The Bible describes God as holy (Isaiah 6:3), righteous (Psalm 7:11), just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and sovereign (Daniel 4:17-25). These attributes tell us the following about God: (1) God is capable of preventing evil, and (2) God desires to rid the universe of evil. So, if both of these are true, why does God allow evil? If God has the power to prevent evil, and desires to prevent evil, why does He not prevent evil? Perhaps a good way to look at this issue would be to consider some alternative situations for how people might have God run the world:

1) God could change everyone’s personality so that they cannot sin. This would also mean that we would not have a free will. We would not be able to choose right or wrong because we would be “programmed” to only do right. Had God chosen to do this, there would be no meaningful relationships between Him and His creation.

Instead, God made Adam and Eve innocent but with the ability to choose good or evil. In doing so, they could respond to His love and trust Him or choose to do their own thing. They chose to do their own thing. Because we live in a real world where we can choose our actions but not their consequences, their sin affected those who came after them (us). Similarly, our decisions to sin have an impact on us, and those around us.

2) Another choice would have God compensating for people’s evil actions through supernatural intervention 100% of the time. For instance, if a drunk driver causes an automobile accident, God would have to keep him and the people in the other automobile from getting harmed, for there would be many people who could possibly be caused to suffer from the accident or the death / injury of those involved in the accident. God would have to keep the drunk driver from crashing into power lines, buildings, etc. because these things would cause innocent people to suffer.

Another instance might involve a lazy person plumbing a house, and he doesn’t bother to check the plumbing for leaks before the house is finished. God would have to make the plumbing not leak because otherwise the home buyers would have to suffer for the lazy person’s sin.

If a father gets addicted to drugs and spends all of his money on drugs, God would somehow have to miraculously provide both the food and the social needs of the children so that they would not have to be adversely affected by the evil of the parent.

In such a world, God would be like a bad parent who enables a wayward child’s destructive behavior. There would be no consequences for one’s actions, and as a result no one would learn integrity, purity, honor, responsibility, or self-control. There would be no “good consequences” for right behavior, no “bad consequences” for wrong behavior. What would people become except more deviant and sinful?

3) Another choice would be for God to judge and remove those who choose to commit evil acts. The problem with this possibility is that there would be no one left, for God would have to remove us all. We all sin and commit evil acts (Romans 3:23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8 ). While some people are more evil than others, where would God draw the line? Ultimately, all evil causes harm to others.

Instead of these or other options, God has chosen to create a “real” world in which real choices have real consequences. In this real world of ours, our actions affect others. Because of Adam’s choice to sin, the world now lives under the curse, and we are all born with a sin nature (Romans 5:12). There will one day come a time when God will judge the sin in this world and make all things new, but He is purposely “delaying” in order to allow more time for people to repent so that He will not need to judge them (2 Peter 3:9). Until then He IS concerned about evil. When He created the Old Testament Laws, He established laws that discourage and punish evil. He judged nations and kings who disregard justice and pursue evil. Likewise in the New Testament, God states that it is the government’s responsibility to provide justice in order to protect the innocent from evil (Romans 13). He also promises severe consequences for those who commit evil acts, especially on the "innocent" (Mark 9:36-42).

In summary, we live in a real world where our good and evil actions have direct consequences and indirect consequences upon us and those around us. God’s desire is that for all of our sakes we would obey Him that it might be well with us (Deuteronomy 5:29). Instead, what happens is that we choose our own way and then we blame God for not doing anything about it. Such is the heart of sinful man. But Jesus came to change men’s hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. So He is able to do for those who will turn from evil and call on Jesus to save them from their sin and its consequences (2 Corinthians 5:17).


God does prevent and restrain some acts of evil. This world would be MUCH WORSE were not God restraining evil. At the same time, God has given us the ability to choose good and evil, and when we choose evil, He allows us, and those around us, to suffer the consequences of evil. Rather than blaming God and questioning God for why He does not prevent all evil - we should be about the business of proclaiming the cure for evil and its consequences - Jesus Christ!

frosbel:

The Bible describes God as holy (Isaiah 6:3), righteous (Psalm 7:11), just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and sovereign (Daniel 4:17-25). These attributes tell us the following about God: (1) God is capable of preventing evil, and (2) God desires to rid the universe of evil. So, if both of these are true, why does God allow evil? If God has the power to prevent evil, and desires to prevent evil, why does He not prevent evil? Perhaps a good way to look at this issue would be to consider some alternative situations for how people might have God run the world:

1) God could change everyone’s personality so that they cannot sin. This would also mean that we would not have a free will. We would not be able to choose right or wrong because we would be “programmed” to only do right. Had God chosen to do this, there would be no meaningful relationships between Him and His creation.

