Origins Of Evil In The World

Question 1

What is natural evil?

Answer 1

Any evil that has been caused by nature e.g. floods

Question 2

What is moral evil?

Answer 2

Evil actions caused by humans making bad decisions and misusing their free will e.g. murder

Question 3

What do Catholics believe about the Origins of Evil in the world?

Answer 3

•Many Catholics would appeal to the teachings of St Augustine in saying that evil is a privation, an absence of good and suffering caused by humans misusing free will
•The doctrine of Original Sin is that all humans have an inherit tendency to sin due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God that brought evil into a perfect world— because humans all inherit original sin they tend you use their free will to do bad which causes moral evil

Question 4

Why do Catholics believe original sin brought evil to the world?

Answer 4

•St Augustine said “for what is that which we call evil but the absence of good” emphasising the idea that God is not the cause of evil and suffering as it is merely a privation of good causes by the misuse of free will
•After Adam and Eve ate the fruit God said in Genesis “the ground will be cursed because of you”

Question 5

How do Catholic belief about the origins of sins impact their lives today?

Answer 5

Catholics would try and use their free will correctly, following the teachings of Jesus and the Pope

Question 6

What do Jews believe about the origins of sin the world?

Answer 6

•Jewish people believe that evil is not inherit but rather that humans are born with 2 inclinations: to do good actions (yetzer ha tov) or to do evil actions (yetzer ha ra)
•all have the ability to make their own actions and will be held responsible for them

Question 7

What evidence is there to back up the Jewish belief about original sin?

Answer 7

•In the Torah it says “Today I have set before you a free choice between and life and good on one side and death and evil on the other” emphasising the idea humans have the choice to keep mitzvot and to not

Question 8

How do Jewish beliefs about the origins of evil impact their lives today?

Answer 8

•They atone for their sins through showing repentance, prayer and giving to charity
•Harm done to other humans must be forgiven before God can forgive