Why Did God Have to Make Evil?

[LegendarySandwich]

Here's a question for all you Christians out there: why did your God have to make evil? And if you say he didn't, then why does it exist?

[Voter]

Evil exists as a result of sin. God allows it in order to make a complete revelation of himself.

[LegendarySandwich]

Evil exists as a result of sin. God allows it in order to make a complete revelation of himself.

Why did God make sin? Why does he have to allow it to reveal himself? Couldn't he have revealed himself without it?

[Voter]

He can't reveal his reaction to sin if there is no sin to react to.

Romans 9
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory

So, he wanted to make known his wrath toward sin and his mercy.

[LegendarySandwich]

He can't reveal his reaction to sin if there is no sin to react to.

Romans 9
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory

So, he wanted to make known his wrath toward sin and his mercy.

So, basically, he just wanted to be mad at something, so he made evil in the world so he could throw a hissyfit?

[Sophus]

He can't reveal his reaction to sin if there is no sin to react to.

Romans 9
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory

So, he wanted to make known his wrath toward sin and his mercy.

Which means to be more godly I must provoke people to do bad deeds so I can get all indignant? I think I'll start by giving a child with anger issues a loaded rifle so when he snaps and kills his parent I can show him mercy.

[OldGit]

The only religion I know of which successfully deals with this old problem of theodicy is Pastafarianism.  The FSM was drunk at the moment of creation, which is why the world is so lousy.  I've never heard of any other theology getting a grip on it.

The original sin theory might make some kind of sense explaining, say, illness, but to apply it to natural disasters you have to postulate a very unpleasant, vengeful god.

[Voter]

So, basically, he just wanted to be mad at something, so he made evil in the world so he could throw a hissyfit?

No. The Bible doesn't go into the reason, but logically:

- He wanted a loving relationship with those of us who will be saved, and
- You can only love someone to the extent you know them.

So, in order to have more than a superficial love from us, he had to make more of his qualities known.

[LegendarySandwich]

So, basically, he just wanted to be mad at something, so he made evil in the world so he could throw a hissyfit?

No. The Bible doesn't go into the reason, but logically:

- He wanted a loving relationship with those of us who will be saved, and
- You can only love someone to the extent you know them.

So, in order to have more than a superficial love from us, he had to make more of his qualities known.

So:
-God made humans
-God wants to know humans, but in a deep and emotional way
-One of God's qualities is vengeful wrath and anger
-So, in order to show this quality, he creates evil and sin in the world

Makes perfect sense.

The reason you get around the problem of evil is by saying that God is an evil, petty asshole, which I agree with. An unusual position, but I guess it works, if you ignore all the passages in the Bible where it says he's a loving god and whatnot.

[Davin]

He can't reveal his reaction to sin if there is no sin to react to.

Romans 9
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory

So, he wanted to make known his wrath toward sin and his mercy.

You beat the people you love so that they feel the love when you're mercifully not beating them. How else will they know you love them, unless you stop beating them?

[joeactor]

... you can also get around this quandary by saying that god is neither good nor evil.  ... or that he's both.

Good/Evil, Creation/Destruction - all two sides of one coin, yes/no?

[LegendarySandwich]

... you can also get around this quandary by saying that god is neither good nor evil.  ... or that he's both.

Good/Evil, Creation/Destruction - all two sides of one coin, yes/no?

But the Christian god is supposed to be omnibenevolent, or at the very least a good guy.

[Voter]

So:
-God made humans
-God wants to know humans, but in a deep and emotional way
-One of God's qualities is [strike:362u94g7]vengeful wrath and anger[/strike:362u94g7] righteous judgment-So, in order to show this quality, he [strike:362u94g7]creates[/strike:362u94g7] allows evil and sin in the world

I would change slightly as noted above, but basically you have it right.

Makes perfect sense.

Yes, it does. Consider human dating. Most people have guards up on a first date. Those guards need to be relaxed if a deeper relationship is desired.

The reason you get around the problem of evil is by saying that God is [strike:362u94g7]an evil, petty asshole, which I agree with[/strike:362u94g7] a righteous judge.

Again, aside from spin, you have it right.

An unusual position, but I guess it works, if you ignore all the passages in the Bible where it says he's a loving god and whatnot.

He is a loving god. He's also a righteous judge. The two are not mutually exclusive.

[Sophus]

The reason you get around the problem of evil is by saying that God is [strike:2j8h4pm7]an evil, petty asshole, which I agree with[/strike:2j8h4pm7] a righteous judge.

If I were to carry out my plan to act more godly (as stated above) would that not make me an evil petty asshole? On what planet does creating evil and eternal suffering to make oneself look good not, to use the kindness word possible, at least narcissistic?
God is a sadist.

[Voter]

If I were to carry out my plan to act more godly (as stated above) would that not make me an evil petty asshole?

Your plan stated above is not a correct understanding of my position.

On what planet does creating evil and eternal suffering to make oneself look good not, to use the kindness word possible, at least narcissistic?

The Bible makes it pretty clear that God alone is worthy of praise. If you want to spin that as narcissism, that's your choice. I see it as simple truth.

BTW, unless you're really unusual, you spend time and money to make yourself look good, when that time and money could have gone to reducing suffering in your fellow man. Does that make you narcissistic?