Thesis: Evil demonstrates the presence of a
benevolent God.
Author: Anne Zagursky
Date: 01 April 2008
Key Words: God, evil, good, suffering, benevolence, atheists, choice, opposites
I. Introduction
A mother loses her
son in a drive-by shooting. A senseless
act of evil brought forth pain in this woman’s life. Why must she suffer because of the evil
choice someone else made? The topic of
evil has baffled and confused people for thousands of years. Philosophers and religious thinkers such as
It is impossible
to fully understand what that means without an understanding of what evil is as
well as what benevolence is. Evil, in
its broadest sense, is that which seems to oppose God. The notion of evil seems to be tied to the
notion of God. Even those who do not
believe in a higher being have a concept of good and evil. Often this seems problematic to the
non-believing person since there is no rational explanation for their notion of
good. Therefore, this definition is not
satisfactory for those who do not believe in God, or perhaps believe that God
is himself evil or creates evil. Because
there is no theological polarity, an atheist sees evil as that which creates
suffering. Evil is harm done to another
person or oneself on purpose or accidentally. The action may not have intended
to harm or cause pain, but the pain is a form of evil. Not all suffering is evil but merely a
natural part of the human condition. On the other hand, benevolence is complete
love in all circumstances and a desire to do good. To say that God’s compassion and love can be
seen through evil seems contradictory as well as impossible, yet that is
precisely what occurs. Humans cannot
fully see God’s love until they have seen the world’s hate.
II. Good and Evil as Opposites
In order to fully understand how God is seen through evil, people must understand how humans perceive good and evil. Good is only known through evil. Although people may argue that good cannot be seen through evil, this seems to be how humans perceive the world. Evil things occur so that humans can see the contrast and more fully appreciate the good. If everything was good, there would be no understanding of good. Also, there would be no understanding of evil. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, they did not conceive of what it meant to die or sin. They had absolute freedom, according to Kierkegaard, but this caused anxiety which led them to choosing sin. The anxiety itself is not sin, but the choices made through this freedom become sins. Kierkegaard says, “Because Adam has not understood what was spoken, there is nothing but the ambivalence of anxiety. The infinite possibility of being able that was awaken by the prohibition now draws closer… (Hong 141)
The ambivalence or choices were infinite but God prohibited one choice. The freedom of choosing caused anxiety since they did not know where that choice would lead. Because they had no understanding of evil, they did not know that they would be doing wrong by going against God’s command. The evil came in the world and created the possibility for all other people to understand the difference between good and evil. Without evil, there would be no concept of good, it would just be the way things are. People cannot see the beauty of a sunrise if the sun never set.
An objection to the argument of good and evil as opposites is made by St. Thomas Aquinas. He once said, “Good can exist without evil, whereas evil cannot exist without good” (Urban and Walton 45). Therefore, good does not need evil since it can stand alone, but evil needs good in order to exist. This implies that evil and good are not opposite since good can exist without evil. In his statement, Aquinas notes that evil cannot exist without good. He implies that evil came out of good or was created from the good. This too would seem problematic since that would make God the author of evil.
Another objection, that good and evil are opposite, implies that evil is necessary. If humans cannot fully understand life without suffering and evil, it implies that humans are born to suffer and feel pain. This evil, which is necessary to show the good, thus becomes part of the good and thus part of God. This makes God himself evil and the author of evil. Many would say that since God existed before evil, he is the author of evil and had the choice of creating it or leaving the world in perfect purity. Atheists believe that no God could possibly exist since evil is so rampant in the world. That if a God did exist; he would not be a loving God. This “god” would lack the qualities that are most often attributed to him and would thus not be God at all.
