If a part in a crane is worn, and the part fails, the crane topples over and kills people, is that part evil?

- Or perhaps it's the person who was supposed to have maintained the crane.

That person was actually taken off the job because of financial constraints. Was the accountant evil?

The company is going broke because of competing foreign interests, and the accountant thought he was doing the right thing by rationalising the maintenance program. Maybe it was the foreign interest where the evil lay?...but then, maybe not.

Is an eagle attacking a kitten evil?

NorthOfNorth wrote on May 7^th, 2011 at 2:10pm:



Maybe God merely wants us to reveal how we will react to challenges.

That, is what the bible says is the purpose in our experiencing hardships in our life.

I have no reason to doubt that explanation.



+++

And we are not all, exactly the same.

Take two siblings.

They can often have very differing characters, even though they have grown up alongside each other, even though in many cases they have both been loved and nurtured to the same degree by their parents.

Why so [the differing characters] ?

Because they each have a different personality [an individual 'guiding' spirit], and we all do.



The Problem of Evil....

Why is one person 'good' ?

And his brother, 'evil' ???

When they both, have had the same 'opportunities' in life ???



+++


Isaiah 1:2
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

muso wrote on May 7^th, 2011 at 10:17pm:


I had no idea that the understanding of evil, and even the ability to track down that understanding of evil was so lacking in the members of this forum. Clearly, I assumed too much.

So... let's demystify evil, so that the debate on the Problem of Evil can continue.

Evil is defined as an intentional act of immorality which causes suffering and/or harm. So evil has three qualities... it must be intended... it must be immoral... it must have negative consequences of harm and/or suffering.

This narrows the focus of evil upon those with the capacity to understand morality and immorality at the time of the action. If you lack that ability to understand morality/immorality and intend an act which causes harm... you are not evil... most likely you are an animal hunting or a human who is mentally impaired either through age, genetics or insanity.

If a child of three shoots his brother dead... it is not evil because the child is mentally impaired due to age.
If a schizophrenic woman in the midst of an episode goes on a shooting spree... it is not evil because the woman is mentally impaired due to temporary insanity.
If a profoundly down syndrome man strangles another in a fit of rage... it is not evil because the man is mentally impaired due to genetics.  

So would this be an example of evil?

Sappho wrote on May 8^th, 2011 at 6:29am:

It must be intended to cause suffering, I'm assuming.

I give a junkie $100.

I give a junkie $100 and ask him to use it for food.

I give a junkie $100 and ask him to use it for food, whilst believing he will use it to buy more drugs.

I give a junkie $100 and ask him to use it for food, whilst believing he will use it to buy more drugs and hoping he does.

Which is evil? How many of the above are evil acts?

Is the road to hell paved with good intentions?

Sappho wrote on May 5^th, 2011 at 6:43am:


Sappho, would you really want to live in a world where evil was impossible?

Yadda wrote on May 8^th, 2011 at 2:46am:


To be challenged is not the same thing as suffering and harm resulting from evil.

Most challenges are acceptable and respectable challenges with not a hint of evil entailed.

So your point doesn't actually address The Problem of Evil. But it does show that we can have free will and be challenged in that without the need of evil existing.