The Problem of Evil and Hell

I thank my partner for his opening reply and his clarification. This debate focuses on the Problem of Evil and the Problem of Hell. As I was beginning to prepare for this debate, my biggest trouble was what to leave out. There is so much that needs to be covered in only 8000 characters that it pains me to know that there are just some things I need to leave out. -->OPENING ARGUMENTS<--The Problem of Evil A. The argument map B. The argument in a nutshell The argument states basically this: "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" -Epicurus C. The Argument formulated If God exists, then he is necessarily omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent (by definition). If proposition 1 is true, then unjustufied evil will not occur. However, unjustified evil does occur. Therefore, it is probable that proposition 1 is false. If proposition 1 is true, then unjustified evil will not occur. My partner agreed that we will discuss the God as revealed in the Holy Bible. By my partner's very own definition, he is most wise, most holy, and most gracious, and most loving. Therefore, it is unreasonable that a God who is all these things will allow something that is unjustified to come into the world. Consider the following: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.-1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV. The word translated as "love" is agape; [1] this is the same exact word that is used to define God in 1 John: God is Agape. Unjustified evil does occur This is where we beg the question: What is evil? I define evil as unecessary suffering; i.e., suffering that is unjustified. I contend that there are three forms of evil: Evil brought on humans by nature; Evil that we bring upon ourselves; and Evil that we bring upon oneself. [2] Let's take into consideration some of the evil that has been done: 1) In the summer of 2011, a Norway lunatic Anders Breivik slaughtered many people, including children. At one point, the children found good hiding place. Eventually, there was a man that claimed to be a police officer who told them it was safe to come out. Unfortunately, it was the gunman in disguise and they were murdered. [3] 2) During the 2005 Hurricane Katerina, over 1300 people have been confirmed dead. [4] Likewise, many children have suffered during this terrible disaster as a result of homelessness, loss of life, and loss of family/friends. [5] 3) Christianity has been, for the majority of its history, a malevolent religion slaughtering thousands of people. For example, during the protesant reformation, hundreds of Christians died because they were standing up against the Pope of Rome and demanding a reformation in the church. Consequently, they were burned as heritics. [6] 4) During the times of trouble, it often appears that poor people suffer more than the wealthy.For example, when an earthquake hits a poor nation such as Hati, more people die than in a nation such as the US. In the 2010 Hati earthquake, 3 million people were in need of an emergency after the quake. [7] Charles Bradlaugh responds: The existence of evil is a terrible stumbling block for the theist. Pain, misery, crime, poverty confront the advocate of eternal goodness, and challenge with unanswerable potency his declaration of Deity all-good, all-wise and all-powerful. Evil is either caused by God or it exist independently; but it cannot be caused by God, as in that case he would not be all-good; nor can it exists hostilely, as in that case he would not be all-powerful. If all-good he would desire to annihilate evil, and continued evil contradicts either God's desire, or God's ability, to prevent it. Evil must either have had a beginning or it must have been eternal, but according to the theist, it cannot be eternal, because God alone is eternal. Nor can it have had a beginning, for if it had it must either have originated in God, or outside God; but according to the theist, it cannot have originated in God, for he is all-good, and out of all goodness evil cannot originate; nor can evil have originated outside God, for, according to the theist, God is infinite, and it is impossible to go outside of or beyond infinity. [7] | Conclusion | The world is indeed full of suffering that is not necessarily caused by human behavior and infraction; in fact, the majority of the time, it is caused by mother nature herself. The Problem of Hell Definitions:1) Predestination: Predetermine, decide beforehand; [8] in other words, God decides who is saved and who is not saved. 2) Free will: The ability to choose your salvation.Formulation1. If God exists, then he is necessarily just.2. Hell is an unjust punishment.3. Therefore, the Christian God cannot send people to hell. 4. However, Christian theology teaches that he does.5. Therefore, the Christian God is not just.6. Hence, the Christian-type God is non-existent (due to contradictory properties). I would like to apologize, but I'm out of room for discussion of this argument. I wish my partner the best of luck and may the best argument win. Photo Credit 1. The map of the Argument from Evil is found here: http://www.thinkatheist.com...2. The image seen under "Thank you, Jesus" is found here: http://commonsenseatheism.com...;Sources 1. The Strong's Concordence Dictionary 2. Maimonadies. The Guide to the Perplexed. 3. Frances, Bryan. The Problem of Gratious Suffering. pp.15 4. http://www.msnbc.msn.com...;5. http://www.ces.purdue.edu...;6. Quoted in Paul Tobin's Rejection of Pascal's Wager: A skeptic's guide to Christianity. 7. Fox's book of Martyrs. View the entire book for free at http://www.ccel.org...;8. Slick, Matt. What is predestination? http://carm.org...;9.