Does Evil Disprove God? | Episode 208 | Closer To Truth

Theologians have no tougher task than explaining evil, its enormity even more than its existence. Give the clergy their due: they've devised clever, even profound, rationale. But at the end of the long day, do these explanations, or rationalizations, really work? Featuring interviews with Peter van Inwagen, Quentin Smith, Alvin Plantinga, Michael Tooley, and Richard Swinburne.
Season 2, Episode 8 - #CloserToTruth
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Closer To Truth host Robert Lawrence Kuhn takes viewers on an intriguing global journey into cutting-edge labs, magnificent libraries, hidden gardens, and revered sanctuaries in order to discover state-of-the-art ideas and make them real and relevant.
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Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[@davidecirillo9675]

Imagine a world where humans freely chose to always respect and take care of each other and the environment, and the scientific knowledge is so advanced that natural disasters and diseases can be predicted and prevented. No wars, no injustice, no damages, no evil. When they say that human beings are created in the image of God I think about this potential of ours.

[@UkuraciUsername]

This is true. And without that evil we could never have achieved that greatness. Because if there is no evil how could we know what is good?

[@StallionFernando]

Foolish idealism at it's finest, stop listening too Lennon lol. There will always be evil in the world.

[@yeolee2703]

There is good and there is evil in this world. The good news is that this world is illusive, awake. Many say the same thing, Buddha, Laozi, ancient sage and the Bible.

[@digitalfootballer9032]

While yes it is said "man is created in the image of God", man is also an imperfect being, and was never meant to be perfect. If God exists, and even looks like us, that doesn't mean we are carbon copies, aren't we lesser versions then? I mean, I can scan a $100 bill and it looks like a $100 bill, but it isn't a $100 bill and it wouldn't have the value of a $100 bill.

[@nathanforrest3483]

The cold indifference of the universe will always win in the end...

[@connectionerror2312]

Thank you, CTT!! i've always gotten so much from these episodes!! Especially the ones with Jaron Lanier. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@andrebrown8969]

I always want to know. How does another person's view of a god influence your own view of god?

[@healingplaces]

@@andrebrown8969 It can not. There is nothing more personal than the relationship with the divine. I guess you may agree.

[@andrebrown8969]

@@healingplaces No I do not because I do not believe there is a god.

[@healingplaces]

@@andrebrown8969 Thank you for the reply. Interesting, I would not equate the divine with what in 'Western' Culture is commonly meant by the term 'God'. Still, good that it is a personal matter. Be well!

[@moses777exodus]

The "physical world/universe" exists, in large part, due to duality and the interaction and balance of these opposing forces. Light - Dark; North - South, Positive - Negative; Right - Wrong, On - Off, Yin - Yang, 1 - 0, Day - Night, Order - Disorder, Good - Evil, Up - Down, True - False, Male - Female, Hot - Cold, Wave - Particle, etc. is observed to be interwoven within the fabric of the "physical world/universe". Thus, the existence of Good would of necessity require the existence of Evil in the physical world/universe, and vice versa. Moreover, the scientifically confirmed property of duality in the physical world/universe does not preclude the existence of a Prime Observer/Cause.

[@jedi4049]

Always good to hear from Lawrence's quest

[@djpokeeffe8019]

“ If you choose to believe in God...” But no one does choose to believe or disbelieve. It’s simply impossible. Maybe an episode on this sometime ?

[@fredbmurphy]

Evil disproves omnibelevilence, not God. But then the leading question would be: "What is God?" Religion plays a great barrier for anyone to come up with a sound theistic argument. So in the meantime, I 'm quite comfortable as an agnostic atheist.

[@durosempre4470]

Let's say the simulation hypothesis turns out to be true and our entire universe (or at least the visible part of it) is virtual. The programmers of this matrix wouldn't exactly be deities, but they'd be orders of magnitude more advanced than humans. This wouldn't negate the possibility of a supernatural Supreme Being in overall charge of everything, but it would put the immediate responsibility for "our universe" in the hands of these hypothetical programmers. Within this vast simulation, what we perceive as evil might be the equivalent of extremely complex "what if" scenarios. e.g., What if there was a universe generated in a big bang where carbon-based life developed and eventually became self-aware? What type of civilizations would such creatures build? Would they be good to each other? Hurtful? What would their habitat be like? Would it be stable? Would it experience tremors and volcanic eruptions? Would the inhabitants learn to overcome these disasters while there was still time?

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

Beautiful video as always ❤️

[@user-ij6vg8xq2r]

Nothing can be understood without contrast. It is the only way the Living Infinite Being has of expressing and examining Self.

[@Ascendlocal]

Wrong. Existential Nhilism. There is no afterlife. Our reality, survival of the fittest, Proven! 200 trillion galaxies, each with billions of suns...doesn't care what you want to believe or not. It's not about us. We simply cease to exist. Get it?

[@user-ij6vg8xq2r]

@@Ascendlocal Well, you are, no doubt, Partly correct. Your view May change, evolve, over the years. Mine did.

[@moses777exodus]

Belief in a strictly materialistic Darwinian Evolution ideology leads one to believe, albeit falsely, that there is no Free Will. And if there is no Free Will, then there is no Right and Wrong and no Moral Law. However, this belief is completely contrary to everything that is practiced and observed in nature, humanity, and the cosmos regarding cause and effect. This Darwinian line of reasoning is what led to the atrocities of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc and is the hidden, underlying ideology / worldview justifying and directing many countries' domestic and foreign policies to the present.

[@moses777exodus]

The "physical world/universe" exists, in large part, due to duality and the interaction and balance of these opposing forces. Light - Dark; North - South, Positive - Negative; Right - Wrong, On - Off, Yin - Yang, 1 - 0, Day - Night, Order - Disorder, Good - Evil, Up - Down, True - False, Male - Female, Hot - Cold, Wave - Particle, etc. is observed to be interwoven within the fabric of the "physical world/universe". Thus, the existence of Good would of necessity require the existence of Evil in the physical world/universe, and vice versa. Moreover, the scientifically confirmed property of duality in the physical world/universe does not preclude the existence of a Prime Observer/Cause.

[@Besotted85]

When it´s my time to die, and face God, i would like to ask him how he can justify cancer in children.

[@jamese9283]

I would gladly have died as a child with cancer, rather than go thru all the drawn out suffering in my life. However, I have learned from it.

[@cindyhammack68]

Well, prepare to go to Hell for questioning the "Almighty".

[@yeolee2703]

When you are able to face God, there will be no question whatsoever that remain.