Instead, God made Adam and Eve innocent but with the ability to choose good or evil. In doing so, they could respond to His love and trust Him or choose to do their own thing. They chose to do their own thing. Because we live in a real world where we can choose our actions but not their consequences, their sin affected those who came after them (us). Similarly, our decisions to sin have an impact on us, and those around us.

2) Another choice would have God compensating for people’s evil actions through supernatural intervention 100% of the time. For instance, if a drunk driver causes an automobile accident, God would have to keep him and the people in the other automobile from getting harmed, for there would be many people who could possibly be caused to suffer from the accident or the death / injury of those involved in the accident. God would have to keep the drunk driver from crashing into power lines, buildings, etc. because these things would cause innocent people to suffer.

Another instance might involve a lazy person plumbing a house, and he doesn’t bother to check the plumbing for leaks before the house is finished. God would have to make the plumbing not leak because otherwise the home buyers would have to suffer for the lazy person’s sin.

If a father gets addicted to drugs and spends all of his money on drugs, God would somehow have to miraculously provide both the food and the social needs of the children so that they would not have to be adversely affected by the evil of the parent.

In such a world, God would be like a bad parent who enables a wayward child’s destructive behavior. There would be no consequences for one’s actions, and as a result no one would learn integrity, purity, honor, responsibility, or self-control. There would be no “good consequences” for right behavior, no “bad consequences” for wrong behavior. What would people become except more deviant and sinful?

3) Another choice would be for God to judge and remove those who choose to commit evil acts. The problem with this possibility is that there would be no one left, for God would have to remove us all. We all sin and commit evil acts (Romans 3:23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8 ). While some people are more evil than others, where would God draw the line? Ultimately, all evil causes harm to others.

Instead of these or other options, God has chosen to create a “real” world in which real choices have real consequences. In this real world of ours, our actions affect others. Because of Adam’s choice to sin, the world now lives under the curse, and we are all born with a sin nature (Romans 5:12). There will one day come a time when God will judge the sin in this world and make all things new, but He is purposely “delaying” in order to allow more time for people to repent so that He will not need to judge them (2 Peter 3:9). Until then He IS concerned about evil. When He created the Old Testament Laws, He established laws that discourage and punish evil. He judged nations and kings who disregard justice and pursue evil. Likewise in the New Testament, God states that it is the government’s responsibility to provide justice in order to protect the innocent from evil (Romans 13). He also promises severe consequences for those who commit evil acts, especially on the "innocent" (Mark 9:36-42).

In summary, we live in a real world where our good and evil actions have direct consequences and indirect consequences upon us and those around us. God’s desire is that for all of our sakes we would obey Him that it might be well with us (Deuteronomy 5:29). Instead, what happens is that we choose our own way and then we blame God for not doing anything about it. Such is the heart of sinful man. But Jesus came to change men’s hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. So He is able to do for those who will turn from evil and call on Jesus to save them from their sin and its consequences (2 Corinthians 5:17).


God does prevent and restrain some acts of evil. This world would be MUCH WORSE were not God restraining evil. At the same time, God has given us the ability to choose good and evil, and when we choose evil, He allows us, and those around us, to suffer the consequences of evil. Rather than blaming God and questioning God for why He does not prevent all evil - we should be about the business of proclaiming the cure for evil and its consequences - Jesus Christ!

How about the God that allows children die of malaria, malnutrition and cancer? A God that allows children go blind from worm infections?
Maybe he allows evil because he is powerless about it, he isn't there or he actually likes evil.

^^

Or how about a God that actually does or encourages evil himself. . .Like Yahweh who happens to be the God the OP is selling. . . .

god allow evil because there is nothing he can do about it because basically he himself dont exist. but accordin to the bible god himself created evil / devil/ satan , so he is the origin of evil according to those beliefs

You have to ask yourself a crucial question.

Why do you hate GOD so much , and the answer is quite simple, because you LOVE your sins.

"And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil." - John 3 :19

frosbel:

You have to ask yourself a crucial question.

Why do you hate GOD so much , and the answer is quite simple, because you LOVE your sins.

"And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil." - John 3 :19

Maybe they don't hate God but hate the character that you call God.

