This is probably the best answer I've ever heard to the question, "Why did God create evil?"....👇👇🙏🏻
Why did God create evil? The answer struck me to the core of my soul! A professor at the university asked his students the following question:
- Everything that exists was created by God? One student bravely answered:
- Yes, created by God.
- Did God create everything? - a professor asked. “Yes, sir,” replied the student. The professor asked :
- If God created everything, then God created evil, since it exists. And according to the principle that our deeds define ourselves, then God is evil. The student became silent after hearing such an answer. The professor was very pleased with himself. He boasted to students for proving once again that faith in God is a myth. Another student raised his hand and said:
- Can I ask you a question, professor? "Of course," replied the professor. A student got up and asked:
- Professor, is cold a thing?
- What kind of question? Of course it exists. Have you ever been cold? Students laughed at the young man's question. The young man answered:
- Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is actually the absence of heat. A person or object can be studied on whether it has or transmits energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees Fahrenheit) is a complete absence of heat. All matter becomes inert and unable to react at this temperature. Cold does not exist. We created this word to describe what we feel in the absence of heat. A student continued:
- Professor, does darkness exist? — Of course it exists.
- You're wrong again, sir. Darkness also does not exist. Darkness is actually the absence of light. We can study the light but not the darkness. We can use Newton's prism to spread white light across multiple colors and explore the different wavelengths of each color. You can't measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into the world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you tell how dark a certain space is? You measure how much light is presented. Isn't it so? Darkness is a term man uses to describe what happens in the absence of light. In the end, the young man asked the professor:
- Sir, does evil exist? This time it was uncertain, the professor answered:
- Of course, as I said before. We see him every day. Cruelty, numerous crimes and violence throughout the world. These examples are nothing but a manifestation of evil. To this, the student answered:
- Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist for itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is like darkness and cold—a man-made word to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not faith or love, which exist as light and warmth. Evil is the result of the absence of Divine love in the human heart. It’s the kind of cold that comes when there is no heat, or the kind of darkness that comes when there’s no light.
'Allegedly' The student's name was Albert Einstein. 🙂😎
When God created everything, he created Angels in heaven. Therefore if the “evil” Angel(Satan) fell from grace he had somehow lost the divine love of God. How did Satan lose the divine love of God? If evil is the result of the absence of Divine love in the “human heart”, how did angels that fell lose divine love if they don’t have a human heart? Just an observation. Keep looking up, our redemption is nigh. Amen!
Excellent question!
Thomas Aquinas addressed this very question in his Summa Theologica.
In Aquinas' view, angels were created with intellect and will, enabling them to choose good or evil. When Satan and other angels rebelled, it was due to their misuse of free will, particularly through pride. Unlike humans, angels' decision to reject God was immediate and final, without the possibility of redemption. This separation from God is seen as the absence of divine love in their spiritual beings.
Angels, being purely spiritual beings, make a single, irrevocable choice either for or against God at the moment of their creation. This choice is believed to be final and eternal, without the possibility of redemption or change.
Humans, on the other hand, are seen as having a lifetime during which they can make choices that either align them with God or lead them away from Him. This process of decision-making is seen as ongoing, with the ultimate consequences of these choices being finalized at death. At death, it's believed that humans' eternal destinies are fixed based on their choices made during their lives.
If you're interested in reading more about Aquinas' discussions on the nature of angels, their intellect and will, and the hierarchy of angels, then def check out his Summa Theologica. He also explores the question of evil in relation to angels and humans, including the concept of fallen angels and their irrevocable choice against God.
Hope this helps!
Ephesians 2:8-9 :
"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, Not of works, lest any man should boast himself."
"...choices made during their lives"
"Choices" regarding the person of Jesus Christ. Wasn't meant to imply works based salvation.
I am late to the show
Kek!
Thank you. Brilliant analysis, and I just put Summa Theologica in my iPhone for future research.
We must remember it is Aquinas view albeit quite logical in the sense of the intellect and free will part. Free will for Angel also, interesting as they do Gods will. Thank you, thank you for the blessing. Amen!