[@Besotted85]

@@yeolee2703 How can God Justify cancer in children? There is a bucket load of questions Christians cant explain. Unless they do Christianity is not even close to trustworthy…. God of the Bible dont deserve a thought. I highly question his existence.

[@yeolee2703]

@@Besotted85 I know the feelings of devastation. Peace be with you. Can you grasp the idea of all things when reduced to their root is energy or force? Spirit? Consider, Genesis, "the earth was a void, darkness was over the surface of the deep... ", everything came out of this water of darkness. Water is a force, darkness is a deviation of light. I speak for myself, inside me is a force of darkness. "The good I know, I do not. The evil I shun, I do." Do you experience this struggle within you? Then, you may have a different spirit. My spirit is dark, an angel of Devil. It is difficult to share with you how and what He had done on me that awakened the spirit within. Now I wait, by His Word I trust, He will deal with the darkness Himself and claim back what is His... God is spirit, I am from Him though not of Him for I have deviated. He created this world for His purpose. Be humble, let Him do His will. What that counts is not in the flesh but in the spirit. Whatever grievous encounters you meet with are mere illusions in spirit of truth. But if you allow yourself to be tormented by these, you are in the flesh. The Gospel is good news, may you guided to its truth and out of bondage of this world. If we got closer to truth in wisdom, we are only close but not there. When we come to regard all earthly knowledge and experiences as like grasping the wind, one may be awaken in truth. 2Co 4:18 KJV While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. His word is of parables and parables. Where understanding is not achievable, try the church. The common posture is, humble. Good for you. I was too proud, I was humbled! Praise the Lord.

[@durosempre4470]

I don't know if evil disproves God. But it does suggest a God infinitely more complex than the one we were taught about in Sunday school.

[@KM-leons]

Why do you say Sunday school? Why didn't look into the Bible? God in the Bible is: Creator of all that there is, Eternal (above and beyond time and space), God is Spirit (not physical), Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. Such a God is revealed only in the pages of the Bible and, only such a God can create this seemingly infinite universe with all its complexities.

[@durosempre4470]

@@KM-leons With all due respect, I'm not sure God as portrayed in the Bible (Old and New Testament) gives a solid idea of God's infinitely complex nature. The world's great religions tend to simplify God into a mythical being that children can comprehend. What we gain in apparent understanding of His nature when its boiled down to the level of young kids, we lose in appreciation of His truly transcendent complex nature.

[@KM-leons]

@@durosempre4470 The attributes of God in the Bible, as given earlier, is sufficiently enough to account for all complexities required for a God a human can conceive in his imagination (and beyond). God created man perfect and good. Man sinned and fell. According to a scientific study the brain power of the best minds is only about forty percent of the one percent, that is 0.40 percent, of the real power. (Sorry, I forgot the reference). Many things in the physical universe is still a puzzle for humans. Quantum world gives him headache. Many things will remain unknown forever, such as the extent of the universe etc. If man cannot understand most the complexities of the physical universe he is living in how can he hope to comprehend the things of the God plane - the Spiritual realm? Jesus said: "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" John 3:12 "For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]."Amplified Bible 2:Cor.3:12

[@durosempre4470]

@@KM-leons I somewhat agree with you. God is so great, so full of complexities and unknowable paradoxes, that He can hardly be described in the pages of a mere book, no matter how profound.

[@roqsteady5290]

This just reduces to another "god moves in mysterious ways" argument. But, that is really just an admission that theists have no rational reason for proposing gods in the first place, since they have no idea what it is they are actually proposing.

[@mopippenger7373]

"I think the concentration camp guards were the real victims of the Holocaust" -Richard Swinson (22:19 - 22:54) Yikes...

[@durosempre4470]

I like Swinburne but that comment was loopy to say the least. I think I know what he meant, though. If divine justice exists, punishment for the SS (not to mention Hitler and other senior Nazis) must be worse than anything even Dante could have imagined.

[@robhernandez7322]

I think he was spot on if you really understand what he meant, the guards will be punished for their sins eternally, the Jews had a hard time for a portion of their lives.

[@durosempre4470]

@Black Hair Joining the SS was strictly voluntary. They were even allowed to transfer out of camp duty if they wanted. So no, they weren't simply "following orders."

[@heavymeddle28]

My dad was born 1928. At the time without information everywhere, church and school having much bigger powers plus the propaganda, my dad really believed that Jews were evil and bad. He didn't think so when he was older but indoctrination made him join "Hitler jugend" and all kinds of stupid things. So I don't blame the average guard. That's what they really believed. But I don't think all guards were "evil". I have no links or specific details but I've heard about many guards that actually were quite human

[@thereligionofrationality8257]

@@durosempre4470 Don't know how much of a WWII scholar you are, but your synopsis of the situation is just as simplistic as that of Black Hair. In general, the police prior to the Third Reich became the various enforcement arms of that regime, with the more sadistic gravitating toward the SS and the death squads. There's an interesting anecdote in the book "On Killing," by Col. Dave Grossman, where a soldier who refuses to machine gun a line of Jews gets put in the line and murdered along with them. History is no more black and white than the present.

[@philochristos]

This must be an old video. Quentin Smith is no longer with us.

[@roqsteady5290]

That is sad, he doesn't look very old here.

[@JohnnyAmerique]

It should also be noted that the existence of “free will” is not at all an established fact. It’s much more likely that what we think is “free will” is merely the biochemical computer known as the human brain running numerous unconscious parallel calculations for which the inputs are at best imprecise and therefore the outputs are unknown. This is a far more plausible explanation for the perceived existence of “free will” than some religious claptrap which just asserts things that have little to no material or empirical basis.

[@danieleizaga3589]

Huge fan from Venezuela.

[@danellwein8679]

not sure if evil disproves God .... if it doesn't ... then there is a lot about God we don't know or understand ...

[@amiralozse1781]

pretty much my thoughts as well. and i regard myself as agnostic

[@seangrieves4359]

It's ourselves we lack awareness of the facts of experience, what we have been taught and regard as true is often contrary to our direct experience. In oneness, all is God nothing excluded. Knowing is God and in this changeless timeless, spaceless, infinity, gets impressed by what is known then expresses as experience. Our hindrance is belief, we don't need it to know ourselves directly.

[@danellwein8679]

@@seangrieves4359 interesting thoughts ..

[@ezbody]

People tend to excuse authority in the same manner they excuse God. Authority and God are ultimately the same concept, meant to condition people to obey and not ask any questions.

[@Frank_San_Nicolas]

“The Lord works in mysterious ways.” And he has an endless supply of ants.

[@thereligionofrationality8257]

Does good prove God?

[@itneeds2bsaid528]

Its certainly not in nature.

[@jimliu2560]

What is really “good-good”?

