tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post222068781079112321..comments2024-03-28T12:34:14.649-07:00Comments on dangerous idea: The problem of evil--with some references to CalvinismVictor Repperthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962948073162156902noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-3345832315014376922021-09-23T06:29:39.944-07:002021-09-23T06:29:39.944-07:00Our nature is to be a slightly more intelligent ap...Our nature is to be a slightly more intelligent ape. Non-human apes attack each other to control territory, sex, food, etc. Some non-human apes even attack others randomly, rape, etc. One Browhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938816242512563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-64824828373125277382021-09-21T14:19:20.188-07:002021-09-21T14:19:20.188-07:00"This is, without doubt, the most powerful ar..."<i>This is, without doubt, the most powerful argument for atheism.</i>"<br /><br />How so? The way I see it, the existence of evil is one of the strongest arguments I know of <b>AGAINST</b> atheism. In a purely materialistic world, one would expect everything to behave as it ought to. There would be no room for evil, no mechanism by which it could appear. The fact that human beings routinely act against their nature is (to me, convincing) evidence that this physical world is not all there is.Starhopperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18350334327301656588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-18924666723508502962021-09-20T19:10:34.885-07:002021-09-20T19:10:34.885-07:00I think there is (sort of) a fourth option, and it...I think there is (sort of) a fourth option, and it happens to be the one I hold.<br /><br />Admit that evil is evidence against the existence of a good God, to be considered along with all the other evidence. Most of the evidence (IMO) is in favour of God's existence (existence and design of universe; human apparent free will, consciousness, ethics and rationality; religious experience of various forms; and the life of the historical Jesus).<br /><br />Thus believing in God while recognising the problem of evil leads to cognitive dissonance, but disbelieving in God while recognising all those other evidences causes greater cognitive dissonance. The only logical conclusion is to believe in God while recognising difficulties.unkleEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12207729664951716799noreply@blogger.com