However, God did
not cause evil to exist, but left the option available to those who chose
it. God did create the possibility of
evil, but he did not force anyone into choosing it. People make their own decisions and cannot
blame their circumstances on God. This
argument has been addressed by
The love of futile and harmful satisfactions, with its results: …and all other such evils …belong to man in his wickedness, and they all spring from that root of error and perverted affection which every son of Adam brings with him at his birth. (Augustine 1065)
The root of error, as Augustine
calls it, came about when Adam and Eve committed the first evil act. Augustine believes that all people, coming
from the seed of Adam, are now perverted from birth. People, because of this nature to do wrong,
create a world full of pain and evil. According
to
Another theologian to ponder this question is C.S. Lewis. He believed that Divine intervention would cause humans to lose freedom of choice and thus lose their humanity. He said:
…then a world, thus continually underpropped and corrected by Divine interference, would have been a world in which nothing important ever depended on human choice, and in which choice itself would soon cease from the certainty that one of the apparent alternatives before you would lead to no results and was therefore not really an alternative. (Lewis 59)
If humans were stopped by Divine interference, no real choices would ever be made. There would be no alternative if everything in life was decided by God and nothing important depended on human choice. God has the power to stop evil from occurring, but he allows people to make mistakes and learn from them through suffering and pain.
III. The Logic of Opposites
Humans also
understand good through evil because of the logic of opposites. Humans seem to need opposites in order to understand
the world around them. One understands
day because night follows. This same
idea is needed in the idea of evil and good.
If humans label some act as evil, there is an antithesis of that act or
a negation of that act implied. For example,
if it is said that murder of innocent children is evil, the opposite would be
the preservation of children’s lives is good.
In different societies and cultures, the specific labels of evil and
good may change but the antithesis is always present. Humans need that negation, which is the
existence of evil, to understand life.
This idea of the need for opposites implies that God needs evil. If people can only understand life through opposition, God must need it to show himself. Skeptics see God as evil because of this need. They believe that, if God needs evil, he is either not all-powerful or not wholly good. Either way, he would not be fully God if he needed evil. To the skeptic, it appears that God can only exist by being less than what he is said to be. God does not need evil or the logic of opposites, but humans do. God constructed the world in such a way that the logic of opposites helps humans better understand the world around them, but God is in need of nothing. To say that God is in need of anything implies that he lacks something. According to Anselm’s idea of the divine nature, God is that which there can be no greater, this would make evil impossible and contradictory to the character of God.
IV. Suffering
Another way that evil shows the presence of God is through suffering. God is most fully known through suffering. This idea seems to completely contradict the notion of God’s supreme presence and benevolence. If God is found in suffering, would that make him part of suffering, which is evil? However, God is present in the sense that he sees the suffering of humans and is present within those people and situations. Often people use suffering as a means to find God or seek holiness. Monks, nuns, and religious people of many different religions find suffering as part of life that will draw them toward holiness. This suggests that suffering is in actuality a necessary part of life. Without suffering, people would not desire improvement or a closer relationship with God.
Atheists think the opposite when it comes to suffering. They believe that suffering disproves the existence of God since a loving God would never lead people into horrible pain and suffering. According to Georg Buchner, suffering is the rock of atheism (Vieth 53). He believes that there is no way God could be both omnipotent, and all-loving and still allow this suffering. Therefore, God must not actually exist. Atheists generally have the same views on God because of suffering. They cannot reconcile a loving God with suffering they face in the world. The philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre believed that man must accept responsibility for his own actions since it appeared to him that God was silent in the face of injustice (Sontag 87). Sartre saw God as absent in suffering because he did not act to stop the suffering.
However, God is present in suffering, which suggests that God is part of suffering. Since suffering draws people closer to God, perhaps suffering is not as evil as it first appears. It seems that suffering is a necessary part of the human life and that without it, there would be no reason to find God or seek after holiness. Life without pain and suffering would cause people to lose part of what makes them human. God is in suffering, but he does not cause suffering. He is there to comfort those in pain and give them hope for the future. God understands what the humans are feeling and thus can help them when pain occurs.
Another objection
raised by atheists is that of tragedies.
It is difficult to reconcile a loving God to a world filled with
hurricanes, volcanoes and freak accidents.