And what is the character that is called GOD that you hate !!

frosbel:

And what is the character that is called GOD that you hate !!

I personally don't hate him, I simply don't care for him. Though the character is the one described in the Bible.

^^

You must have a grudge with GOD , something may have happened that initiated this doubt in your mind. Perhaps, the loss of something greatly valued, or certain goals not been met or even continuous disappointments.

While GOD is a loving GOD, remember he only listens to those who are humble enough to seek him with a child like heart and empty their hearts to him in faith and trust.

The proud and arrogant for one thing will never know GOD.

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them." - Malachi 4:1

[size=13pt]<sup>I liked this thread already ^^  

This is really going to take us so far until  we realize the purpose of this topic message ( Why did God Allow Evil ? )  , glad this thread is so straight and not SATAN this time around . God allowed evil and not Satan  , Devil or his demons ~  honestly speaking God is the root of all evil and i see no reason people should be blaming the innocent Satan. You see ? each week is a week of tragedy. There are wars, there is ethnic violence, there is state-sponsored persecution or a natural disaster. There is hatred and jealousy, murders and war — pain and sorrow — every week.

But some weeks it strikes closer to home. A war seems more real to us when people in our own nation are involved, when we see pictures of people who are killed or homeless. An earthquake in one nation, a tsunami in another, a hurricane in a third.

Whether it is New Guinea or New Orleans, Burundi or Biloxi   , it all seems so senseless, so stupid, so ineffective. Even people with no moral foundation at all can see that this sort of thing is wrong. It is wrong for innocent people to suffer and die. It is evil and GOD is responsible for all these not SATAN the innocent one or his demons.

How do u as Christians respond to the problem of evil that your God have give chance to exist in the World ?

With sorrow. With sadness. With revulsion. With perplexity. With questions that have no answers.

Why does God allow such things? Why does he allow innocent people to endure such pain and suffering? Couldn't things have worked out in a less tragic way. . . huh</sup>    
[/size]

frosbel:

^^

You must have a grudge with GOD , something may have happened that initiated this doubt in your mind. Perhaps, the loss of something greatly valued, or certain goals not been met or even continuous disappointments.

Wow. You must be very powerful and God must be on your side because when I say I bear no grudge, you simply impose one on me. Now it seems I'm bearing a grudge. Thanks.

frosbel:

While GOD is a loving GOD, remember he only listens to those who are humble enough to seek him with a child like heart and empty their hearts to him in faith and trust.

Are you using "loving" in the conventional sense? Because a loving person doesn't order genocide, condone slavery and deliberately take away people's free will in order to punish them.

frosbel:

The proud and arrogant for one thing will never know GOD.

Do you consider yourself proud and arrogant? I ask because saying a full and proper God came and died just for you sounds incredibly arrogant. I mean, we don't see Zeus or Odin going about dying for people now do we?

frosbel:

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them." - Malachi 4:1

Just be careful that you're not burnt with fire with the rest of the arrogant people. I wonder what sort of love this is.
This line sounds like saying "I am a loving God if you don't love me I will torture you foreverrrrrr ha ha ha". 

God created evil, but not for you to use. It's like blaming the inventor of a car because of car accidents. The point being that the purpose of inventing was not the car accidents. Or you'd go blaming your parents for using a kitchen after you set the building on fire, and burnt it down in your kitchen escapades.

Funny how the OP (and many others like him) seem to know God so much that they are able to tell exactly WHY God allows evil.  Yet, in the not-so-distant future, when asked to elucidate the nature of this God, they will come here and tell us that God is incomprehensible.

On God and the problem of evil, I share Epicurus's sentiments -

                "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?"

^
God is both willing and able to prevent evil. But there are protocols and rules to follow. You don't do everything you're able to do, or willing to do.

Image123:

God created evil, but not for you to use. It's like blaming the inventor of a car because of car accidents. The point being that the purpose of inventing was not the car accidents. Or you'd go blaming your parents for using a kitchen after you set the building on fire, and burnt it down in your kitchen escapades.

No it isn't. Cars are not conscious entities, kitchens are not conscious entities but humans are conscious entities.
Also, consider that this was the same God that created hurricanes, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and the malaria parasite. I'm very sure humans had nothing to do with those. And note that the purpose of the malaria parasite is to reproduce as much as it can in the human red blood cell and in some cases, kill the person often children.
Now why would a supposedly loving, conscious and rational creator do these to humans that he loves above all of his creatures?

