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A Good God and a Suffering World

 

            In the world of today, where such evils as terrorism, social conflict, starvation and the continual rise of devastating natural disasters, it appears inconceivable that an ontologically separate, omnipotent, all knowing and all good God can exist. Although theists try to argue this through the Freewill and Teleological defense, both seem heavily flawed and at times contradicting Christianity itself. Transpersonal Solipsism acts as the closest explanation for this co-existence yet it raises doubt over God as an ontologically separate being. Therefore it must be assumed that such a God cannot exist, as the magnitude of unreasonable evil within society and nature is too great. .
             This dilemma has challenged both the religious and atheist population since the dawn of human civilization. It's simply illogical to justify the existence of such a God within our world where evil and suffering is so predominant, especially in relation to the innocent and undeserving. The ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus, suitably explained this predicament over two thousand years ago: 'Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?' (Goodreads, 2011).
             These evils can be broken down into moral evils, natural evils, freak accidents and of course death and the suffering surrounding it. Firstly, moral evils exist through the medium of man and are behind such things as violence, sexual abuse, war, the holocaust, terrorism, murder and pretty much any crime that involves suffering and hatred. Then we have the natural evils, which can be interpreted as being a direct act of God. These are such phenomena's as natural disasters, which have had a strong presence of late along with human disease like cancer, phenomena and numerous other potentially fatal and painful illnesses.


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