good and evil

Question 1

what is evil?

Answer 1

• evil is the absence of good and the impulse to seek are own desires at the expense of the good others, often results in suffering.
• evil is privation of good

Question 2

what is free will

Answer 2

• the decision making part of the persons mind. a will is free the they can choose night from wrong without being controlled by other forces.
• god gave humans free - will

Question 3

what is suffering

Answer 3

• pain which harms human beings
• moral evil or natural evil can cause suffering

Question 4

what are the 2 ways catholics respond to evil?
(explain free will, original sin)

Answer 4

• free will
  gift from god, choose between night or wrong, bad decisions cause suffering
• original sin
  Adam + eve disobeyed god, ate forbidden fruit, introduced death + sin into a perfect world

Question 5

what are the 3 things st Augustine says about suffering

Answer 5

1. existence of evil helps people appreciate the good in the world
2. evil is the privation of good. God does no cause or permit evil because evil isn’t a thing
3. god allows suffering because he is omnipotent and good. Good is always able to bring a greater good out of suffering

Question 6

evidence that we appreciate good when evil exists
(st augustine)

Answer 6

“for we enjoy and value the good more when we compare it with evil”

Question 7

what is goodness

Answer 7

1. quality of being like god
2. seeking the well- being of others

Question 8

what is privation

Answer 8

1. loss or absence of a quality that is normally present.
2. evil is the privation of good

Question 9

who came up with the inconsistent triad

Answer 9

David Hume

Question 10

what is the inconsistent triad

Answer 10

evil exists
>—-<
god is omnibenevolent
>—<
god is omnipotent
>—<

Question 11

what did Hume conclude from the inconsistent triad

Answer 11

either god doesn’t exist or he isn’t worthy of worship

Question 12

what does Stephen fry say about evil

Answer 12

“bone cancer in children”
“mean-minded, stupid God”
“maniac”

Question 13

John hick proposes the idea that through free choices, we can learn to make the correct choices.
what is this called?
what are the 2 best ways for humans to develop?

Answer 13

soul building
suffering and evil is the best way for humans to develop

Question 14

John hack believes that humans were made in the image of God but we are not…

Answer 14

we are not perfect

Question 15

what does soul building explain

Answer 15

soul building explains why god allows natural evil to exist

Question 16

what does natural evil allow humans to do

Answer 16

allows humans to grow and become better people

Question 17

for jews how is evil and suffering not created and created

Answer 17

not created by people born evil but evil and suffering are consequences of humans wrong choices

Question 18

how do jewish people believe people are born

Answer 18

people are born free. however with inclinations to do good (Yetzer ha tov)
and to do bad (yetzer ha ra)

Question 19

how is the goodness of god linked with the goodness of the created world

Answer 19

” the beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the creator” ccc

Question 20

how does Jesus share in our suffering

Answer 20

he was fully human “made flesh”
he experiences suffering and so understands it

Question 21

what type of feeling do catholics have towards suffering

Answer 21

ambivalence

Question 22

how can catholics share their suffering

Answer 22

by sharing in Jesus’ suffering. offering it up to god in mass, god will use it to bring about good
Jesus died on the cross to save humanity
his suffering brought about good

Question 23

how do jews interpret the “suffering servant”

Answer 23

they suffer in order to redeem the wicked of humanity

Question 24

what is Jesus’ suffering a demonstration for

Answer 24

this immense love for us

Question 25

what does salvifici Doloris mean

Answer 25

“the saving power of suffering”

Question 26

evidence for sharing in Jesus’ suffering

Answer 26

” those who share in Christs suffering have before their eye the paschal mystery”

Question 27

What evidence supports the doctrine
of the Trinity?

Answer 27

St Augustine: 1 John ‘God is love’ to explain that God is the perfect example of unity and used an analogy of love: love lover and beloved. The Trinity is 3 persons united together in love. His analogy reminds us of the goodness of God. He also said that all parts of the Trinity are equal to each other and dependent upon each other as a result.
The Baptism of Jesus/ The Nicene creed/ The great commission ‘go baptise all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’.

Question 28

how does the CCC describe conscience

Answer 28

‘the Voice of God in our hearts’

Question 29

The existence of conscience is a ____ from God and it is one of the ways God ____________ what he wants

Answer 29

the existence of conscience is a gift from god and it is one of the ways god communicates what he wants

Question 30

why do catholics believe you should always obey your conscience

Answer 30

Catholics also believe that
a person should always obey their conscience, the conscience can sometimes be wrong so
it’s important to educate our conscience by listening to the moral teaching of the

Question 31

what are jewish attitudes towards conscience

Answer 31

There is no reference to conscience (matzpun) in the Tanakh or Talmud. Many Jews would consider conscience as the ‘small voice’ which guides actions but that it is the Torah that represents the ‘powerful voice’ directing actions. The inclinations of yetzer ha tov and yetzer ha mean Jews have the ability to make their own choices, and will all
be held responsible for them. Humans are given free will whether to keep the mitzvot of the Torah or not

Question 32

Why do Catholics say God is good?

Answer 32

Genesis: ‘God saw what he had made and it was good’
God is still involved with creation
(immanent) through answered prayers, numinous experiences and miracles Conscience and Natural law are evidence of God’s goodness/ omnibenevolence

Question 33

What challenges are there to God’s
goodness?

Answer 33

Natural disasters/ the problem of evil – the fact that evil and suffering exists
(inconsistent triad)/ John Mackie’s arguments/ Unanswered prayers