"The angels, both good and evil. The Bible speaks not only of holy angels, Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26, and of wicked angels, which kept not their first estate, II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; but also makes explicit mention of elect angels, I Tim. 5:21, thereby implying that there were also non-elect angels. The question naturally arises, How are we to conceive of the predestination of angels? According to some it simply means that God determined in general that the angels which remained holy would be confirmed in a state of bliss, while the others would be lost. But this is not at all in harmony with the Scriptural idea of predestination. It rather means that God decreed, for reasons sufficient unto Himself, to give some angels, in addition to the grace with which they were endowed by creation and which included ample power to remain holy, a special grace of perseverance; and to withhold this from others. There are points of difference between the predestination of men and that of the angels: (1) While the predestination of men may be conceived of as infralapsarian, the predestination of the angels can only be understood as supralapsarian. God did not choose a certain number out of the fallen mass of angels. (2) The angels were not elected or predestined in Christ as Mediator, but in Him as Head, that is, to stand in a ministerial relation to Him." - Louis Berkhof - Systematic Theology
Yes. That's why Allmighty God, our Father, created evil and gave us free will. Because he wants us to love him freely.
Therefore sometimes we are a long time in the dark, in the cold, isolated, in harsh conditions - until we come back to him with our hearts filled with love and gratitude for him, freely returning to his love, peace and healing. He waits for us.
" Neither shall men say, Lo here, or lo there: for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17 :21
" He waits for us."
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He didn't. He created beings with free will. You can't have love without free will. With free will comes choice. Sin is disobedience to God. Everyone with free will is perfectly free to sin. Evil is a choice.
God knew what would happen if He made creatures w free will and he chose to do it anyway. My own personal take on the answer is that God is a storyteller at heart. Without other characters there can be no story at all. He could have stayed the only Will in existence but he chose to let there be other characters,with agendas opposing his, so that he can save the day and be the hero of a story.
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Man doesn't have free will. We have free agency. We can only act according to the complete definition of who we are and what we experience.
God allows evil to magnify his grace. No sin, no redeemer, no God-Man, no sacrifice, no grace. God made the garden, and it was all good, but heaven will be better.
Question: if glorified man cannot sin in heaven, does he still have free agency? If glorified man's agency is so altered by his perception of the grace bestowed upon him so that his mind shall never conceive of violating his Lord's law again, then his agency remains free, but his actions remain Holy.
Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Nice philosophy, but what saith scripture?
"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Isaiah 45:7
The Hebrew word translated as "evil" in Isaiah 45:7 is "רָעָה" (ra'ah), which can indeed be translated as "evil," but it has a broader range of meanings. In the context of this verse, "רָעָה" (ra'ah) can be understood more generally as "calamity," "distress," or "disaster." It doesn't necessarily imply moral evil, but rather a negative or harmful event or circumstance.
Some translations render Isaiah 45:7 without using the word "evil." Here are a few examples:
New International Version (NIV): "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things."
New Living Translation (NLT): "I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things."
English Standard Version (ESV): "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things."
These translations use terms like "disaster," "bad times," or "calamity" instead of "evil" to convey the idea of negative or adverse circumstances rather than moral evil.
Furthermore, in the creation narrative, God declares everything He has made to be "good" (Genesis 1:31), which would seem contradictory if God were to create moral evil and then call it good.
Understanding the word in Isaiah 45:7 as "calamity" or "disaster" (as the Hebrew word allows) harmonizes with the idea that God's original creation was good and that any negative aspects are the result of the brokenness introduced by sin or as part of God's larger plan and purposes.
Thank you for that, one of the better takedowns of a bad-translation (kjv?) snob I've seen. So tired of word-nitpickers trying to make points that don't exist, leading people to actual heresy.
Dude, I quoted the Bible. Any word-knitpicking is trying to make a word say what one wants it to say and not what it plainly says. I understand you have a different POV but you shouldn't try to hide behind an arrogant front because you are no better and no more wise than I am. If you want to go back to the original texts, go ahead and good luck to you on finding one.
ROFL okay fren you're right no one has ever seen original texts to translate from, kjv all the way, it was always meant to be in that exact English never mind the historical original Hebrew and Greek proven to be character-accurate, but hey just a pov, Mr divinely inspired. Just make sure to never study ancient languages and pretend they don't exist, everyone will do great. Hahaha
You would look more smarter if you just shut up and moved on.
I'm going to frame this incredibly intelligent response and exchange; I've shared screen caps and you've made good people laugh out loud. Thank you for that, we need it.