^?
i was comparing cars to evil, not to humans. And you're already on another paragraph with the 'malaria'. Sickness and pain came as a result of sin.

Image123:

^?
i was comparing cars to evil, not to humans. And you're already on another paragraph with the 'malaria'. Sickness and pain came as a result of sin.

Oh? What did he create evil for? Cars are made to be driven. People being killed with it is not its purpose. What is the purpose of this evil created by God?
God created evil but not sickness and pain?

@claremont
Dunno what you're deducing from your hypothesis. But i know though is that in the real life, there were NO inherit cracks in the pot moulded by Potter. The cracks came in after.

@homer
Well we def know that man's involvement in evil was not His purpose. Even Eden's fellowship was clear on that. And stop saying what i've not said, i recall that as your pastime. Sickness came after evil, i didn't say God did or didn't create it.

@Image 123

God is both willing and able to prevent evil. But there are[b] protocols and rules to follow.[/b] You don't do everything you're able to do, or willing to do

So who created the RULES

Who created you?

Image123:

@homer
Well we def know that man's involvement in evil was not His purpose. Even Eden's fellowship was clear on that. And stop saying what i've not said, i recall that as your pastime. Sickness came after evil, i didn't say God did or didn't create it.

So God created evil but not sickness? Why don't you try being consistent and realizing the implications of your statements?
There are two characters here, man and God and sickness that was created appears. If man did not create sickness, then who did? And note that some sickness is caused by creations like the malaria parasite. According to your Bible, where could such an organism have come from?

Good question "Why dose god allow evil?" And why is corruption religious violence death etc evil a hundred times worse in our very religious country than it is in a none religious country like Denmark where they don't even believe in god. I wonder why?  

thehomer:

So God created evil but not sickness? Why don't you try being consistent and realizing the implications of your statements?
There are two characters here, man and God and sickness that was created appears. If man did not create sickness, then who did? And note that some sickness is caused by creations like the malaria parasite. According to your Bible, where could such an organism have come from?

i'm convinced you can read and write. Kindly quote where i said that God created sickness, or that God did not create sickness. therailing is ya forte now.

Image123:

God created evil, but not for you to use. It's like blaming the inventor of a car because of car accidents. The point being that the purpose of inventing was not the car accidents. Or you'd go blaming your parents for using a kitchen after you set the building on fire, and burnt it down in your kitchen escapades.

So your \god created all the natural evils like diseases, natural disasters, droughts etc. . . .Human's don't use them but they are always attacking humans, no?. . .So your God created disease that affect humans?. . . .You can't have it both ways. . . .Evil as nothing to do with any God, but the way you go about shooting yourselves with some baseless and convoluted hypothesis is mind boggling. . .

juventino:

@Image 123So who created the RULES

You mean God created rules for himself?

Very interesting

mazaje:

So your \god created all the natural evils like diseases, natural disasters, droughts etc. . . .Human's don't use them but they are always attacking humans, no?. . .So your God created disease that affect humans?. . . .You can't have it both ways. . . .Evil as nothing to do with any God, but the way you go about shooting yourselves with some baseless and convoluted hypothesis is mind boggling. . .

No be only mind boggling, it'll soon be mind burgling. You're leaping ahead of what i said, just stay with what i said ehn. I didn't say God created all the natural evils and bla bla. i said GOD CREATED EVIL.
Compare the context of 'we' saying God created earth. It doesn't completely translate that God made your car, plate, website, phone though in a sense all the materials were made by God.

juventino:

You mean God created rules for himself?

Very interesting

Are you saying that God created you?
Very interesting!

Image123:

No be only mind boggling, it'll soon be mind burgling. You're leaping ahead of what i said, just stay with what i said ehn. I didn't say God created all the natural evils and bla bla. i said GOD CREATED EVIL.
Compare the context of 'we' saying God created earth. It doesn't completely translate that God made your car, plate, website, phone though in a sense all the materials were made by God.

Who created natural evil. . .?

^
What is natural evil?

Image123:

i'm convinced you can read and write. Kindly quote where i said that God created sickness, or that God did not create sickness. therailing is ya forte now.

This is getting embarrassing. Do you not consider cancer or malaria as being some form of evil? Do you not realize that sickness is a subset of evil? If God created evil, then he created things that are considered as being evil.
I really hope you understand what you're talking about when you talk about evil or you could tell us what it is that you consider as evil.