Every day the news includes numerous tragedies. Unfortunately we have been so saturated with these stories, that many of us are desensitized to the content. We are no longer surprised by most of the horrors we see or read. Periodically though, a story is so shockingly egregious that it rattles our moral compass. Sometimes this leads to people asking, “Where is God?” But actually, these heinous actions provide reason to believe God exists.
Evil actions actually prove God is the source of morality.
NEWS
I apologize upfront for the crimes I am about to mention. Although I’m trying to make a spiritual point, I recognize they are difficult to read.
A man in Oklahoma, age 25, was recently charged with murdering six people by shooting them.[1] Certainly that alone is terrible, but what makes this utterly heinous is that five were children, ages 1, 3, 5, 6, and 9. Three of them were his biological children and the adult he killed was his brother.
This evil act is horrible beyond words. In fact, that is essentially what a neighbor said, “How do you describe it? It is tragic. They are babies. You can’t comprehend it. You can’t process it. You just can’t.”[2]
It reminded me of another heinous crime that got national attention. About eight years ago, a man with mental health issues entered an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot and killed 20 first-grade children and 6 adults.[3] The children were ages six and seven.[4] The evil act was appalling and sickening.
If God exists, why would He allow such evil, or really any pain & suffering? It is a typical question asked after evil events, especially those considered horrific and senseless.
Before proceeding, it is essential to clarify that the appropriate response is very different depending on whether someone is struggling with emotional pain or intellectual questions. If a person is dealing with emotional pain, any attempt to justify why God would allow evil would sound heartless, and perhaps offensive. Rather, we should offer emotional support, such as listening, praying and acts of kindness.
However, some people wrestle with the intellectual question of why an all-powerful and all-loving God would allow evil acts and suffering. This is considered the most common objection raised against the existence of God. Although this is a massive topic, I will provide a brief response to this objection, and then explain why evil actually provides proof for God’s existence.
RELIGION
Why does God allow evil? Various answers have been offered, but I believe the two best are: 1. Free Will. 2. Greater Good.
The Free-Will defense is a common response that makes sense. God has granted free will to humankind, which is necessary to have a genuine love relationship with them. But with free will comes the potential to do evil acts. We all have the ability to make good or bad moral decisions. This explains why there is moral evil, which are evil actions based on the decision of a person (or angel).
However, this response does not explain all evil, especially natural evil, such as natural disasters, diseases (e.g. COVID-19), etc. What justification can be offered?
According to two prominent Christian apologists, God’s primary purpose for humankind is not happiness on earth, but rather knowledge of God.[5] In other words, if evil or suffering may lead someone to knowledge of God and the opportunity for reconciliation with God, or perhaps spiritual growth, then evil is justified. This can be understood as the “Greater Good” defense. The major challenge is that given our finite knowledge as human beings, we may have no idea what those reasons are or whom they are for.
The Bible supports both of these responses. For more information – see Problem of Evil.
Let’s move on to why evil provides proof for God. Virtually everyone recognizes that morality exists. But the important point is identifying the source of this moral standard. Simply put, morality either comes from humankind or a source outside of humankind.
We can attempt to answer this by asking: “What is the source that determines what behavior is right or wrong?” I am talking about the existence of the moral standard, not how we become aware of it. God is the best explanation for morality, not humankind. Let’s use the immoral idea of racism to illustrate this point.
Does morality come from parents? No. If a parent taught their children that racism was acceptable, would that make it acceptable? NO! Parents generally help us become aware of morality, but they do not determine the moral standard.
Does morality come from society? No. If a society deemed racism to be acceptable, would that make it so? Again, NO! We recognize in this country that racism is wrong; and if another country in the world attempted to justify racism, we would say there are wrong!
There was a time in this country many years ago, when slavery was allowed, but that does NOT make it acceptable. We recognize that they were wrong. That is because each society is judged by a moral standard that transcends their opinion.[6] Consequently, society does not determine morality.
Based on this reasoning, it makes sense that a source outside of humankind determines morality, and people either move toward that standard or away from it.
But why is God that source. First, it makes sense that an all-loving God is the source of morality? Most rational people recognize good is superior to evil, so it seems to follow that the source is “all-good.”
Second, since the source of morality has made these rules applicable to all humankind, it makes sense that a decision was made to deliberately insert moral intuition into people. This is consistent with the Bible. The Apostle Paul said that although Gentiles to do not have Jewish Law, God’s laws have been written on their hearts:
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them. (Romans 2:14-15 NIV emphasis added)
Consider the importance of this connection: although morality is not determined by humankind, people are still bound by moral rules. They are written on the hearts of people. This provides good reason to believe God exists and is the source of the moral standard.
But let’s strengthen the argument by considering the heinous crimes mentioned above. What specifically made them wrong? Were these actions wrong because of the way in which they makes us feel, or were the actions themselves wrong? The actions themselves, separate from anyone’s opinion or feelings, are moral abominations.[7]
Let’s explain this a bit further. Some things are true because they are literally based on our feelings or opinions, such as favorite food. But other things are true separate from feelings or opinions, such the color of grass is green. The truth of this color is based on the object (the grass).
Let’s go back to the crimes above. Is the murder of children an evil act because of the way we feel about it (or society feels about it), or is the action itself evil, independent of what anyone says? Obviously the latter. The action itself is evil. Frankly, even if a society attempted to justify the evil action, they would be wrong. Since the action is wrong separate from people, the source of this standard is not humankind.
In summary, there is a moral standard that exists independent of humankind. It transcends the opinions of society. Consequently, morality is best explained by a source that transcends humankind – God.
Summary Point:
Evil actions confirm a moral standard separate from humankind, proving God is the source of morality.
[1]https://www.foxnews.com/us/oklahoma-muskogee-murder-children-brother-deaths [2]https://www.foxnews.com/us/oklahoma-muskogee-murder-children-brother-deaths [3]https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gunman-kills-students-and-adults-at-newtown-connecticut-elementary-school [4]https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/13/newtown-sandy-hook-shooting-victims-five-years-later [5]J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig. Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview(InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL © 2003), p.536. [6]C.S. Lewis made this point in Mere Christianity(HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY © 1980), p.13. [7]Greg Koukl, President of Stand To Reason, makes the point in a debate with Michael Shermer, that actions are wrong, independent of the opinions of people: https://www.str.org/articles/greg-koukl-and-michael-shermer-at- the-end-of-the-decade-of-the-new-atheists#.W6gI1C2ZOCQ.
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