[@wasteddude]

@@itneeds2bsaid528 but it is neither.

[@digitalfootballer9032]

​@@itneeds2bsaid528Yes, but nature isn't civilized. Nature is nature. Humans broke out of raw nature and built a civilization, nature isn't subject to God's rules, there is no "good and evil" for the beasts and the trees. They just exist.

[@yousefnadjarzadeh]

Ensuring stability and permanence in anything depends on the laws of conformity of forces with each other, and the issue of tension arises when the forces do not conform to each other. Therefore, the birth of duality in the nature of structures, including humans, is due to the creation of kinetic potential in creatures. And the existence of this duality, such as: good and bad, ugly and beautiful, dark and light, rise and fall, etc., creates meaning between the structures of duality. Thus, natural or abnormal reactions are evident due to non-compliance with the laws of convergence between bipolar structures.

[@arkaazizul6673]

Love this channel so much 🖤

[@DawnHub666]

Seems to be an atheist Jewish man pretending to look for God while debunking God. What do u like about it ?

[@roqsteady5290]

@@DawnHub666 He gets to interview people who are at the top of their respective fields, Even given that, listening to the theistic arguments here, they are much the same and just as bad as the usual stuff one comes across from apologists peddling their products on social media.

[@simplicityistheultimatesop6571]

@@DawnHub666 very true.

[@DawnHub666]

@@roqsteady5290 Silly atheist watches bad God arguments to avoid looking for God

[@blaster-zy7xx]

@@DawnHub666 Do you have a better God argument?

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

No, evil or good has nothing to do with proving or disproving god. God is Imaginary.

[@daddada2984]

Imaginary for you, but how can you explain reality? Why is there something? Something from nothing? Science & religion say it illogical.

[@tundeuk]

What if gods mission was to prove to all entities, the extent of evil we humans are capable of committing. And only when we have performed every abomination possible, would he bring the show to an end.

[@leep444]

This is my thinking also. God (Yahweh) has a Long Range plan to, at least, offer eternal life to all sentient beings He made in His image and likeness. Through "Free Will" we have all chosen destructive paths to follow to one degree or another and that is one cause of the EVIL in the world. Because Yahweh is the source and giver of Life (which we received at our birth), He also has the power to give us a re-birth by the means of Resurrection for the purpose of showing those He resurrects the Monumental contrast between His way as shown through His Law (Instruction) and the way humans with free will have gone for thousands of years. Once those "born-again" (resurrected) people see this, the vast majority (maybe all) will exercise their newly enlightened free will to choose the Creator's ways going forward into Eternity. Anything less than that leads to suffering and death as the record of human history has clearly shown.

[@briangarrett2427]

Well, that quote from Swinburne will live on (in infamy)....

[@roqsteady5290]

Everything he said here was thoroughly reprehensible, not to mention irrational. It is amazing the desperate lengths people will go to in order to defend beliefs they have no sensible reason for holding in the first place.

[@jamese9283]

He was looking at it from an eternal perspective.

[@57cactus1]

There was no mention of animal suffering in this video. Throughout the history of earth, animal suffering has far exceeded human suffering. What greater good can come from it? Does suffering build the character of animals? Is animal suffering due to their having free will? Will animals be compensated for their suffering in a glorious afterlife?

[@TomeRodrigo]

There is no god and no afterlife.

[@ricardosoca7380]

The free will defense is so inadequate on its face. First of all, it doesn't explain all of the other evil, if anything it only explains the evil caused by agents with free will. But then there's the obvious question of -- what about the Christian Heaven? Plantinga affirms that in all worlds where beings have free will there will be at least some evil; is he then also prepared to affirm that there will be some evil in Heaven? Or is he willing to affirm that those who make it to Heaven won't have free will? Something has to give in order to be consistent.

[@jakubkusmierczak695]

Three things. First one is human mind equlibrium and the equlibrium constant. People minds are set. And they are working on the base how they were calibrated. If they like simple things they were calibrated badly since satisfied them agresion, seflishness, harmfulness. If they like complicated things they were calibrated well since they are satisfied by improvement, helpfullness, kindness. Depends on the set we achieved some equlibrium i. E. Wars, peace, spaces programs, extermination. Equlibrium depends on all and is represents by constant which ich bigger or smaller. People who have can give and share, people who have nothing can take and need. So they are egoist or altruist. And they are acting depends on their needs since they have to satisfied itself and the needs came from state of mind. Secound is nature equlibrium i. E. entropy and the flow of energy, information, and matter. This state was established and it is as it is. E. G. Food chain, life of the star, chemical reactions, thermodynamics. The third one is spirytuality (pray). Every gods creature needs respect. If we harm sb. We distore it equlibrium by lowering it. So if I stole sth. I am increasing my wealth and my equlibrium state is greater but others is lower. In this process energy is gaineg from and not comes from wrok (du = q-w) . So when we want to equilibrated this state sth. Has to go down and as usaull the punishment (jews in camps) or we can pleased harm. In this conception we have pleasure and sufferness. If people are pleased by e. G. free sex sb. Has to suffer. Sb. Free will i.e. pleasure is acting as a sufferness on other creature (catholic love) . This three thing are mixed together and the world looks like it looks. People conception for world forming depends on stupidity and exploitation not thinking so the free will is greater or lower. Socialism is based not on thinking but punching cutle so the freedom is limited. Capitalism is based mainly on thinking so freedom is greater but every progres cost so we have to deal with human failures. Improvement which satisfied people needs costs. In comunism we have enslavement one by others in Capitalism we have stres and exploitation. Science conquers comforts and satisfied all. If this world has one creator it means that everything is its manifestation on different leves low is evil high is good based on established equlibrium state. So god is not good or bad is equilibrated. The more information is in the system the more ordered it is. Religion (energy comes from pretended good) is needed for simple people which can not reduces its own standard thinking deviation (sin / punishment) and satisfied one of the three equlibrium constant. Science do not punisches science improves (energy from work) and makes action without aggression (human history)and satisfied two constants. God would have created world with protein submision without killing. But here was the reason.

[@OODeagleOO]

Good and evil only prove one thing. That we have free will.

[@yinYangMountain]

The question presupposes evil exists, does it not? And even if we grant, for the sake of argument, evil exists, it does not follow that any measure of evil is connected with a god or gods-let alone countered by an objective moral / good standard on the opposite end of the scale. Also, if we subsequently grant the existence of a god or gods they might, for instance, be as the Greeks imagined, not wholly good and, occasionally, somewhat mischievous. So, in my opinion, the question, Does Evil Disprove God?, is a non sequitur.

