Does God cause evil?

[DanieltheDragon]

Does God cause evil?

Some assert that God causes no evil. Is there cause to believe this is true. Can this position be supported. Is the character described in the bible incapable of evil?

I would assert that a position that claims God created everything would make him the original cause of evil. That God cannot escape being the cause of evil since he created any and all situations in which evil would arise.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 91 by MuffMaYne]

Perhaps it is in creating the circumstance wherein evil could be practiced?

According to some beliefs, there are alternate realities where free will exists but evil is not practiced.

YES! It is called heaven!

But it all seems to get back to the environment as being the major contributor to why evil exists - why the opportunity for evil to being acted out is available and more oft than not, made manifest.

Yes, the possibility, opportunity AND ABILITY had to exist for every person created in the image of GOD as a genuine innocent with a free will to choose to either enter the path of becoming fully loving and holy, ready for the heavenly marriage OR to reject that offer and turn away, becoming instead eternally evil, never able to fulfill the purpose they were created to fulfill. Only in this way could GOD be sure that all persons were who they were by their free will: those who were accepted as HIS bride wanted to do that and those who rejected HIM and earned judgement were in fact guilty of evil.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 97 by ttruscott]

Then by that definition I couldn't say whether or not God creates evil. He definitely allows for the option of it. Is that the same as creating it?

But I just said that by DOing evil, choosing and DOing it is it created and so is the person who made the choice.

Satan is evil. One minute he was not evil, then he was...he created evil by doing it and he created his moral character as eternally evil.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 97 by ttruscott]

Then by that definition I couldn't say whether or not God creates evil. He definitely allows for the option of it. Is that the same as creating it?

But I just said that by DOing evil, choosing and DOing it is it created and so is the person who made the choice...not the parent who brought the child to life.

Satan is evil. One minute he was not evil, then he was...he created evil by doing it and he created his moral character as eternally evil.

[MuffMaYne]

[Replying to post 103 by ttruscott]

Seems like an acceptable answer to me.

[William]

[Replying to post 101 by ttruscott]

Do you think GOD has ever been in an environment where the opportunity to practice evil was the case?

[Tired of the Nonsense]

[Replying to post 97 by ttruscott]

Then by that definition I couldn't say whether or not God creates evil. He definitely allows for the option of it. Is that the same as creating it?

But I just said that by DOing evil, choosing and DOing it is it created and so is the person who made the choice...not the parent who brought the child to life.

Satan is evil. One minute he was not evil, then he was...he created evil by doing it and he created his moral character as eternally evil.

This must have come as quite a surprise to God, who apparently did not create Satan to be evil, and was not expecting it to happen. It must have been quite astonishing turn of events for an omnipotent omniscient Being to discover that He not only failed to achieve the expected result, but to also discover that we was suddenly not the only creator Being.

[Joe1950]

If God created all things, he (I will use personal pronoun) created the concepts of good and evil. He also created the ability of beings to perform good or evil actions. God chose to create this ability.

imCo
ejecting HIS proposal by their free will they self created their character as evil.

So, does creating the possibility that evil can happen make someone guilty if evil is chosen? Is the maker of a clay pot guilty if someone makes a stew in it and puts poison in the stew to kill someone? Is the person who warns another that a plant is poisonous guilty if the person uses this knowledge to poison someone else?

Is creating a person with the ability to choose good or evil really the cause of their choice? Christians deny this accepting James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God� is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. IF GOD does not create these desires to do evil, that which is known to be against GOD, then HE is not the cause of their evil.

Well, let us use your clay pot analogy. The creator of the clay pot is NOT responsible if someone misuses the clay pot by putting poison in the stew. However, in the case of god, did not god also create the POISON? Does that not make god at least partially responsible for giving someone the opportunity to poison someone else?
It seems to me that god cannot have his cake and eat it, too. IF he is all powerful, then he created evil. And he could have CHOSEN not to do so.
The explanation that god gives people free will to do evil does not allow him to escape responsibility. It is a cosmic cop out.
The god of the major western religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) is a vengeful one. He has created a world that allows suffering. I am not making a value judgement here. I am simply stating the facts about him as they appear in the Bible and Qu'ran.
Now, he may have reasons for doing so. It may give him some pleasure or somehow make him satisfied, but the evidence ((if these books are correct) is that he allows suffering when HE DOES NOT HAVE To. He is choosing to put the poison plant in the field, so to speak.
I think the fundamentalists have it right when they preach that god should be FEARED. He is, according to the Bible, a pretty angry and violent being. I am not saying that id good or bad. Just pointing out the evidence.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 101 by ttruscott]

Do you think GOD has ever been in an environment where the opportunity to practice evil was the case?

For people with a free will,including GOD, every environment is a place where there is opportunity to do evil.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 97 by ttruscott]

Then by that definition I couldn't say whether or not God creates evil. He definitely allows for the option of it. Is that the same as creating it?

But I just said that by DOing evil, choosing and DOing it is it created and so is the person who made the choice...not the parent who brought the child to life.

Satan is evil. One minute he was not evil, then he was...he created evil by doing it and he created his moral character as eternally evil.

This must have come as quite a surprise to God, who apparently did not create Satan to be evil, and was not expecting it to happen.

What makes you think it was a surprise? I hinted at nothing like that; the Bible hints at nothing like that...hmmm, only you seem to think like that with no reason why at all...it is illogical.

Of course when HE created us with the ability and opportunity to chose to be evil HE knew some MIGHT choose evil so it was obviously no surprise when a few did.

[ttruscott]

It seems to me that god cannot have his cake and eat it, too. IF he is all powerful, then he created evil. And he could have CHOSEN not to do so.

Nope...because, free will.

I used to use the Dead Men DO Bleed joke to highlight the certainty of bias on both sides, but I found a new one that pokes fun at religious people:

Three men are sitting in the pub window seat, watching the front
door of the brothel over the road.

The local Methodist pastor appears, and quickly goes inside.
"Would you look at that!" says the first man. "Didn't I always say what a bunch of hypocrites they are?"

No sooner are the words out of his mouth than a Rabbi appears at the
door, knocks, and goes inside. "Another one trying to fool everyone with pious preaching and stupid hats!"

They continue drinking their beer roundly condemning the vicar and the
rabbi when they see their own Priest knock on the door. "Ah, now that's sad," says the third man. "One of the girls must have died..."

Stay well...