Theodicy GOOD and EVIL

Theodicy GOOD and EVIL? We will examine the details. My perspective on what is evil was a bit obscured by the teachings of my parents since childhood. Since childhood my mother taught me that evil was able to easily be understood by reading the bible.

Evil was only allowed to exist for the greater plan of God and his will. As I was growing up I gradually developed my conclusion of what evil is and why evil exist.

I asked myself the following question that many people ask; why is the world so unbalanced and unstable? For example, why my mother’s God allowed so many people in Africa to die of famine and disease while many other people leave in abundance?

Considering this evil, to be able to survive in the world and pursue personal happiness someone would have to be born in a stable nation such as the United State, several European nations or other few nations in the world.

The livelihood of someone would be left to chance. If you were born in an unstable nation or region like the Middle East is would be likely that your future would not be too bright.

Religious Relativity

Your chances of dying young would be considerably higher than in other parts of the world. My perspective of evil in the world was always intriguing and confusing. Nevertheless, I always thought I would one day clearly understand the problem of evil in the world. 

In the words of Livingston, I would have to correlate my personal beliefs on evil with the theodicy of “A future, this-worldly theodicy”. I disagree, yet, comprehend the belief that the evil of this world and the ones that suffer from this evil are somehow connected with the afterlife.

Hence, “it is common to associate the religions of the biblical tradition-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam- with the belief that the evils and suffering of this life will compensated for and that justice will be meted out in a future life…” I find this inconclusive and often irrelevant.

My perception of right and wrong are been influenced by this course but yet it still stands the same. However, my understanding of evil in the world has gradually changed since I started this course. For instance, now I know many other religious beliefs and ideas that I did not have before this course.

As a result, I can effectively examine different religious beliefs. Nevertheless, I still think it is unfair for a God to allow such things to happen. The purpose evil in this world is difficult to digest.

What is the consequence of millions of deaths in Africa from Famine? This is a difficult question to answer. Yet, I think aside from the will of God human nature has a lot to do with the way the problem of evil in the world develops. For example, I think humans are naturally disagreeable, defiant and often violent. Therefore, a world without war, famine as a result of political and or military disputes, is very unlikely happen in the near or the distant future.

It is unlike that militarily superior nations are going to give up the might. It is very unlikely that political and/or cultural disputes that have taken place in Africa for centuries will cease to exist for several live times. Therefore, the problem of evil in this world will always be present.

Conclusion

With that being said, when I considered Socrates’ question: “Is something right because God commands it or does he command it because it is right?” I conclude that the chaos in the world as a result of religion is because people, I believe, think something is write because God commands it rather than the opposite as Socrates’ states. For instance, I would not kill someone because God would command me to do the right thing.

However, people are often driven by their beliefs to the point of extremism resulting in deaths of innocent children all around the world. I would question a religious leader send me to do evil in the name of God. Simply because God would not send me to do evil.

For a conscious person reason should win above all. God commands us to do the right thing regardless of what a religious leader might say. 

Work Cited

Livingston, j. (2009). Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion. 6th ed. Saddle River, N.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.