[@videosbymathew]

No, it doesn't, but it does call into question the ethical standards and morality of said god.

[@arpitthakur45]

the world is a suffering for most people...god is evil...he should have never created the world

[@alanbrady420]

@@arpitthakur45 he more then likely didn’t!

[@itneeds2bsaid528]

Every now and again you have to discipline your kids. You also, sometimes, have to let them make mistakes so they learn. Both feel bad to the child at the time, but you do it because you love them and they will be better off as adults for it.

[@videosbymathew]

@@itneeds2bsaid528 That, umm, doesn't work for a god by definition. I can also name you a thousand evil things that are not of free will that they would allow anyway that don't teach anyone anything. Sorry, but that's a very very cheap and shallow answer that isn't really an answer at all. Think more about what you just said. Think hard.

[@roqsteady5290]

@@itneeds2bsaid528 Yeah right and then when they don't obey and worship you, you send them to your basement to be tortured for eternity. The very definition of loving parents.

[@patinho5589]

It’s very easy to deal with it. 1) couch it in the context of reincarnation 2) It’s group Karma... all coming from our own group evil.. and the karma will pressure us to keep evolving and to get to a good place. And once you’re there there is joy and happiness for all (and no life had ended.. only transformed). The concept of karma is the deep mystery, whereby we can have free choice, but yet be ‘pressured’ into a pre-determined end. This theological problem doesn’t typically meet with the answers I’ve given above.

[@jamesruscheinski8602]

Does the magnitude and widespread distribution of evil signify that human society(s) are neglecting or not living for God as God instructed, leaving society(s) without divine protection and in some cases under divine judgement?

[@chrismathis4162]

A god that gives a baby brain cancer because human society is neglecting what he has instructed is a monster and not worthy of worship. Punishing innocent people for the actions of others is the trait of a psychopath.

[@Anna-jg5br]

@@chrismathis4162 Modern medicine teaches us that cancers are caused by faulty genes, or environmental factors amongst others. I don’t hold that God causes cancers but our response to the suffering they cause calls forth a compassionate response in us to work together to find a cure. Suffering can and does cause immense pain but it’s our response to it which humanises us. The human race is “groaning in one long act of giving birth” - St Paul. It is my hope that we are evolving from our primitive beginnings to becoming mature, compassionate humans.

[@En_theo]

@11:30 "God is omnipotent but he can't..." . You gotta redefine the word omnipotent then, pal. And they call that a philosopher. The worst part is that the host acknowledge that point as valid.

[@jamese9283]

Omnipotent means all powerful. You can have all the power but have other constraints on how to use it.

[@En_theo]

@@jamese9283 And where do these constraints come from if you're the origin of all that exists ? See, caught in a contradiction again.

[@jamese9283]

@@En_theo No contradiction. You are thinking absolutely, mathematically, and I don't think God can be reduced to an equation. He is multi-faceted and complex. His power is restrained by His moral character. For example, he can't break his own word. If He says, "I will keep you safe," He can't go against His word later on when He gets mad at someone and destroys your neighborhood. He has the power, but can't use it. There are other examples. If you have a pet, you have the power to hurt it, but you are constrained by your morality that you care for and love your pet. You can't hurt it unjustly, because it would violate your morality.

[@En_theo]

@@jamese9283 None talked about math, just logic. Logic that you use conveniently (by ignoring some deep reasoning, that is) when it suits you but that I could not use to shine a light on an obvious contradiction. I'm not saying we can understand God, I say that the argument given in the video is not valid.

[@jamese9283]

​@@En_theo Yes, I reviewed the video @11:30 and don't agree with Plantinga's reasoning. He seems to be contradicting himself. I would say again, however, that God could be all-powerful, but He decided before creating the universe that He would restrict his power in certain areas.

[@Gopala-ev4dy]

It would be foolish to attribute god to Good or evil but rather attribute god to both good and evil

[@jamesruscheinski8602]

In a world created by God, is society under human leadership sufficient to live by God's instruction?

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

As for the greater evil what about the anointed chair that was in the garden that fell. There's your evil. Going to take his kingdom for your own kingdom instead of taking it as a kingdom for all.

[@heavymeddle28]

I just have a problem with "if you choose to believe.." I can't choose what I believe. Either I believe or I don't. Am I the only one wishing that there is no god? 🤔

[@thereligionofrationality8257]

Those of us who don't care have no such worries! 🙂

[@ggstylz]

I have this problem as well. It’s the fear and discomfort of not knowing that compels people to believe in god. Making a choice to believe in something that is unknowable is just too convenient. It’s understandable, but it also reflects a lack of courage in accepting other possibilities might exist.

[@peterzotti6430]

Why does evil have to disprove god? Why can't god just be evil... Why do we attribute the good to god? Like the atheist said... The nature of the world is savage and brutal... Maybe that's the nature of god and goodness is a uniquely human thing... Maybe we are the creators of good.... And we don't need god to be good....

[@TomeRodrigo]

Sounds interesting..I don't believe in god anyway..

[@peterzotti6430]

@@TomeRodrigo i don't either... I'm just helping the sheep run away from the sheep pen....

[@user-uj9cc5ch5p]

If God created evil well can't he take it way also. There in lies God's righteousness. That is what Heaven is all about, Paradise forever.

[@daddada2984]

Suffering & death is not end. What is evil? It the absence of good. What is good? God is good.

[@cindyhammack68]

If God were good, why does he allow evil?

[@daddada2984]

@@cindyhammack68 what is evil in the 1st place? Because there is freewill; ability to choose. And your choices are good and evil. You will ask, why freewill? Because God don't what robots..

[@cindyhammack68]

@@daddada2984 I've often wondered not only how we define "good" and "evil". Who made that call. The story of Moses talking to God on the mountain and God gave him the 10 commandments is just that - a story. There is no proof of tablets inscribed by God that tells the world what they shall and shall not do. Yet, through the ages that story has been the basis of our laws. 1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. To me, this means God is the only one you can worship. Yet there are people that are worshipped for their athletic ability or their performances in music, film and television. Money is worshipped. 2. Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image. Idolatry. Referencing above there are images and figurines made 3. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Self-explanatory but, it happens all the time. 4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Come on, really. Saturday was - and still is - the Sabbath day. Saturday nights are sometimes filled with debauchery. 5. Honor thy father and mother. What if a dad is sexually abusive? 6. Thou shall not kill. So here's where it gets a little messy. People kill every day. Since it's not specific are killing weeds or animals included in that? What about us killing someone because they killed someone? I won't go through the entire list but, my point is that defying any of these commandments makes you evil. So, by that standard is every single person on this earth evil? By modern definition, no. The fluidity of laws and our ability to accept blatant breaking of the commandments means the acts of "evil" are ever-changing. Being ever-changing means there is no real evil. "Evil" is personal perspective and therefore undefined, which begs the question "What is good?" Truly, good and evil is defined by the laws of man and over time these laws are changed or even repealed in entirety. Therefore, any current law may not be so in the future. There are no commandments and there are no laws that are certain. There is no "good" or "evil," it's just existence.