Like I said...
Every word in the Bible "can also mean..." so that argument is no good.
According to what you posted, God called bad times, calamity, and disaster "good", right? Oh, and evil too, since the word can indeed be translated that way. Personally, I'm with Jesus and I'm fine with it.
So spin it anyway you want but nothing exists that God didn't create, or he isn't the only creator in the Universe.
It's true that words in the Bible can have various meanings depending on the context, and translators must carefully consider the context and the range of meanings a word can have. In the case of Isaiah 45:7, while the Hebrew word "רָעָה" (ra'ah) can be translated as "evil," it can also mean "calamity" or "disaster," as seen in various translations. This highlights the complexity of translation and the need to consider the broader theological and textual context.
Regarding the assertion that God called bad times, calamity, and disaster "good," it's important to distinguish between the goodness of God's original creation and the presence of negative events or circumstances in the world. In the creation narrative, God declares everything He has made to be "good," indicating the inherent goodness of His creation. However, this does not mean that God creates moral evil or intends harm. The presence of calamity and disaster in the world is often understood within the context of the fallen nature of the world due to sin, as well as God's sovereign ability to use even negative events for His ultimate purposes, such as discipline, correction, or the fulfillment of His plan for redemption.
Ultimately, the idea that nothing exists that God didn't create does not necessarily imply that God is the author of moral evil or that He directly causes calamity and disaster. It reflects the theological concept of God's sovereignty over all creation, including the ability to allow or permit certain events while still holding humanity responsible for their choices.
I'm not going to sit here and play ping pong Bible interpretations.
"Often understood" "does not necessarily" "...reflects...concepts..." You don't know anymore about it than I do and your opinion isn't worth spit anymore than mine is when it comes to this. Nice chatting, see you around the site.
Very concise and well thought out response, bud. Thanks for your input.
Cheers
Well done, fren. Holy spirit enlightenment upon you! (Lol, whenever they lose, they fall back on "nobody knows"!)
Iron sharpens iron. Hard tests refine character. The natural world that has earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes has its natural rules and they are Good. The sins that the fallen do and the evil they cause are not natural but known. So far we haven't even gotten past elementary school catechism.
"We"?
Such as stirring a nation against another who He had a problem with.
Interesting. 1,000 years of peace when?
Some people love evil, or calamity, as the word ra denotes, for calamity's sake. I don't think God likes that.
Makes me think of ..."Some times you have to show them".
Great explanation and story until it mentioned Einstein.
Suppose it was supposed to give the explanation more credibility, but it actually took away, IMO.
Supposedly Einstein once asked if God could have made the universe any differently (from memory, don't quote me). Given the massive amounts of lies we've been subjected to all our lives apparently, a re-evaluation of everything is in order and going to take a while. I wholeheartedly agree with the above reasonings regarding heat and light being absolutes, and we just created our own interpretations for the lack of them as being relative.
I love this analogy. Thank you.
My pleasure...Its Great.
Wisdom….
Lucifer was the anointed Cherub. The top angel over all the angels. Ezek 28: 11-19 and Isaiah 14: 12-15 tells where evil came from. PRIDE!!!
It's getting philosophical AF up in here
Wow, just wow. Thank you so much because I have a lefty brother in law questioning me all the time about why God created evil? I always answer him saying that God wants to know who is faithful to him, but God just gave me the answerI needed. Thank you again Purkiss you are a blessing to this place. God bless.
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God didn't great evil. Everything that God created is only good.
God created the angels to minister to humanity, his children. He created the angel, Lucifer, with a fierce intellect (Gabriel and Micheal represent the emotion and the will).
The intellect sometimes thinks it knows everything, but it doesn't. What is greater than intellect? Love. And love issues forth from the heart.
Lucifer was a teacher to Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve were created as God's children. Before Adam was created, Lucifer and the two other Archangels were at the very top of the creation hierarchy, directly below God. Lucifer had command over billions of Angels, and was the conduit of God's love and instructions to them. He was top dog.
But when Adam was created, all of a sudden, Lucifer found that he was top dog no longer. He had a natural desire for God's love, but in his intellect, he diverted from God in his thinking. He could not understand why God put Adam at the top of Creation, even over Lucifer.
