If God is all-good, all-powerful and all-knowing, how can there be evil?

**Marigold2** · 12-13-2009, 11:17 AM

Why can't it just be because? The land flooded because it rained. The person got cancer because they smoked, the family died because they were hit by a drunk driver? The man who killed several children has a mental disorder.
If you throw a coin into the air and 60% of the time it's heads and 40% is tails is it God's will or just because?
Every people that have ever lived on this planet have prayed or worshipped some form of a God or Gods. The sun, moon, rain and on and on it goes. I believe it's because we are puny compared to this vast planet, this never ending universe and we seek answers. Why did my child die, why did the crop fail, why am I in pain? We don't know the answer so we invent a God or Gods to blame, support or fill us in on the questions that haunt us. We seek light when it's dark we seek answers when we have none, we seek comfort in our sorrow and pain and so we invent a God to help us. That is what the Indians did, the Incas, the Eyptians and every culture that has ever lived on this planet.
Perhaps instead of looking to a God or a Buddah or a Moon Goodess we should just look inside of ourselves and find the answers. How can I be a better person? Why isn't that enough?

**RICHARD** · 12-13-2009, 12:27 PM

God knows everything,
Do you really think he has time to tell all of us what he has in store?

Or,

God knows everything,
He's just not talking.

**sparks19** · 12-13-2009, 12:40 PM

IMO finding God (for me) came because I did look inside myself...I found who I am and am always striving to be better but also realizing that I am not perfect and sometimes I need help to get through certain things. and the feeling that finding God has given me is a wonderful thing. I also realize that others think I am foolish or naïve for it... but if it helps me and brings me joy and comfort and I'm not hurting anyone why try to convince me it's not real?

**smokey the elder** · 12-14-2009, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Marigold2

...(partial quote) Perhaps instead of looking to a God or a Buddah or a Moon Goodess we should just look inside of ourselves and find the answers. How can I be a better person? Why isn't that enough?

IMO, many people are afraid to do that, and need a Paternal/Maternal (i.e. God or Goddess) to "stand in" for when they just can't handle something. Others are comforted by an Infinite Entity that just plain knows more than they do. I think everyone has their own take on religion/spirituality. There was an interesting piece on the news last week about how American religion is becoming more eclectic; people worship at different denomination churches, say; or even explore outside "their" religion.

The human species, because we are self-aware, have a lot of baggage to be sure, and ask a lot of (maybe unanswerable) questions! I enjoyed the Rabbi's opinions, and the fact that he allowed that there was no "right" anwer, just various more-or-less unsatisfying ones.