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. βYes, sir,β 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? β 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 coldβa 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. Itβs the kind of cold that comes when there is no heat, or the kind of darkness that comes when thereβs no light.
'Allegedly' The student's name was Albert Einstein. ππ
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 "Χ¨ΦΈΧ’ΦΈΧ" (ra'ah), which can indeed be translated as "evil," but it has a broader range of meanings. In the context of this verse, "Χ¨ΦΈΧ’ΦΈΧ" (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
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 "Χ¨ΦΈΧ’ΦΈΧ" (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.
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"?