Adam was a young buck, immature and sort of unknowledgeable. But Lucifer had worked with God for billions of years to create the universe.
He felt short changed. He felt replaced, and developed feelings of being ungrateful.
Is this a problem? No. It's not evil to feel such emotions. And, even though Lucifer had experienced those emotions, it was not a problem for one reason. The only way Lucifer could fall and become Satan was if he had someone to do it with.
And this is why God gave the commandment to Adam (and via Adam, to Eve). To prevent the fall, and to ensure that Lucifer's going off track would not result in evil.
If Adam and Eve kept faith in God's commandment to not eat the fruit, then Lucifer would be petulant, throw a tantrum, and even sulk, but in the end, he would have worn himself out, and then come back to God once he realized that God created Adam to love Lucifer even more than God loved Lucifer himself.
(If Adam obeyed that commandment, and did not fall, he would become perfected as God created him to be perfected, fully mature in heart, and one with the Creator, and so, his love for Lucifer would have amplified God's love for the Angel.)
The key point was Adam and Eve. If they lost faith in God and failed to keep the commandment, Lucifer's problem would cause the fall of man, and then all three would be draw down into a vortex of evil out of control. Satan would be created, because Adam failed to keep faith.
This is the reason why Christ must come as a man. To reverse the failure of Adam. To fulfill the original blueprint that Adam failed to fulfill. And to restore evil.
God did not create evil. Evil was created by Lucifer because Adam and Eve failed to obey God's commandment. Evil was created by, and created, Satan.
In the end, Evil must be destroyed because it is not from God.
We have televisions.
They present stories.
The stories aren’t very good when the contrast is set to 0 and the volume is off.
People seek these stories to see the overcoming of evil against impossible odds.
Nobody goes to the theatre to try and see Captain America try to open a soggy straw wrapper.
People go to see amplified emotional timelines.
Nobody goes to see 250 hours of bird poop sitting on a rock, they go to see love proven.
God is the ultimate author and creator. We are his actors. We are called to prove we love Him and seek His love. We are called to overcome evil and walk in His character.
Evil exists because nothing can exist if its opposite doesn’t also exist.
Evil is subjective. There are people that think havingto follow Gods word is evil. Even when its not. There are those that think hurting others is not evil and they justify it. There would be no world without evil because different perspectives.
Good and evil are objective truths. There are people who believe they can change their sex, and they're just as wrong as anyone calling following the one true God 'evil.' There are no relativistic truths, just people lying to themselves, hence the need to constantly justify. This world belongs to the darkness, since original sin was established; the world without sin, with clear and pure truth, will be heaven.
Humans all have a life expectancy. Angels and God have been around for how long? No one human really knows. Eternity is so strong that even if we multiplied eternity times zero we would still have eternity.
The bottomless pit is just that too. Eternity of having no bottom.
All humans are incapable of perceiving what God is, we can dare to see the depths of His creation or we can deny His existence. No matter what a human does in 10,000 human years from now all of us will be what and where we are to be by the decisions we make now. Faith, Love, Charity in self and in others—the ol deceiver loves to manipulate those words and has many fooled.
Maybe even me, but I know I am never to be able to comprehend what God is in this life nor will I be able to show God how much I deserve anything. I deserve nothing—the ones to keep an eye on are those who claim they are perfect and know it all. At this moment in time 100 percent of the Democratic Party is in that category and it is amazing to see.
Heck most of the republicans are too. The people who deny God and serve Lucifer under the disguise of being the higher power are all going to pay a harder penalty than they realize.
What do I know? Nothing. Just sad to see so many people tout they are all knowing :)
Ah ... if AE, then he probably copied it from Oera Linda Bok of 1876. This idea was already written there and from histography, this document goes in written form back to the 12th century, claiming it to be much older: 2193 BCE.
I was going to say that evil is the absence of good, but the absence of God is also true.
Great story. This is like one of those emails I'd get forwarded to me from my uncle or the old lady at work.
If you have nothing positive to contribute then just STFU....
Dumb question as there is no god. Do some research anons.
Have some respect, even if you 'Think' you're right...
There is definitely spirit, I’ve experienced miracles, and a point can’t disprove the existence of a line or a cube from within its frame of reference.
Whether you choose to believe in God or not is up to you, but we can no more physically present him to you than you can physically disprove him to us.