George W Bush and Osama Bin Laden -- they are either loved or hated. Bush was seen as good by people who shared his fear based thought system. Those who have a compassionate concern for all of mankind often saw him as evil. Bin laden is much the same. He is a villain in much of the western world, but he is somewhat of a celebrated pop star on the Middle East. It all depends on our perspective.
Sometimes by dealing with a perceived evil, good things come out in the end that would not have been possible otherwise. There is no way of knowing if there is a "God" behind the scenes trying to help us all see a bigger picture where everything is working out for the good. You just can't say for certain until it's all over. Of course, by then it will be too late, so all we can do is try to find ways to turn the things we judge as evil into good outcomes, and hope for success.
The conflict between good and evil is an eternal one, taking place on both a world scale between individuals and ideologies and as an inner battle between the good sto live a good life. It is up to one’s own judgment to live that life or not. God is considered all good because he laid out the framework for what is good and what is evil. Humans made the choice to learn evil and their free will is what keeps evil existing in the world. The choice is an individual choice.
Tareney Frank
PHI-101
The problems associated with good and evil begin with perception. Each individual has a different idea about what is considered good and what is considered evil. When referring to religion generally the thought is that God is good and Hell or the devil is evil. The problem again is each individual perception of good and evil acts. I might say that someone whom commits sins is evil but someone else might say that it depends on the severity of the sin. For example, if someone is an adulterer does that put them on the same level as a child molester? In my eyes both of these acts are sinful but a child molester is a bad or evil person whereas the adulterer has just made a bad choice. I believe that in order for “God” to exist in his perfect goodness that evilness must also exist. Suffering is a product of God to demonstrate our need for faith and spirituality. There must be consequences to bad choices and the fear of evil or the afterlife in hell is what drives humans to commit to their faith. I believe God created evil in order to make us a stronger mankind. There are many trying times and choices each person faces along their life journey and most times the person comes out on top and becomes stronger for enduring the suffering.
nathalie
To my understanding the problem or issue of good and evil is that one has to exist in order for the other to exist as well. In some odd way good and evil kind of gives the world its balance. Usually good always wins and comes on top and defeats evil. For example many people who are atheist don’t believe in god because they don’t understand how so much evil or bad things are happening in the world and where is the so called god to help mankind and keep them from evils danger and or harm. But for those that do believe in god know that even if there are such evil things roaming the world if they have faith and trust in god they know that they are protected from the snare of the evil that roams. In other words we kind of need evil to be around to prove or show god our faith and trust we have in him and to show man kind that even when there is evil or bad people or things happening out in the world with little hope good will overcome and once again show the defeat of evil.
Joel
Good and evil are the basic guidelines we use to navigate through life. As we are raised, we develop skills to recognize good and evil. These skills we use as a survival mechanism. The problem with good and evil is that they are not always black and white. They are merely a personal opinion of what each individual finds to be moral or unmoral.
Although good and evil can have different meanings for everyone, people tend to latch on to their own beliefs when hearing the words. For instance, in the theory of absolutism people believe that moral values are absolute. To clarify, this means that if someone causes harm to anyone they are wrong no matter what their justification is. Not everyone would agree with this particular opinion. When we look at the children’s story of Robin Hood, we find a character that robs from the rich and gives to the poor. In this famous story Robin Hood is betrayed as a hero but absolutism wouldn’t agree.
In consequentialism they refer to a morality based on a person’s character. If someone does something with good intentions then it is morally right. I have a problem with this. Just because someone thinks they are doing” good” doesn’t necessarily mean they are. There are plenty of crazy people out there that might have good attentions, but when they harm others they are still wrong.
The last theory I will talk about, and my personal favorite, is utilitarianism. This theory defines morality as whatever benefits the largest group of people. This is something I believe in. I don’t see how you could be wrong if you’re helping more than you’re hurting.
In conclusion, there are many different views of good and evil. I went through three very common views but there are many more. Good and evil is a personal belief therefore indefinable. This is the problem I find of good and evil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative_ethics
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