Exam 4 Flashcards
What is Natural Evil
suffering that results from natural causes (starvation, disease, physical deformity, natural disasters).
What is Moral Eval
the suffering that results from human choices (murder, torture, war, cheating, exploitation).
What is Theodicy
literally means the “justification of God” or the attempt to reconcile the traditional view of God with all of the evil in the world.
Limits of Knowledge Theodicy
Book of Job The story of Job involves a man of great faith who has his faith tested by immense levels of suffering. Job survives this test and God rewards him for his faithfulness. The solution offered in Job is this: as humans we cannot comprehend why bad things occur, we simply have to have faith in God.
Punishment Theodicy
). Augustine argued that evil is the result of original sin (the notion that all humans come into this world sinful due to the transgressions of the original humans, Adam and Eve). Our sinful nature creates suffering because we turn away from God and do harm to others.
Free Will Theodicy
: evil is in the world because God allows humans the freedom to make choices. Freedom by definition means that many people will make the wrong decisions. God allows free choice in order to ensure a legitimate relationship between God and humanity.
Big Plan Theodicy
John Hick has argued for the concept of Evil as Therapy: that the suffering in the world exists to teach us valuable lessons and reinforces what is important about life. To remove all suffering would make life essentially meaningless.
Contrast Theodicy
evil is logically necessary: only God is perfect, so the moment God created the world, God created imperfection (therefore evil). God would not create a perfect world, because then God would be creating God. So, evil is a logically necessary component to life on this planet.
Modification Theodicy
Radical Religious Surgery: the only way to reconcile belief in God with the evil in the world required the removal of one of God’s attributes (all-knowing, all-good, all-powerful). Mill argued that the all-knowing attribute should be removed because all-knowing impedes human freedom.
What is Ahura Mazda
a single God, who is named Ahura Mazda. Ahura means “Lord” and Mazda means “Wisdom”. (Ahura Mazda is good, holy, supreme, and the creator of all things).
What are Amesha Spentas
Divine forces of good – 7 Amesha Spentas (Beneficial Immortals); angels who help Ahura Mazda govern creation
What is Angra Mainyu
Zorastrian source or deity of all evil in the world
What are Daevas
(demonic powers that have chosen to rebel against the good)
What is the Avesta
Zoroastrian holy book
What is the Chinvat Bridge
A bridge that can be narrowed or widened depending on the morality of the soul that has to cross it.
