I’ve never really understood why some people struggle with the “problem of evil.” The problem is most famously expressed by the Greek philosopher, Epicurus, who said:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

If you’re not particularly into philosophical debates (and there’s no particular reason why you should be), you don’t know that the ‘problem of evil’ has been a hot topic for centuries. These days, faux philosophers hurl the problem of evil at Christians on social media as irrefutable proof that God cannot exist.

“[I’m sick of hearing Christians] thanking god…for sparing their lives during a natural disaster when thousands of others have died and their all powerful god could have prevented the disaster to begin with. Despite great efforts over the centuries no Christian philosopher has been able to deal with the “problem of evil” which discredits any belief in an all-loving, all-powerful and loving god.”

Godless Person

So…natural disasters discredit belief in all-powerful and loving god? Okay, you convinced me! Another win for reason over superstition! There is no god.

But…there are still natural disasters. A tsunami hit my village today and washed all my loved ones out to sea. I’m pretty worked up about it and I don’t know what to do with these feelings. I could get angry with the ocean but then I’d need to add “insanity” to my growing list of problems. It is just my irrational, arbitrary preference to have my friends be alive rather than drowned. And that’s where the ‘problem with evil’ comes apart.

Modern faux philosophers ignore the problem that’s right there in good ol’ Epicurus’ quote; “Whence comes evil?” If there is no God, there’s nobody to blame for tsunamis. But it’s much worse than that. If there is no God, there’s nobody to blame for cruelty, injustice, oppression, or tyranny. Blaming a wave for murder is silly. But human beings are made of the same chemicals as waves. If there is no ‘image of God’ in people, we are no different from waves, tornadoes, cancer cells, or bullets.

The real ‘problem with evil’ is that you can’t solve it by just saying God does not exist. Evil is persistent. It sticks around even after you claim to erase God.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

Romans 14:17