[@freethot333]

Has anyone else noticed that no "God' has ever commented on any of these videos? :/ I hereby extend a cordial invitation. :)

[@markkjacobson]

I can’t believe anyone takes these “theologians’” answers seriously. I wonder if these people have had anyone suffer. The detachment in their explanation is chilling.

[@ricardosoca7380]

I agree with you that Plantinga's answers fall short. The Free Will Defense is extremely inadequate. Not only does it not explain all of the evil that is not caused by humans but it also raises a very difficult question for the Christian theist (which Plantinga is.) And that is - what about Heaven? If you're going to affirm that evil is a "necessary evil" so to speak in any world where beings have free will, then you must also accept that there will be evil in Christian Heaven. If not, the only other alternative is to say those who make it to Heaven won't have free will.

[@djpokeeffe8019]

I agree with you. Pain is more eloquent and convincing than these arguments. They seem to have overlooked this obvious fact. We’re all strong enough to bear other people's suffering, apparently...

[@fromusa369]

Also, St. Paul in the NT, tells us that God created some for destruction. Just like when Christ who told Judas it was better to have never been born than to have been born and done what he had done. Judas was created for destruction, as are some of you. When you understand that, you understand evil.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

If God creates people who are predestined for evil and self-destruction, then he is responsible for their evil actions and their fate. How is it moral to condemn a man from the moment of his conception? The guy never had a chance.

[@fromusa369]

@@redpillfreedom6692 RPF, God is absolutely the creator of everything. So says Isaiah 45:7. He takes full responsibility for creating darkness and light. However, Christ also tells us in the parable of the wheat and tares, that our enemy (Satan) has planted people here amongst those of us who are God's children. So, therefore, God is not the sole author of life on this earth (not according to this parable). It tells us many times that the god of this world is Satan. It could not be clearer. While God is the overall creator, there are other authors (how else could we all be "gods"). Our understanding of the world is limited and we will never understand how this world works or why God has allowed it to be the way it is. What we do know is that God is Good. And whatever he does is good, regardless of what our perception of good is. And it does not matter what the bible school taught us, God has spoken to us so that many of us will hear the truth, but not all. That is exceptionally clear in the Bible.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

God is an imaginary being constructed by power-hungry control freaks. They put into your mind that an invisible sky daddy is watching your every move and claim he is never wrong, that way they can justify any atrocity by convincing you that "God commanded it." If God knew beforehand that Hitler, Mao or any other despot would turn out the way they did, then the blood of their victims is also on God's hands.

[@xodyx7706]

A possible simulator might not even realize that we exist. Our contribution to the universe might be way too irrelevant and our definition of good and bad is most probably not universal. Its very ignorant to belive a god cares about us in this incredible huge universe and I dont even know if we shall have this expectation as we dont know which plans it would have.

[@cps_Zen_Run]

Yes, the Universe is neutral about our existence, and would be unmoved by our extinction. Striving for a more ethical and moral experience is up to us. May you stay healthy and safe.

[@Ifaniwura]

I think we need to differentiate between nature and perception. The mire sight of wildfire caused by lightning is destruction but it’s signifies transformation. Looking at a lion killing another animal to survive seems evil but looking deeply into the nature of reality, they don’t just kill anything for fun, they kill the young or sick or injured. Death itself happens when change occurs and change occurs every time but the physical termination of the body goes deep into our fear of change and not knowing where it’s leads. Lastly there would be no healing if there’re no sickness(which most of them are caused by humans) and our medical advancement has shown that we can mitigate the effects of sickness. Also Can humans differentiate between Gods supposed evil and human’s evil Cos there’re tons of evil caused by mankind but the blame is pushed to God. Holocaust happened because of the volition of a human not because of God.

[@xspotbox4400]

Beasts do kill every single specimen, if pray can't defend or run away, regardless of animal's age, gender or disabilities. It just doesn't often happen because all animals take a good care not to fall into deadly traps.

[@danielkammer3244]

Only if you have knowledge of what's good and what's evil are you bound by law.

[@TheStobb50]

The whole point of life is to grow and become a better person you need to feel sorrow to understand joy, you need free will to learn from your mistakes, Like a stone tumbling in the sea getting chipped away till it is smooth this is life. And Is death really so bad if you believe your going to a better place ? Maybe when children and baby’s die is it because they’re already perfect and don’t need to grow, it’s hard in this world to hold on to believe but I try

[@MrZenerTech]

All these years I've been so very wrong. Instead of complaining about my life long suffering.. I should celebrate because others were allowed the right to torture myself!!!

[@jamese9283]

Try to learn something from your suffering, and you won't be bitter about it.

[@Iambriangregory]

Your comment has a tone of sarcasm to make a point now if I'm analyzing correctly I have a question do you think that the soldiers that went into Vietnam were evil? If you say no what kind of answer you think you would get from the people that live in Vietnam? How did people feel when people protested that war Network pro war? Don't you think they felt happy that they had the freedom and right to do what they felt was right? And as I said do you think going into Vietnam was evil? And how many people agree with you in the 60s or even now would you have a 100% participation? Something to think about isn't it?

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

Fortunately, i chose not to believe in gods or God, nor to be atheist, I'm agnostic, a plausibilistic agnostic. Btw in this video i cried like a little girl and I'm in my 20years old decade, so no more a child, but cried like a child

[@xspotbox4400]

You are still a child, teenagers cry the most, adults begin with 21.

[@SandipChitale]

Which god you are asking about? Bramha? Mithras?

[@shadeeduliqaab]

The God.

[@burpleson]

The idea of having to disprove the existence of god(s) is crazy. It's up to believers to prove it.

[@cps_Zen_Run]

Agreed. Why should a species of talking apes be the mouthpiece for any deities.

[@catherinemoore9534]

Zoroastrianism sees the world as a 'theatre' where good and evil have to fight or coexist. If this understanding of the world is closer to truth, there may not be just ONE perfect God, there could also be an evil one. Maybe creation is dual.

[@imperiumoccidentis7351]

This is what I believe.

[@chrisc1257]

@@imperiumoccidentis7351 and you could believe something more appropriate tomorrow.

