The Problem of Evil, Christians, and Inconsistency

[Dolorian]

I never found the free will defence persuasive, even as a Catholic. I always argued along the lines that our choosing to do evil was not an integral part of our free will but an abuse of it, indeed, our will does not becomes more limited in Heaven but rather, it is truly freed as we are no longer under concupiscence, sin and the limitations of this material world and can truly appreciate and embrace the good. While God indeed could have created a better world, this was the world he saw fit to create for the unfolding of his will, the plan he has for us (this lack of context is something I think the possible worlds talk seems to miss). He could certainly stop any sort of evil that occurs today but he permits it for the sake of a greater good which would not come about otherwise. This last bit is, of course, something that is taken on faith by believers.