Problem Of Evil And Suffering

Question 1

Define ‘Omnipotent’

Answer 1

The belief that God is all powerful.

Question 2

Define ‘Omniscient’

Answer 2

The belief that God is all knowing.

Question 3

Define ‘Omnibenevolent’

Answer 3

The belief that God is all loving.

Question 4

Define ‘Devil’

Answer 4

The being that some theists believe causes humans to be evil.

Question 5

Define ‘Free Will’

Answer 5

The belief that humans are able to make their own choices and can choose whether or not to do bad things.

Question 6

Define ‘Soul Making’

Answer 6

The belief that evil exists to make humans realise how good life is. Without evil, we would not know how good life is.

Question 7

Define ‘Suffering’

Answer 7

Both natural and man-made - life is not all good because humans experience physical and emotional pain.

Question 8

Define ‘Evil’

Answer 8

A deliberate action of humans to cause suffering.

Question 9

Define ‘Karma’

Answer 9

The Hindu belief that what you do in the world will come back to you, either in this life or after reincarnation.

Question 10

State the three ‘Problems Of Evil’

Answer 10

• God wants to stop evil but cannot - God is not all powerful
• God can stop evil but chooses not to - God is not good
• God is able to stop the evil in the world and is all loving - why does evil still exist, God does not exist.

Question 11

Define and give three examples of ‘Natural Evil’

Answer 11

Suffering which is caused by nature and is out of human control. Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Floods.

Question 12

Define and give three examples of ‘Moral Evil’

Answer 12

Suffering caused by people. Holocaust, 9/11, Slavery.

Question 13

Briefly explain Christian views towards the origin of evil.

Answer 13

• Believed everything God made was perfect.
• Evil came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. ‘Original Sin’
• Satan tempted them to eat from the forbidden ‘tree of knowledge’.
• Realised they had freedom to choose between right and wrong, now responsible for their actions.

Question 14

Briefly explain Hindu views towards the origin of evil.

Answer 14

• God is like the Sun, 100% light and no darkness. God is not the source of evil.
• Like people casting a shadow when they turn from the Sun, evil is created when people turn from God.
• Evil is just an absence of God.

Question 15

Briefly explain the argument of Free Will against the problem of evil.

Answer 15

• Christians believe God gives people choices, they live their life as they choose.
• It was necessary for Him to do this as if He interfered every time people did something that would cause harm to themselves or others, we would be like puppets.
• Believe God has shown humans how to live (Bible), it is up to humans whether they follow God’s instructions.
• People that make bad choices cause evil, not God.

Question 16

Briefly explain Irenaeus’ Soul Making argument against the problem of evil.

Answer 16

• God created evil and suffering in order for us to learn from it.
• He believed we were all born with immature souls, experiencing evil and suffering helps our soul to improve.
• Only mature souls can go to heaven.

Question 17

Briefly explain Saint Augustine’s argument against the problem of evil.

Answer 17

• God did not create evil.
• Evil is just something that lacks goodness.
• God is not responsible for evil as he did not create it.

Question 18

Suggest one reason why Saint Augustine’s argument against the problem of evil may be flawed.

Answer 18

His argument does not solve why innocent people suffer.

Question 19

Give five reasons why theists believe evil and suffering happens.

Answer 19

1. It comes from God giving humans free will. We use it to make bad choices.
2. It is an impersonal force that takes over a person and makes them act irrationally.
3. It comes from people: Human Nature when people give in to greed, prejudice and hatred.
4. it comes from people: A Psychological Phenomenon. People are influenced by backgrounds, genes or peers.
5. It is from the devil, a personal being who is the source of all evil.

Question 20

Give three ways in which religious believers respond to suffering.

Answer 20

1. Empathise with Jesus’ suffering.
2. Forgiveness
3. Karma

Question 21

Briefly explain how Christians respond to suffering by empathising with Jesus’ suffering.

Answer 21

• While on Earth, Jesus was crucified.
• He went through a great deal of pain and suffering.
• Christians believe that our suffering reminds us of the suffering that Jesus endured and allows us to show empathy with him.

Question 22

Briefly explain how Christians respond to suffering by forgiveness.

Answer 22

• Christianity teaches that we should forgive one another.
• When Jesus was being crucified he said to God “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.”
• Gee Walker, quoted this after her son was murdered, saying she forgave her son’s murderers.

Question 23

Briefly explain how Hindus respond to suffering through Karma.

Answer 23

• Karma is the Hindu response to evil and suffering.
• They believe that people will be punished for the evil that they commit.
• This could be in another life or this one.
• Suffering is a punishment for previous sins.