Tough Questions on a Bus part 1

As I on a bus this weekend surrounded by teenagers returning from our 2011 winter retreat, I was engaged by a few with honest questions which made their life with Christ a challenge. Truthfully, I totally related to their struggle — even attempting to answer their questions made me uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable, not because I didn't feel I could not answer their questions, but because I didn't like than answers I had to give.

The questions surrounded theodicy (the origin of evil) and why people go to hell. Granted, humanity has struggled with these questions for centuries and I can assure that in one bus ride I was not able to generate any answers for the ages. What I did manage to do was point the students towards the scripture for answers stir my own heart to begin wrestling with my own discomfort with the answers I had to give to these questions.

When addressing theodicy, I don't have definitive answers. But I do have a great deal of comfort with where my heart rests on the subject. The simplest way I know to put it is to begin defining terms. If we can all agree that evil is the opposite of God. Then any choice made (by men or fallen angels) creates and perpetuates evil. We therefore cannot point the finger at God for the presence of evil in the world. Rather we can point to Genesis 3 and blame the serpent and ourselves.

But God created us, doesn't that mean he created evil...

I suppose you could view it from that vantage point. However, the argument is strange. We do not typically punish or blame loving parents for their wayward children's decisions to break laws. To my knowledge, we have not imprisoned the parents of murderers and thieves.

Further, it is our ability to choose which creates the opportunity for love. Love with out freewill is not love. If we do not have the choice to obey commandments, choose relationship with God, or worship our creator we become incapable of love for God and subsequently each other.

Ahh, so by giving us a choice God created evil...

Again, the point of view has been expressed. If we are going this deep into the conversation, we must now begin to ask what our basic belief of God is. Do we believe he is a good God, desiring good things for creation? Or do we believe that God is maniacal, enjoying the struggles and tension of good versus evil and taking pleasure in man kinds challenge to navigate the two. I for one find a loving, benevolent, compassionate, and ultimately good God detailed in scripture. Therefore I must reject any explanation which makes God the author of evil.