Michael Nugent
 
with the eleventh in a series of pieces on whether gods exist. 

 Is there an all-good god or an all-evil god? This is the eleventh of a series of short posts about whether gods exist and why the question is an important one.

Theists typically argue that their god is all-good, as well as all-knowing and all-powerful.

But an all-good god would want to create a perfect universe with no suffering or evil, and an all-
knowing and all-powerful god would be able to do this.

Photo: star cluster NGC 1866 from ESA/Hubble & NASA

So why do we see so much suffering or evil around us?

Some theists respond that the world is actually perfect, but we just don’t understand how. But then why would the god have to intervene in this perfect universe through miracles?

These people argue that what we see as suffering and evil might be necessary to bring about a greater good, and we just don’t understand why an all-good god would need to do it this way.

Others argue that their all-good god created humans with free will, in order that we are able to voluntarily choose to cause wellbeing and do good, instead of being forced to do so.

But both of these arguments apply equally to the idea that there is an all-evil god, who is also all-knowing and all-powerful.

If there is an all-evil god, then what we see as wellbeing and good might be necessary to bring about a greater evil, and we just don’t understand why an all-evil god would need to do it this way.

Or maybe an all-evil god created humans with free will, in order that we are able to voluntarily choose to cause suffering and do evil, instead of being forced to do so.

If you believe in principle in the existence of gods, then either theory is as good as the other to explain the existence of wellbeing and suffering or good and evil.

As with so many arguments for the existence of gods, this one depends on first choosing the type of god that you want to exist, then giving your imagined god attributes that suit what you already want it to be like.


Michael Nugent is Chair of Atheist Ireland

Do Gods Exist? 11 ➤ Good God Or Evil God?

Michael Nugent
 
with the eleventh in a series of pieces on whether gods exist. 

 Is there an all-good god or an all-evil god? This is the eleventh of a series of short posts about whether gods exist and why the question is an important one.

Theists typically argue that their god is all-good, as well as all-knowing and all-powerful.

But an all-good god would want to create a perfect universe with no suffering or evil, and an all-
knowing and all-powerful god would be able to do this.

Photo: star cluster NGC 1866 from ESA/Hubble & NASA

So why do we see so much suffering or evil around us?

Some theists respond that the world is actually perfect, but we just don’t understand how. But then why would the god have to intervene in this perfect universe through miracles?

These people argue that what we see as suffering and evil might be necessary to bring about a greater good, and we just don’t understand why an all-good god would need to do it this way.

Others argue that their all-good god created humans with free will, in order that we are able to voluntarily choose to cause wellbeing and do good, instead of being forced to do so.

But both of these arguments apply equally to the idea that there is an all-evil god, who is also all-knowing and all-powerful.

If there is an all-evil god, then what we see as wellbeing and good might be necessary to bring about a greater evil, and we just don’t understand why an all-evil god would need to do it this way.

Or maybe an all-evil god created humans with free will, in order that we are able to voluntarily choose to cause suffering and do evil, instead of being forced to do so.

If you believe in principle in the existence of gods, then either theory is as good as the other to explain the existence of wellbeing and suffering or good and evil.

As with so many arguments for the existence of gods, this one depends on first choosing the type of god that you want to exist, then giving your imagined god attributes that suit what you already want it to be like.


Michael Nugent is Chair of Atheist Ireland

11 comments:

  1. I do not believe that there is metaphysical entities of good and evil. Both are products of human actions and words.

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    Replies
    1. I agree - but Michael is making the point if gods existed. I find it impossible to see how a god could be good. Imagine falling into the hands of that vindictive bastard in the Old Testament.

      Delete
  2. Or an indifferent yet curious creator?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How could he be curious and indifferent at the same time?

      Delete
  3. Curious at what happens, indifferent at the outcome?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He wouldn't know, like, what happens. He is god😄

      Delete
  4. Touche! LOL, Thinking more a kid with an ant farm- he ain't planning anything!

    ReplyDelete
  5. God is like gravity and covid, all man made concepts that can't be proven or disproven. According to the OT, there is more than one God, Gen 1 v27 say's they made us in their likeness. So some people were made good, some bad and the rest of us fall somewhere in between.

    My take is we (humans/life in general) are either a complete fluke of nature or Alien intervention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. frankie,

      Statistically we are very unlikely to be a fluke. The basic building blocks of life are abundant in the Universe.

      Delete
  6. Stevie,

    Statistically we are very unlikely to be a fluke.



    Then we are a product of Alien intervention. God is meant to have made Eve from one of Adams spare ribs...(Stem Research)..the immaculate conception (IVF)???

    Professor David Kipping talking about "Why we might be alone in the Universe"...Around 20mins into the talk he brings up abiogenesis and his bottom line is the chances of life (intelligent) evolving on other planets is quiet a lot to basically no chance what so ever and we are fluke, which means when we get of this rock (and we will), humans will populate the universe..

    Personally I am of the school of thought there is other intelligent life out there. They could be a few hundred years behind us techonology wise to millions of years more advanced.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Then we are a product of Alien intervention. "

    Eh?

    "God is meant to have made Eve from one of Adams spare ribs...(Stem Research)..the immaculate conception (IVF)???"

    Oh, that's bollocks but continue...

    "Professor David Kipping talking about "Why we might be alone in the Universe"...Around 20mins into the talk he brings up abiogenesis and his bottom line is the chances of life (intelligent) evolving on other planets is quiet a lot to basically no chance what so ever and we are fluke, which means when we get of this rock (and we will), humans will populate the universe.."

    There's a coherent sentence in there, somewhere, trying to escape..

    "Personally I am of the school of thought there is other intelligent life out there. They could be a few hundred years behind us techonology wise to millions of years more advanced."

    Very likely.

    ReplyDelete