[@imperiumoccidentis7351]

@@chrisc1257 Like what? That a rib-woman ate a magical fruit which damned humanity to millennia of suffering which could only be rectified by god sacrificing himself to himself in a dusty corner of Palestine where only illiterate fishermen witnessed it and was only written down decades later by middle class greeks? Yeah, far more sensible.

[@bhangrafan4480]

The existence of evil simply proves that humans have free will They use this free will to be and do evil sometimes. Free will was the great gift God gave us. How can God have created conscious beings without them having free will? They would just be like bits of furniture, not beings at all. The consequence is that many abuse the freedom and creativity they were given by God. So this is what the world is all about, the trial leading to judgement. Evil is the creation of humans.

[@angrynorway]

God: “It was like that when I got here.”

[@KamikazethecatII]

Dealing with this is a lot easier if you’re not committed to traditional Christian dogmatism. Maybe some of the Platonists were right and God is the One, the simple, immutable, and unitary principle which gives rise to multiplicity. So the Craftsman who actually designed the cosmos is a secondary emanation from it, and has to work with disordered matter as a canvas which limits him. Maybe Numenius was right and the World-Soul is affected by contact with matter and either split or corrupted into a good and evil one. Maybe there’s a good God and an evil Anti-God like in Zoroastrianism. Tbh, Judeo-Christian commitments have prevented us from making the kinds of progress we could’ve been on religious problems like this.

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

In God's word talks about the evilness and all that and discernment what do you think the sermon is discerning between Good and evil separation of the sheep and goats.

[@alanbrady420]

Slaughtering literally millions or billions of tons of living, probably conscious animals and plants surely can’t be how we have to live or we’ll die, if this is meant to be a type of game like reality made by this all loving powerful godly being, who’d be capable of making it a better place without people and animals suffering all the time. Why would a baby or child get cancer and die, it just doesn’t make sense to me. That was a really good episode and I like all the questions you asked and also the way you went into all the natural suffering, as well as humans doing bad evil things to each other. Thanks for another great episode btw I hope I’m wrong.

[@T.image79]

What you have described is not how the world was created and set in motion according to Genesis. Also more and more research show that childhood diseases like Cancers and any other one you can name are rooted in the irresponsibility or evil of Man. Poorly researched vaccines. Unwillingness to look after our health properly and therefore leading to a breakdown of our DNA which leads to babies with cancer sometimes in the next generation. Every thing is connected. Many of these are non questions. Our intuition and common sense mixed with newer and newer research can quite easily see the truth. But the sheer responsibility of setting the world right is so scary to us, that we willingly run away from the truth we welcome and accept confusion instead. And then God becomes our scapegoat. And we blame him rather than accepting our true responsibility and power as rightfull “Gods” of the planet we occupy. And indeed over the entire creation.

[@itneeds2bsaid528]

According to Bible God made us a perfect world, no death no hunger no pain. We rejected it in favor of knowledge. Look at modern western culture. People have it easier and better than anyone in history has ever dreamed of. What do they do? They go find new things to be miserable about.

[@T.image79]

@@itneeds2bsaid528 It wasn’t just any “knowledge”. It was the tree of the knowledge of good AND EVIL. Man knew no evil before!

[@alanbrady420]

Tbh with yous, I was bought up a atheist so I’m not saying there 100% isn’t a god, I just find it far fetched, but having said that, I’m not educated in god and Christianity although I went to a catholic school. I never got into it all because my upbringing made me just think it’s all basically bs, so who am I to say. I hope I’m wrong tbh because I don’t wanna cease to exist! So I am open to it haha

[@charleskiezulas1814]

I think you should examine evil vs good before bringing God into the discussion

[@alanbrady420]

We always hear the other side, it’s things like this you don’t see.

[@chrisc1257]

Lost in translation but the vanity sticks.

[@kevingould3281]

We can't understand an omnipotent being I guess we wouldn't .So define evil.Though we feel and see things are evil.After all it is something we don't understand.If there wasn't this what we feel good and call evil,Without either would we know one or the other to show how important either is .It is a balance in our consciousness and our existence.A balance that we name evil.So if we can't fully understand God or even the dimensions of an omnipotent being, or this existence, than how what we call evil ,is it really evil,And say Then a God can't exist?I guess I one could argue would we know what we call good if we didn't know what we call evil.

[@wayneasiam65]

No Pain No Gain.

[@saintstorm7]

A child starves to death every 10 seconds. What kind of loving God would allow that?

[@dnavas7719]

Humanity is responsible for humanity. The fact that children starve to death is on us not on God. We can stop that from happening and noone does anything.

[@chrismathis4162]

@@dnavas7719 What about disease? Things we can't stop? If I had the power to stop a child from being molested I would use it. That is the difference between me and your god.

[@dnavas7719]

@@chrismathis4162 a similar question was answered in the video, just watch it.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

What about the argument that there IS a god, but he is just an evil God?

[@Frank_San_Nicolas]

To me that makes more sense than there being a benevolent god.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

Or doesn't give a crap.

[@potentskillz8932]

The question why is there evil doesn’t make sense without a God. For example why is it that a Loin eating a Zebras neck seems to be objectively morally wrong. If it is just survival of the fittest you shouldn’t take a moral position on it. I would argue that morality seems to be a intrinsic value of humans, and the deeper question is where does it come from I would say a higher power. In conclusion I’m not saying if you don’t believe you can’t be morally good, but again the larger question is why is something objectively Evil if the world is survival of the fittest why is it wrong to murder or steal. It seems to me the question itself doesn’t make sense if you take a naturalistic approach. Also I know this is more of a philosophical approach, but the question where does morality come from I believe is a very important one, and doesn’t make sense without a higher moral standard.

[@smoozerish]

Let’s face, most know deep down there is no God. At least what we think of as God.

[@jamese9283]

Don't transfer your feelings onto everyone else. I have believed in God as long as I can remember, though my understanding of Him has changed.

[@DWAGON1818]

the story of Moses and the traveller in Quran chapter 18 explains this completely.

[@ahmadassem7675]

good viedo, try to have other definitions of god, because this argument only works on the Christian definition of god.

[@yousefnadjarzadeh]

تضمین پایداری وماندکاری در هر چیزی بستگی به قوانین تطابق نیروها بر یکدیگرند و موضوع تنش موقعی پیش می آید که نیروها نسبت به یکدیگر تطابق نداشته باشند. بنابراین زایش دوگانگی در طبعیت ساختار ها از جمله انسان بدلیل ایجاد پتانسیل جنبشی در مخلوقات است. و بودن این امر دوگانگی مانند: خوب و بد ، زشت و زیبا ، تاریک و روشن ، سعود و سقوط و غیره سبب ایجاد معنی بین ساختارهای دوگانگی میشود. بنابراین نمایان واکنش های طبیعی و یا غیر طبیعی به دلیل عدم رعایت قوانین تطابق بین ساختارهای دو قطبی میباشد.

