If God is omnipotent and omniscient, then God cannot be omnibenevolent at the same time.

Resolution: If God is omnipotent and omniscient, then God cannot be omnibenevolent at the same time. Definitions: benevolent : marked by or disposed to doing good omnibenevolent: disposed to doing only good good: 1. virtuous, right, commendable 2. kind kind: 1. of a sympathetic or helpful nature 2. of a forbearing nature : gentle 3. arising from or characterized by sympathy or forbearance 4. of a kind to give pleasure or relief omnipotent: almighty almighty: having absolute power over all omniscient: (1) having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight (2) possessed of universal knowledge God: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshiped as creator and ruler of the universe time: the point or period when something occurs Observations and Requirements: 1. Time for the purpose of this debate must be considered the discrete point at which God may be honestly described as possessing the qualities of omniscience, omnipotence and omnibenevolence at once. We are therefore not discussing whether or not God would have the power to turn omnibenevolence on and off like a light switch, in order to possess the qualities at different moments in time. 2. We are not discussing potentiality. We are discussing qualities. Therefore, that God has the ability to manifest any one quality without manifesting the others is irrelevant to this debate, as he must manifest all three concurrently to counter the resolution. 3. The understandings of terms relevant to this Debate are not to exceed that of their definitions. 4. Bad things happen to people and people suffer for them. 5. Bad things include both the deleterious actions of others and harm brought upon people by natural events. Rules: 1st round: Pro expounds his argument supporting the resolution. Con rejects the assertion with his first argument, adhering to the guidelines set out in this round. 2nd round: Pro rebuts Con's points. Con rebuts Pro's rebuttal. 3rd round: Pro provides a counter-rebuttal. Con answers this with his counter-counter-rebuttal. 4th round: Final arguments. Both sides argue their full case in consideration of the overall debate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First Pro Argument: If God is omnipotent and omniscient, then God cannot be omnibenevolent at the same time. If God is omnipotent, then he has power over everything. If he is omniscient, then he is knowledgeable of all that occurs. If he is omnibenevolent, then he is of a nature to relieve suffering where it occurs. Assuming God is omniscient, he knows when people are suffering, how they are suffering, and how that suffering may be relieved. Assuming he is omnipotent, he has the power to relieve those who are suffering of their suffering. If he is omnibenevolent, he is inclined to relieve those who are suffering of their suffering if he is able. Why then does he not? If he is lazy, then he is negligent, and not at all benevolent, let alone omnibenevolent. If he is concerned with something beyond our understanding, then he must surely still be lazy, for that which is omnipotent has the power to void the concern and may act without regard to it. If he does not know, he can not be omniscient, therefore he must be aware. Why then does God not intercede? The only logical answer is that he does not intercede because he can not or will not, and the only rational evaluation of that answer is to conclude that God can not be omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent at the same time.