(March 26, 2014 at 9:22 am)Tonus Wrote:(March 25, 2014 at 12:09 am)snowtracks Wrote: God doesn't create anything that doesn't serve a purpose.
That makes sense. The question is, did he create smallpox from the very beginning, or at some later point?
from a resource prospective: disease, wars, and famine control population.
again, earth and universe weren't designed for ultimate perfection. God's plan doesn't include keeping all pain, suffering, and all expression of sin from coming into existence; the garden of eden wasn't secured under lock and key. if sin (which grow into evil) and its effect continued forever, then there would be a real cogent argument against God's nature and even His existence, but both physical and mental suffering is temporary.
also there's human involvement like 1) improper hygiene - God laid out health law practices and instructions for quarantines in leviticus. 2) making poor choices or engaging in sinful behavior which has consequences including disease.
free will has cost and benefits.
Atheist Credo: A universe by chance that also just happened to admit the observer by chance.