[@sherifcoutry7160]

The universe is about balance. There can't be love without hate, beauty without ugliness, happiness without sadness, pleasure without pain, and good without evil.

[@drzecelectric4302]

Exactly thinking the same. It’s Alan watts stuff. Can’t be light without dark. Not possible.

[@xspotbox4400]

@@drzecelectric4302 You are wrong, space is full of light, there's no total darkness anywhere.

[@educationentertainment-tv7601]

@@drzecelectric4302 Yes the Alan Watts approach to this was the only way i could make sense of if. The idea of the God that goes to sleep and wakes up as a human. As to say the infinite can't know the finite, that God allows suffering because God does not know suffering. It's interesting in the west being heavily under the influence of christianity and jesus communicating in a way where people would think he's God, son of God..or man. In some cases being incarnate to all these states. Is it that God can only act or think like a human by becoming a human? Is it that God can only know human suffering by being like us in the state of human suffering and limited like us? I wonder, in a sense that's easier because if God is us in the sense that Alan Watts seems to suggest. Then it wouldn't be God who's the allower of the suffering but us in reality. However if you fell asleep and forgot who you were because you didn't want to be alone. You may have forgotten you're really responsible lol. It's interesting to think about but for me it's easier to look at it that way. I also found it interesting the parent who puts the child through a painful surgery for healing. The thing about that is i think the parent thinks less about the idea of causing suffering or evil. They think more about causing health and well being. To the child.. i'm sure it would be painful and seem evil or bad to them. in the idea of no light without dark.. the symetry of the universe. The finite to the infinite. .The causer of things to become to the no cause forever existing universe. The symetry in which these states must exist to exist.

[@stevenh6589]

“…the evil spirit, Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man. This baser nature is symbolized in various ways. In man there are two expressions: One is the expression of nature; the other, the expression of the spiritual realm. - The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 294-295.” “God tests gold with fire and His servants with gold.” Because of autonomy , free will humans are given the choice to choose to make an effort to be godly or ungodly.

[@nathc5479]

If god created us and the devils job is to punish the evil ones then why is the devil considered bad and god good?

[@HussainFahmy]

*_Good and evil is a byproduct of free will_*

[@chrismathis4162]

So when a baby gets brain cancer, or is slowly tortured by a disease, where is the free will involved in that?

[@expressiveambientmusic1662]

Bad start claiming the theists talk fast. The atheist professor talked faster - even slurring so much as to be unintelligible. That said, a Christian philosopher really can’t argue the issue excluding the Christ and the promise contained therein. Otherwise, they’re a wheel spinning without an axle. There is nothing to exclude a creator who allows evil. As stated, we are very small, and really can’t authoritatively comment on the issue in any meaningful way. As also stated, a good god must have a higher purpose overriding the horrific wickedness of this world. The Christ points to the next life, and the reconciliation of evil humanity with loving divinity through his sacrifice - ultimate love bore the ultimate suffering. If this short miserable life is all there is, either god doesn’t exist or embraces what we consider to be evil. Free will is a debated concept even amongst Christian theologians. It really isn’t relevant to the discussion (although, a British accent does seem to give it more credence).

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

If you can create the worlds, and gives scenes, and evidence, that people accept, so , why not.

[@mechanicjobs]

We live in a world of opposites. Everything is relative to something else. For us to have perspective on anything we must understand the opposite. How would you know light without dark, hot without cold good without evil?

[@blaster-zy7xx]

We wouldn't. But the amount of evil in the world far surpasses that which we should expect from an "all loving God" creator.

[@digitalfootballer9032]

​@@blaster-zy7xxI disagree with that. Yes, there a lot of negatives in the world, people do bad things, but actual evil? Evil is a whole other level beyond just being bad or mean spirited. I don't believe there is more evil in the world than good, because evil is a very strong concept. Evil is taking pleasure in others suffering. People do bad things, but it would be a small minority that are that level of sadistic.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

@@digitalfootballer9032 OK, this is a bit of an argument of semantics. One of the arguments against the God of the Bible is called "the problem of evil." That operational definition is just more inclusive than yours. If we include child cancer, infant mortality, massive hunger, birth defects, parasites, needless pain and suffering, then it is difficult to make the case for an omnipotent loving God who cares for every living person, as many Christians beleive. The argument is that God made the universe as it is; complete with child cancer, parasites, birth defects etc. If God is omnipotent as Christians beleive and God created these horrors, then the God of the Bible is evil.

[@tyroneedemirah3856]

I cannot help but wonder whether there would be ANY atheists in the world if the Bible depicted God as unloving. Think about it. The arguement is that BECAUSE of the presence of evil, which includes all kinds of suffering, such as disease, torture and predation, there cannot be a Creator. If God is all- loving and all-good, then there should not be suffering in the world. So the idea of such a God is rejected. But what if he was revealed as unloving and distant? What reasons would the atheist then present for rejecting the concept of a divine Creator?

[@ph9576]

The light reflecting in RLK’s eye is distracting

[@ingenuity168]

I agree. I think he has a damaged pupil that doesn't dilate.

[@bobcabot]

...you just cant let go that nonsense: imaging we couldnt talk about it, we just couldnt - like a tongue-tied person in jail ...

[@biochemistryiseasy]

Last vedio of you was on Islam and I committed no one discusses Devil ...and today it is

[@neffetSnnamremmiZ]

What is evil? Life is organizing, transforming and realizing itself through steady doom and steady deaths, even with natural castrophes. Even the corona virus has "good reason", biblical spoken. It is what people call "sin" what makes the evil evil. 🤷‍♂️

[@ferdinandkraft857]

This is disgusting.

[@keithmaggioni4388]

That's a disgusting comment about the concentration camp guards being the real victims. He should be ashamed of himself.

[@dwightschuette8960]

They were victims too. If they didn't become evil themselves I think they would have been executed for noncompliance.

[@jamese9283]

Swinburne is looking at it from an eternal or divine perspective. The prisoners lost their temporary life, but will be in paradise. The guards defiled their souls, which may be eternal.

