PRE test on 23/01/25 Flashcards
Evil and Suffering
What are the two types of evil?
Moral evil and natural evil.
What is moral evil?
Moral evil is actions done by humans that causes suffering or harm.
What is natural evil?
Events that cause suffering that is beyond human control.
What is the inconsistent triad?
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Evil Exists
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God is omnipotent God is omnibenelovent
What does J.L. Mackie believe?
If God is all loving, then God would want to remove evil and suffering. If God was all powerful, He would be able to remove evil from this world. He thinks since evil and suffering God is cruel or He doesn’t exist.
Define theodicy.
An argument that tries to show that a loving and powerful God can exist alongside and evil.
What is Augustine’s theodicy?
Augustine teaches that the act of choosing to turn away from God and using free will to do moral evil is what causes suffering.
What is a flaw of Augustine’s theodicy?
OPTION ONE: Should we still be punished for something we didn’t do?
OPTION TWO: Even if God is not to blame for evil’s existence, if He was all-loving He would still want to help stop suffering in the world.
What does Satan mean?
One who opposes God.
Explain the story of Job.
God is talking with his angels and Satan says that Job only obeys God only for a reward so God agrees and takes away his rewards as an experiment. Job is suffering and he asks for an explanation and God shows him that suffering is part of a much bigger plan of God. Later, God rewards him with double of what he had already.
What’s a theodicy of the story of Job?
OPTION ONE: God’s plan is too big and complex for us to understand and evil is apart of it.
OPTION TWO: Suffering is a test and God will Reward us.
What’s a flaw of the story of Job?
OPTION ONE: If God is all loving, why would he test us and allow us to suffer so much?
OPTION TWO: Not everyone is given the same tests in life. Is this fair if some people suffer more than others?
What is the the story of Ali Banat?
Ali Banat was a rich millionaire who got cancer. He called this a gift from God because it opened his eyes to the real world. To show this he gave away most of his belongings and wealth.
What would a Muslim say about the story of Ali Banat?
Muslims would think Ali Banat lived longer than his diagnosis because he’s been given a chance to repent and give away his dunya.
What’s the theodicy in Ali Banat’s story?
That life is a test and we need to prove our faith.
What are the three forms of life that Muslims believe that Allah created?
- Angels who were made from pure light.
- Humans who were made from the clay of the Earth.
- Jinn, who were made from smokeless fire.
Who was Iblis?
Shaytan/Iblis was a jinn who refused to follow Allah’s command to bow down to Adam and serve humanity. Iblis influences man to ignoring Allah’s commands.
What are the Dharmic religons?
Originated in the Indian subcontinents such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhi.
Define karma.
The sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.
Define samsara.
The cycle of death and rebirth.
What do Dharmic faiths believe is the cause for evil and suffering?
Human beings doing bad actions.
What is collective karma?
The consequence for shared bad karma that builds up from all of humanity is natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic erruptions.
