RE: The Problem of Evil (XXVII)
June 8, 2016 at 8:26 am
(This post was last modified: June 8, 2016 at 8:42 am by SteveII.)
@wiploc
When I use the term omnibenevolent, I mean it is a property describing the essence of God as perfect goodness or moral perfection. You are defining it more along the lines of infinite benevolence. Rather than a descriptive property, you are taking a step further and are claiming it creates an obligation to avoid all suffering. But by using this definition, you cannot stop at just natural suffering--you would have to apply it to all suffering (even man-made), otherwise preventing this suffering vs that suffering is arbitrary and therefore is not a real property.
In response to both the free will and the knowledge of God defense, you say that if God thinks these things are more valuable than preventing suffering he is not omnibenevolent. I can see you point with your definition. I don't think argument is strong with the definition I have. Moral perfection in a universe of physical laws and free will does not entail preventing suffering if 1) there are greater goods to acheive or 2) someone makes a choice that results in suffering.
When I use the term omnibenevolent, I mean it is a property describing the essence of God as perfect goodness or moral perfection. You are defining it more along the lines of infinite benevolence. Rather than a descriptive property, you are taking a step further and are claiming it creates an obligation to avoid all suffering. But by using this definition, you cannot stop at just natural suffering--you would have to apply it to all suffering (even man-made), otherwise preventing this suffering vs that suffering is arbitrary and therefore is not a real property.
In response to both the free will and the knowledge of God defense, you say that if God thinks these things are more valuable than preventing suffering he is not omnibenevolent. I can see you point with your definition. I don't think argument is strong with the definition I have. Moral perfection in a universe of physical laws and free will does not entail preventing suffering if 1) there are greater goods to acheive or 2) someone makes a choice that results in suffering.
