The Problem of Evil

[Teuthida]

Originally Posted by Bond

Now, you said you don't believe there is such a thing as evil. Do you believe there is suffering?

Now suffering is something I can get behind. Everyone experiences suffering. Everyone. Stub your toe? You just suffered; unless you enjoy stubbing your toe. Your body sensed pain and received injury but to your mind it was an enjoyable experience. I'll focus on that for a bit.

People impose suffering upon themselves all the time. Usually it's for a greater good and thus tolerated. Want to get buff like Arnold? You're going to be in the gym breaking down your muscles to rebuild them bigger and stronger. When you life weights your body releases endorphins. Endorphins feel good. Without having a goal like in the bodybuilding example why else would someone subject themselves to pain? Consume a Bhut jolokia pepper and you'll feel like you’re dying. But no one sprung it on you. You'll injest it with prior knowledge that it'll hurt. Yet you do it anyway. It's painful but it still feel good. It's a rush.

Ascetics suffer as a way to reach spiritual enlightenment. Might be mistaken of the sect, but heard cases of Jainism in India where one fellow rolled along the ground for months, or maybe years instead of walking. Some other folks keep one arm raised above their head until it becomes withered and useless. Or take a look at monks giving up physical belongings and other things the typical person would consider to be pleasurable. Ascetics one up them by giving up their physical body.

Then there is suffering in the form of deprivation, which also goes hand in hand with the above. In prisons the most severe punishment is usually isolation. Sometimes one is deprived of light or food as well. Fasting is a form of suffering that can be quite healthy. Giving up food or certain types of food is found in almost every religion. One needs food to live. To eat is the most basic of instincts, so to deprive one self or another of food would be considered suffering.

Suffering is a bit more clear than the evil argument. It's still relative because what someone considers suffering, another might enjoy. Physical pain is observable though, so no matter if you hate it or like it, it's clearly wrecking havoc on your body. The fruits of one's labor almost always arise out of some sort of suffering.

A bit rambly.

[Yoda9864]

God and Satan are in an eternal struggle for the souls of men. Each side coerces people so that their souls may be taken. It's all explained in the movie Constantine.


Of course, this whole question relies on the fact that you believe in some higher power. If you do not, then the answer is simply that bad people exist and there is nothing you can do about it. Good people exist, and bad people exist. They balance each other. If they didn't balance each other (i.e.- one side massively outweighed the other), the world could not function. We would self destruct.