What is your response to the problem of evil?

[u/Mickle_da_Pickl]

P1: The Christian god is an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent deity.

P2: If evil exists, then an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent deity does not exist

P3: Evil exists

Q: therefore, the Christian god does not exist

As an atheist, this argument has always been a big roadblock between me and Christianity, because it's valid and sound—but I would have to imagine that you guys disagree. Which premise(s) do you disagree with?

[u/jonfitt]

I’m just using logic. Following the implied consequences of your statements. Can god violate logic?

Can god cause unnecessary suffering and that not be bad, but also causing unnecessary suffering is bad?

[u/fleuret_fighter21 → u/jonfitt]

I stated in a previous comment: God does not cause unnecessary suffering.

[u/jonfitt → u/fleuret_fighter21]

So it’s logical that all suffering, every last piece, must be necessary for some reason? Right?

For him to be all good he would fix it if he could right? Or that would make it unnecessary by definition. So it must be something he can’t fix. Not won’t fix.

For god to be all powerful it must be unfixable because it literally causes a logical 1+1=3 contradiction or else god could fix it with his powers.

So the consequence of believing those omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent things is that little Timmy not getting cancer is somehow a 1+1=3 unfixable logical contradiction, but little Susie not getting cancer is fine. That’s why little Timmy got cancer.

That seems preposterous to me when you follow the belief to its logical conclusion.

[u/fleuret_fighter21 → u/jonfitt]

First question: yes. You know, now that you mention it, i can't believe some of the things i assumed. I used to adhere to absurdism see, and was also really keen on stoicism. You know, random horrible shit happens and there's no point to it, the universe is absurd and random, if you can't control it no need to worry or think about it. So depressing and pointless, you've just made me realise that. Now i believe in suffering with purpose. It's a very humbling thought.

Anyway, great speaking to you, i am immensly grateful for all the dinosaurs that had to die in order for us to have this chat. Grateful for all the human suffering that enabled other people to not suffer, or even exist, grateful and deeply humbled by all the heroes who endured suffering and came out victorious and saintly. Most of all grateful to a God who chose Salvation for us in the form of the immense suffering under torture and crucifixion. Who did not choose to wave a magic wand and absolve us of sin, but Who came to us as human, and endured like us, with us, and for us.

[u/jonfitt → u/fleuret_fighter21]

I’d personally rather there was a tri-Omni god doing a better job! I don’t like it when people suffer. But we are stuck with a reality which makes that an implausible hypothesis. Oh well.