[@tamimtaj5006]

Wow 🤩

[@user-uj9cc5ch5p]

I believe that God is in a battle with Satan and when we choose good over evil than we directly affect the stress that is on God constantly. I believe God has all power but since evil is in the world by Gods own will we must be challenged by it. Believe what you want but there is a powerful benevolent creator. Mister X

[@BugRib]

If Free Will necessitates the existence of evil, then they're must be evil in heaven. In fact, if this is the least evil world containing creatures with Free Will that can possibly exist (Plantinga), then Heaven must be a real hellhole--unless we don't have Free Will in Heaven. 🤔

[@stephenlawrence4821]

The suffering in the world is tremendous. Especially if we take into account all the suffering of animals. This is not the sort of world we'd expect an all knowing, all powerful, perfectly good God to create. So yes, that's strong evidence against God's existence.

[@ThomasDoubting5]

Well you could say that good proves God's existence, but then you have people doing good things for evil reasons and evil things for good reasons. Basically you all need to sort your selves out on a you to you basis and work it out for yourselves because at the moment you largely see yourselves as all the things you actually can't possibly be. Hope you find home soon.

[@eddenz1356]

Why does god have to be good snd moral ? What if a mind that created or started the universe just doesn’t care about or pay any attention to humans?

[@jimm8619]

Good point. To me, that essentially is the difference between Deism and Abrahamic religions. I agree that believing in a deity and then jumping to a belief that the deity is absolutely good and moral is problematic at best.

[@gjfjfk]

@@jimm8619 I disagree but it doesn't matter if your a deist or from an abrahamic religion because in the end of the day we both come to a conclusion that there is one god that created the universe .

[@gjfjfk]

I think the reason why god pays attention and cares about humans is because we are probably the only advanced species in the universe there are probably other life forms but we are the most unique

[@joshuaadamstithakayoutubel2490]

It's more complicated than that

[@PhysicalMath]

There is more evidence in daily life for an uncaring "god" than for a caring "god".

[@rubenmotta5771]

Não é isso. 'O mal é a ausência de Deus' - Einstein

[@BradHolkesvig]

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. Deuteronomy 32 39: "`See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. Exodus 4: 10: But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either heretofore or since thou hast spoken to thy servant; but I am slow of speech and of tongue." 11: Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12: Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."

[@TomeRodrigo]

So your god is literally an authoritative attention seeker who needs prayers of damaged people who he will purposefully damage so they feel pain. Sad sadistic psychopath.

[@ezbody]

I like how a Christian caller to AXP once put it: "Sometimes I think that God is crazy".

[@daddada2984]

Because wisdom of men are foolish to God.

[@dreyestud123]

I would claim that those who believe in Evil PROVE Free Will. Let's be honest, no one metaphysically knows of the existence of God, much less the personality, biases, or properties of God (if God exists). What RLK is doing is talking about is idea of a personal God that exists in many Christian religions that is supposed to be all good and benevolent. The flip side to that coin is that IF such a God existed then Free Will could not exist. In fact, not even "Goodness" or "Evil" could not exist. What makes an act a "good" act or a "evil" act is not the mere behavior. It's the intent behind the behavior. Intent involves choice and if there is no free will then choice is merely an illusion. In fact, if RLK's stated belief that free will does not exist then Evil cannot exist. If free will does not exist then Goodness cannot exist because all actions are the result of molecules interacting with each other then "evil" people had no choice to act the way they acted. According to people like RLK and Sam Harris, Hitler was just unlucky. He was the collection of atoms that were determined to cause the holocaust. It's videos like these that lead me to dislike the disingenuous philosophical claims they make. What is there is a God and God is evil, or God is indifferent to human behavior, or what is there is a level of suffering humanity has never experienced that is 1000 times worse than the world we live in now? Honestly I did not finish the video. Too obtuse. If I missed something please point it out in the comments.

[@lelouchz7765]

They are talking about the Christian God throughout the episode, not a more general notion of God. That's a little misleading.

[@simplicityistheultimatesop6571]

2-30 And [mention, O Prophet], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."1 They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?"2 He [Allah] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." - Saheeh International 7:24 Allah said, “Descend as enemies to each other.1 You will find in the earth a residence and provision for your appointed stay.” 2-38. We said, “Descend all of you! Then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows it, there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.

[@neilamalmstrom2934]

No, paradoxically it endorses God/Scripture. By illustrating that life is a testing ground with free will as a gift. Plus, it (Evil) gives us a basis for comparison. Hope this helps.

[@chrismathis4162]

Where is the free will involved when a baby starves to death or is stricken with brain cancer? Does your god punish babies because of the sin of others? If he does, then he is a psychopathic monster.

[@TheGuiltsOfUs]

No, it just shows that the idea of a good God is incoherent. Spinoza for example conceives of a God that does not give a fuck about human suffering.

[@ingenuity168]

I'm with Spinoza.

[@beamerUSA]

Its a test. There is a documentary by a western scientist with very good video photography proof with detailed expressions etc. where the Japanese discriminated other Asians were born in the other culture. They even looked Japanese and were very uneasy with the heat of the other countries they were reincarnated into. Its all a test to see who does harm to others and they get it in the next life. P.S: and yes, God (the computer works very very slowly but firmly like the Homeopathic medicine.)

[@davefk]

Would you ask the question: 'Do we live in Hell'? or 'Is this world Hell'?

[@ingenuity168]

Heaven or hell are words/ concepts created by humans.

[@grahamblack1961]

Theists remind me of those guys who make videos explaining the inconsistencies in Star Wars movies.

[@FredericEJohnson]

*No free will according to the bible.* How would anyone, if they were God themselves, create sons and daughters of themselves without their children actually knowing evil and good? We can't understand the *mind of God* or His ways, especially the works of His will, to purposely create holy sons and daughters for Himself. *No free will.* What many are not understanding is that GOD Himself is suffering along with all of us who suffer evil, because His spirit, His light is in each and everyone one of us (in superposition). Matthew 25:42-45 King James Version 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

[@seanmeantime]

Well what’s reality what’s consciousness maybe everything amazing and everything extremely awful exists because it can the best of the best and the worst of the worst. We will destroy ourselves and this planet before we even come close to any kind of understanding of this reality. It’s pretty crazy nobody has any idea what any of this is. What any of it means and what the point of even existing means. Like why is there even a reality to begin with.

[@fredbmurphy]

Free will argument?: Where would the moral choice be in a Christian afterlife? Why use morality now when it wouldn't be used later? No moral free will. No choice of not eating from the tree of knowledge, no choice of physical mortality, no choice of being asked to be born in the first place, no choice of being "morally imperfect" and no choice (under 90% of Christianity) to have to exist forever in a heaven or hell as a conscious spirit. And where is God's (Yahweh for example) free will if He is all knowing, since He always knows what He is going to do?

[@wayneasiam65]

To deny evil might mean to deny free will.

[@simplicityistheultimatesop6571]

To deny evil definitely means denying God.