C
cc17
Guest
I have another question I would like some help understanding “why an all Loving God allows suffering”.
I present the classical answer as I understand it.
However, I believe it is flawed. I need help from an expert like yourself.
QUESTION: Why is there sin and suffering?
A Case against the Free Will on Earth
Case A
The standard answer to the problem of evil (As I understand it) is that, God wants to share in His truth which is His love with man by endowing man with free will in order that man can love. God tolerates sin and evil for the sake of greater good (Double Effect)…
Premise A1: God’s essence is love. He wants his creatures to share in His truth which is His love
Premise A2: In order for God to share in His truth (love) man must be endowed with free will. Without free will we cannot love.
Premise A3: God tolerates the bad choices that result from free will (i.e., sin and suffering) for the sake of greater good (love).
Premise A4: God cannot eliminate (P3) without wiping out (P2) as well.
Conclusion A:
God can share in His truth which is His love (A1) with man by endowing man with free will (A2). By virtue of A3 and A4 God tolerates sin and evil for the sake of greater good (Double Effect).
Critisism of Conclusion A:
We know, we will have free will in heaven and in the presence of the divine good, we will see God face to face and will always choose the Divine Good that is God himself. Thus premise
A4 on Case-A, above is invalid and so is Conclusion A. Thus we have the following case.
Case B: Free Will in Heaven
Premise A1: God’s essence is love. He wants his creatures to share in His truth which is His love
Premise A2: In order for God to share in His truth (love) man must be endowed with free will. Without free will we cannot love.
Premise B1: Man has free will in heaven and in the presence of the Divine Good, will always choose the Good that is God himself.
**Conclusion B: **
God can share in His truth which is His love (A1) with man by endowing man with free will (A2). By virtue of B1 God need not tolerate sin and evil for the sake of greater good.
Since by B1 man can be created in Heaven with free will and by virtue of the beatific vision will always choose the Divine Good.
Summary Remark:
It seems the classical answer to “Why an all Loving and Powerful God allows sin?” given by Case-A is invalid. Based on Case-B it is not reasonable for God to allow sin and suffering for the Greater-Good, since there is another way. It seems that God can share His truth which is His love with man without creating a cosmos or universe to begin with. Simply create man in Heaven - The issue remains – why is there sin and suffering?
I present the classical answer as I understand it.
However, I believe it is flawed. I need help from an expert like yourself.
QUESTION: Why is there sin and suffering?
A Case against the Free Will on Earth
Case A
The standard answer to the problem of evil (As I understand it) is that, God wants to share in His truth which is His love with man by endowing man with free will in order that man can love. God tolerates sin and evil for the sake of greater good (Double Effect)…
Premise A1: God’s essence is love. He wants his creatures to share in His truth which is His love
Premise A2: In order for God to share in His truth (love) man must be endowed with free will. Without free will we cannot love.
Premise A3: God tolerates the bad choices that result from free will (i.e., sin and suffering) for the sake of greater good (love).
Premise A4: God cannot eliminate (P3) without wiping out (P2) as well.
Conclusion A:
God can share in His truth which is His love (A1) with man by endowing man with free will (A2). By virtue of A3 and A4 God tolerates sin and evil for the sake of greater good (Double Effect).
Critisism of Conclusion A:
We know, we will have free will in heaven and in the presence of the divine good, we will see God face to face and will always choose the Divine Good that is God himself. Thus premise
A4 on Case-A, above is invalid and so is Conclusion A. Thus we have the following case.
Case B: Free Will in Heaven
Premise A1: God’s essence is love. He wants his creatures to share in His truth which is His love
Premise A2: In order for God to share in His truth (love) man must be endowed with free will. Without free will we cannot love.
Premise B1: Man has free will in heaven and in the presence of the Divine Good, will always choose the Good that is God himself.
**Conclusion B: **
God can share in His truth which is His love (A1) with man by endowing man with free will (A2). By virtue of B1 God need not tolerate sin and evil for the sake of greater good.
Since by B1 man can be created in Heaven with free will and by virtue of the beatific vision will always choose the Divine Good.
Summary Remark:
It seems the classical answer to “Why an all Loving and Powerful God allows sin?” given by Case-A is invalid. Based on Case-B it is not reasonable for God to allow sin and suffering for the Greater-Good, since there is another way. It seems that God can share His truth which is His love with man without creating a cosmos or universe to begin with. Simply create man in Heaven - The issue remains – why is there sin and suffering?