They often argue that God, if he existed, would stop such evils and
tragedies since the people involve do not deserve it. They look at famines in Africa or floods in
Although these
natural disasters are unsettling to many and create many questions about the
existence of God, there is still hope in these situations. These disasters are not in themselves evil. Rain falls to bring forth vegetation.
V. God in Suffering
A prime example of God in suffering is the life of Jesus, God in the flesh. Jesus’ whole purpose in life was to suffer a horrific death and be rejected by almost everyone around him. Before his death, Jesus had many followers and lived a fairly peaceful life. There were some who disliked him, but many were intrigued by his teachings. However, once those who did not like Jesus decided to have him killed, the rest turned away or ran to protect themselves. Jesus suffered one of the most painful deaths possible at that time. Not only did he feel the physical pain of crucifixion, but also the emotional pain of being rejected and hated by so many, including God. If this is how God chose to present himself on earth, perhaps there is more to suffering than suspected.
According to Pope John Paul II, through Jesus,
God made suffering divine. Not only did
God himself suffer, but Jesus the man suffered and showed to the world that
suffering is a necessary part of the human experience. Even Jesus questioned God during these trying
times by saying things such as, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?”(Mark
VI. Objections to Suffering
Perhaps there is a greater reason for suffering. Suffering does ask the question, “Why?”, and causes people to seek God for an answer. Others blame God, but humans must only blame humanity for the depravity of the world and the suffering which is incurred. Again, skeptics and critics of faith would argue that God caused suffering and that in itself is evil. Perhaps these people are correct that God does allow suffering and he could create a world where everyone was free to choose what is right and good at all times, as Flew-Mackie suggest. They believe that the world could have been constructed in such a way as to allow the spontaneous decision of right to always be chosen. They also believe that if God does exist, there really should not be a real reason to suffer. To atheists and skeptics, suffering means the absence of a supreme power that watches over them and protects them. Why would a God create such a world where people get hurt, suffer unjustly, and lose? If God did exist and truly was omnipotent and benevolent as well as omniscient, why does he allow his creation to feel pain? This is a major argument of atheists and a reason why people turn from God during trials. They do not see God in the situation and cannot reconcile the theories of God with the actuality of the situation at hand.
Through suffering, we lose what separates us from God. Before evil existed, everything was in unity with God. Through the emergence of evil in the world, people had been separated from God. People are not able to see God fully or understand God because of evil. Through suffering, people lose those blinders and are able to see more clearly the plans of God. Suffering gives humans a greater appreciation for life and other humans. Without suffering, people would not appreciate anyone or anything. Life would be taken for granted and progress would not occur. Evil separates humans from God, which implies that evil and suffering are different. Suffering is not good in itself but it can bring about a good end. Without suffering, humans would not seek God or even question whether he existed. Had God created a universe where there were no evil and yet there was free will to choose seems impossible since choices imply a wrong choice. If all choices were right, why would people choose anything? There would be no progress and no development of humanity without suffering.
VII. Transformation of Evil to Good
People learn and grow through pain. Similar to the search to find God through suffering, it appears that humans learn from their mistakes and become more mature people through pain. This growth is important for people to start seeing things in a different way or looking at the world in a more broad perspective. Without pain, people would be selfish and immature. Of course, all humans continue to be selfish and immature after suffering, but that growth of character and spirit does occur during trying times. Many new insights and ideas are spawned from dealing with pain as well as a greater respect for others who have dealt with pain in their own lives. Paul Schilling believes that our pain makes us unique and helps us find happiness. He states, “Our pains and difficulties are necessary to enable us to develop the differences and peculiarities that make up truly individual existence, and to make possible the attainment of real happiness” (Schilling 146). The reason God allows suffering is perhaps so that people may be able to mature and discover who God created them to be. The difficulties in life allow people to become individuals and find true happiness. Suffering can give a person purpose in life and lead him to a closer relationship with God. Dying to oneself is a condition for unity with God or any other person.
