1. The problem of suffering
An argument against the existence of God

2. Why does God allow suffering to exist??

3. Epicurus:
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?
Stendhal:
God’s only excuse is that he doesn’t exist.

5. The problem of suffering is the problem of reconciling the existence of human suffering with the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent and morally perfect God.

6. If we acknowledge the presence of suffering in the world, then we are left with these alternatives:
God is either unwilling or unable to prevent it
There is no God

7. We focus on the Judeo-Christian conception of God as all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good, one very concise way of formulating such an argument is as follows:

8. The Argument
If God exists, then He is omniscient, omnipotent and morally perfect
If God were all of the above, then the world would not contain suffering
The world contains suffering
Therefore it is not the case that God (as defined) exists.

9. Problem of evil version
If God exists, then God is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect.
If God is omnipotent, then God has the power to eliminate all evil.
If God is omniscient, then God knows when evil exists.If God is morally perfect, then God has the desire to eliminate all evil.
Evil exists.
If evil exists and God exists, then either God doesn't have the power to eliminate all evil, or doesn't know when evil exists, or doesn't have the desire to eliminate all evil.
Therefore, God doesn't exist.

10. The Theodicies:
(theodicy –an attempt to justify God’s apparent indifference to suffering)
1. Human suffering is exaggerated – there is no suffering
Hume: …”Health is more common than sickness; pleasure than pain; happiness than misery; and for one vexation we meet with, we attain…a hundred enjoyments”
Augustine: suffering is not evil; only a privation

11. 2.
Human beings are responsible for our own suffering. God gives us free will; we suffer the consequences of our lack of moral judgement.

12. (but objection : not all suffering is caused by human error e. g
(but objection : not all suffering is caused by human error e.g. natural disasters)

13. 3.
Human perspective is limited; we can’t see the ‘big picture’. Suffering is necessary for spiritual growth (so is good for us). We just don’t understand God’s plan.

14. (objection: how can we justify the apparent lack of equity
(objection: how can we justify the apparent lack of equity? – children dying of disease and starvation versus Paris Hilton’s stint in jail!)

15. 4. Without evil there would be no ‘good’ Objections:
If God is all powerful, He should not need suffering to cause good.
In any case, there is often disproportionate evil for a small amount of ‘good’