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Why is there sin and suffering?
A Case against the Free Will on Earth
Jeffrey Pattavina, 12-24-14
Case A: Free Will on Earth (Traditional Answer)
This proposal is standard answer to the problem of evil. That is, 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.
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.
Case B: Free Will in Heaven
But as we have seen, 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 4 on Case-A, above is invalid and so is Conclusion A. We propose the following:
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.
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 am looking for a theologean or Apologist to help me with this dilema
Jeff
A Case against the Free Will on Earth
Jeffrey Pattavina, 12-24-14
Case A: Free Will on Earth (Traditional Answer)
This proposal is standard answer to the problem of evil. That is, 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.
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.
Case B: Free Will in Heaven
But as we have seen, 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 4 on Case-A, above is invalid and so is Conclusion A. We propose the following:
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.
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 am looking for a theologean or Apologist to help me with this dilema
Jeff