However, others who suffer seem to be hindered by pain. Instead of learning from the situation, the person becomes bitter or angry about it and no growth of character can occur. These people often become more selfish and less connected to the surrounding world. They cannot see God in the situation because all they see is their own pain. This is not to say that God is not there, merely that the people do not look for him or see him in the situation. When people become so focused on what is happening to their own lives, they are not able to understand the greater meaning in it or see an end to the pain. Pain can blind them from hope, but God is still present in that situation whether it is realized or not. These people need to change perspective on the situation in order to find God in it and see the goodness ahead.
Death often causes a dilemma is this idea of growth through pain since one cannot grow after death. If pain is so severe that it causes death, a person cannot learn from that. There is no chance for the person to improve or find God in the world. Death is the end of existence on earth and the end of the humanity of a person. However, death may not be a bad thing. If a person has been suffering from a horrible disease for many years, perhaps death is simply a relief from that pain. If God is loving and wise, he may know a person’s breaking point and when they need to be relieved from pain. Each person needs to experience some pain and suffering in order to see God, but only God might know how much is needed in an individual’s life. Death may just be a relief from the pain of life. Perhaps the person has grown during the suffering experienced through life and cannot take any more pain. God helps people even if the death was not peaceful. Even if a person is murdered, the death may be all the suffering the person could endure. Death is not evil, but sometimes the causes of death can be.
One can also find God through the transfiguration of evil into good. Although humans are capable of choosing good over evil, often people choose to do evil instead. In Fred Katz book, Ordinary People and Extraordinary Evil, he explains how the behavior of the masses, the ordinary people, can allow evil to occur and prevail. He speaks specifically about the Holocaust and how easily the people chose to do either nothing to stop Hitler or join his plan. There may have been many people who disagreed with Hitler, but because they did not rise up to stop it, evil prevailed. Even in these situations, God is able to bring about goodness. Often people look for meaning or an answer when they do not often find themselves or human nature at fault. More often, people blame God for the evil in the world. God does not cause evil, but turns evil situations into good. It may appear that it is a bad situation, but in reality God has a greater plan for the circumstances and will change them for the good. For example, a child may be born with a disease that causes retardation or learning disabilities. The family may see this as bad or evil in some way, but God may have known how the family would handle the situation. The child is not a burden, but a joy to the family and creates a greater appreciation for life.
Another example with deeper ramifications is that of a senseless crime such as a drunk driver killing another driver on the road. Although the family of the killed driver may find this to be senseless and unjust, God can still existentially transform the situation. Even if his family suffers much pain, they can still find the strength to form groups to have more severe punishments of drunk drivers or become simply more appreciative of each other. The drunk driver might feel deeply sorry for his actions and creates a taxi service for people too drunk to drive home. Good things can come out of bad situations because God may have transformed them in order to alleviate the situation or give meaning to the situation.
VIII. Loss of Worldly Identity
In addition, evil leads to the loss of a worldly identity and the discovery of a spiritual identity. Through suffering, people are forced to take a look at their own lives and refocus. Often people do not understand the world or other human beings when they have not suffered. This pain gives people a way to relate to others and understand where they are coming from. People are often inspired to change aspects of their lives because they led to suffering and pain. Evil helps people see a connection with others because it shows the weakness and need for help. In addition, people seek social justice during these times. Humans are all connected through evil to seek after that which is not evil, that which is God. Often evil will also reveal that life is not about the physical possessions but about relationships and spirituality. People are drawn toward God during times of despair, and God can relate to them since he too has suffered.
