Do Evil & Suffering Disprove the Existence of God?
Turning the Tables
There is a fundamental fallacy in the argument against God based on evil. Either our grounds for criticizing God are an ultimate moral standard or not. If not, then we can’t criticize God on the basis of only some relative, subjective likes or dislikes. If our grounds are ultimate (ie. an objective, absolute standard of right and wrong that exists independent of man), then we are using an ultimate moral standard which is exactly what Christians mean by God.
So not only does evil not give us a basis for atheism, the existence of real evil actually provides an argument for God’s existence!
An argument for God’s existence based on the existence of evil
1) If God does not exist, then objective moral principles do not exist.(6)
Questions about faith? Bring your doubts
Why would I need faith?: Find some answers
2) If evil exists, then objective moral principles do exist.
3) Evil exists.
4) Therefore, objective moral principles do exist.(2 & 3)
5) Therefore, God exists.(1 & 4)
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Copyright © 2002 Michael Horner. Used with permission.