Can people relate to each other in joyful times? It seems that people can celebrate and relate to each other in good times as well, but often joyful times are more selfish times. People tend to forsake God when they are happy because they attribute the happiness to something other than God. In addition, one would not fully understand joy without first experiencing pain. Most often, spiritual growth occurs during the hard times in life. People bond together during painful times because they desire to find an answer as well as express their pain to someone else. Schilling states that humans bond together through suffering and pain, and are more conscious of those around them when they realize that dependency is needed to survive. He says, “Consciousness of our dependence on [suffering people] and their dependence on us heightens our concern when they, like us, are called to endure suffering” (Schilling 226). Paul Schilling says that humans are connected through this dependency on each other during times of suffering. Suffering creates a new concern for others who are dealing with the same issues. Humans would not be concerned with others if they did not suffer. When people are happy they are not as reflective and do not want to worry about others who are in pain. Accordingly, God is often found during trying times because people look to him for help. When everything is going well, they find no need for God and do not seek after him.
IX. Seeing the Whole
According to Augustinian thought, evil arises as a result of not seeing the part in relation to the whole. Often people are selfish and narrow-minded and therefore do not see a bigger picture or greater meaning to evil. Something evil may have occurred but in reality it is a small part of something good. Because God can transform evil into good, often humans take a small event in their personal lives as evil when in reality it was good. For example, a basketball team runs many sprints at practice as well as doing many other conditioning exercises. The athletes may think of the coach as evil for making them suffer, but the coach knows that the team needs to be prepared for the games to come. Similarly, God knows better than humans what games are to come for us. All people see are the practices and sprints.
In order to see the good, one must get away from their personal frame of mind and look at the world as a whole. This change of perspective might be the key to understanding why different events happen and why God did not prevent the pain for occurring. Paul Schilling notes that if humans view the situation in its total context, including future ramifications and past events which led up to the problem, it will bring them closer to the truth and meaning of that situation (229). Often a situation is related to the past and connected to the future in ways that humans could not imagine. Without seeing this big picture, it is easy to misconstrue a situation.
In addition to this need for humans to see things as whole, humans must realize that this God is said to not exist in time. Augustine explains that only humans have a concept of time, and time was not invented until the earth was formed. God existed outside of the scope of time and therefore can have a very different view on things that occur on earth. God is in the present constantly. To him, all things are happening that will ever happen and have ever happened. Because time has no impact on God, he seems to be able to see the whole picture whereas humans can only see things in chronological order. There may be a deeper reason for suffering that a human may never fully understand, but is completely good in the eyes of God. It does not seem possible for humans to ever fully comprehend what it means to exist without time, but perhaps through a better understanding of this concept, humans will be able to find great reasons for pain and suffering in life.
Finally, union with God is a reunion where the presence of the divine is seen over against its absence. Basically, humans belong to God and are part of God. Because humans have separated themselves from God through their own choices, a return to God is necessary. Humans can feel his absence and seek to find him and reunite with God. In order to appreciate God, people must have experienced the opposite of God, evil. Through evil, people can find their way back to God and once again be united with God. That implies that God needs evil so that we can find him. Yet, God does not need evil to do good, but humans need evil in order to understand the goodness of God. Without evil in life, humans would not seek God and desire to be reunited with him because no one would realize that he was missing. Because he is hidden through human depravity, people must seek to restore that unity and become whole.
X. Conclusion
In conclusion, evil and suffering do not disprove the existence of God, but actually prove the existence and presence of a loving God. Evil is contrary to the notion of God, but is not the opposite of God. Without the existence of evil, humans could not acknowledge the benevolence of God. Although suffering and injustices occur in the world, the existence of God has not been disproved. This has been rejected by atheists, who see God as callous and evil because he does not always stop suffering. God reconciles these pains and creates goodness out of these situations. A loving God can be seen through evil. Without evil, there would be no need for this notion of God. Atheists do not see the concept of God in the world because they only see the immediate. They see the suffering and pain and think that that is all life has to offer. Atheists cannot understand the notion of God because they see only evil. However, God uses evil to demonstrate his love and help those who have made poor choices. Suffering is divine and should be accepted by all humans. A mother loses her son in a senseless act of evil. Why must she suffer for someone else’s evil choice? She suffers because it will lead her to an understanding of God and because something good may come out of it. Life is full of pain and evil and God is only there to help. God’s love is seen through evil.
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