Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?

mac06 · Post time 30-10-2006 11:19 AM

Got this thru email... very nice indeed. I don't know where to post this.Mod if not suitable or can be merged with other topic, please merged it. Thanks.

A University professor at a well known institution of higher
learning challenged his students with this question.

"Did God create everything that exists?"

A student bravely replied, "Yes he did!"

"God created everything?" The professor asked.

"Yes sir, he certainly did," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything; then God created evil. And, since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then we can assume God is evil."

The student became quiet and did not respond to the professor's hypothetical definition. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students
that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "May I ask you a question,
professor?"

"Of course", replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?"

The other students snickered at the young man's question. The young
man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of
physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat
is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero
is the total absence of heat; and all matter becomes inert and incapable of
reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this
word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."

The student continued, "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does."

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not
exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can
study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton's prism to break white
light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color.
You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world
of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness
is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light
present."

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already said.
We see it everyday. It is in the daily examples of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when
> there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

The young man's name -- Albert Einstein

A true story.

casejulia · Post time 30-10-2006 01:00 PM

thanx for sharing mac

jojack · Post time 30-10-2006 03:37 PM

wow.best best..thnks Mac

tinangol_csm · Post time 31-10-2006 11:29 PM

il ike this ...thanks mac

dan509 · Post time 5-11-2006 08:07 PM

How great is that story, it is unfortunate though that the story is just an urban legend. We can find the story here at http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp.. But don't be let down. There are many other stories circulated out there which have ounce of truth in it.

wattttb · Post time 15-11-2006 01:24 AM

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

Here I am back again to share the TRUTH of GOD LOVE.

Talk about 揇id God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?

mac06 · Post time 23-1-2007 08:42 AM

Just wondering, how did Albert Einstein responsible of killing human being and corrupted all the human being on earth which created by God? The way you said about him, as if he is greater than God....

wattttb · Post time 29-1-2007 07:13 AM

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

Here I am back again to share the TRUTH of GOD LOVE.

Sorry Mac06,

My computer rosak

GasTrick · Post time 29-1-2007 11:11 AM

[quote]Originally posted by wattttb at 29-1-2007 07:13 AM
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

Here I am back again to share the TRUTH of GOD LOVE.

Sorry Mac06,

My computer rosak

True-X · Post time 29-1-2007 02:20 PM

.. thank u for sharing.... ader ilmu baru aku ari nie

GasTrick · Post time 29-1-2007 04:49 PM

[quote]Originally posted by wattttb at 29-1-2007 07:13 AM
But Albert Einstein厀ants the world to know that he is the greatest scientist.

History proved that Albert Einstein was the father of the theory of relativity and a major contributor to quantum theory. He is the one who encourage U.S. President Roosevelt to initiate an American nuclear research programme.

And at the end of the day

wattttb · Post time 29-1-2007 11:13 PM

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

Here I am back again to share the TRUTH of GOD LOVE.

Dear friends,

I really THANK GOD for all your kind and wonderful opinions and comments.

MAY GOD ALWAYS GUIDE US AND LEAD US IN ANYTHING WE DO AND MAY HE POUR HIS LOVING KINDNESS IN EVERY HEART, EVERY MIND AND EVERY SOUL.

AND MAY HIS LOVE ENDURE FOREVER

AMEN.

FROM WATT

[ Last edited by wattttb at 29-1-2007 11:21 PM ]

casejulia · Post time 31-1-2007 08:14 AM

Evil came as a result of the selfishness of man!
the Bible says that God is a God of love and He desired to create a person and eventually a race that wold love Him. but genuine love cannot exist unless freely given throught free choice and will, and thus man was given the choice to accept God's love or to reject it. this choice made the possibility of evil become very real.when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did not choose someting God created, but, by their choice, they brought evil into the world.

-God is neither evil nor did He create evil. Man brought evil upon himself by selfishly choosing his own way apart from God's way-(Josh McDowell)

[ Last edited by casejulia at 1-2-2007 05:09 PM ]

wattttb · Post time 5-2-2007 04:02 AM

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

Here I am back again to share the TRUTH of GOD LOVE.

Dear Friends匸/size]

GOD created everything, HE created Evil too.

Isaiah 45:6-7 proved that GOD said :-

GasTrick · Post time 6-2-2007 04:30 PM

Dear Mac06 and casejulia

The story is nice, but the truth is being cover by a beautiful lies. But, if you are being deceive by the beauty thing, you will never see the truth. To be honest, I don抰 like this kind of stories being told as a true story but still, I can enjoy it as it just only ordinary urban stories which have no connection with fact and truth. So, I don抰 think this kind of stories is suitable to be placed here or in science section.

Because of this kind of stories, make science far a part from religion. Make science seem like an enemy for religious. In fact, the more I抦 learning science the, more strong my faith toward God. It how, we see thing through our mind.

What just our friend Wattttb try to tell is the right thing, this story is trying to proof blind fact on God even at the same time the Bible state that God create the Evil.

casejulia · Post time 6-2-2007 08:39 PM

Originally posted by wattttb at 5-2-2007 04:02
...Where and when GOD created Devil...

The Devil aka Satan (Lucifer) was created by God, not as the evil loser that he is now, but as the Scripture describes, created perfect in wisdom and beauty. Satan was, at a time long ago, perfectly righteous and obedient before God.

"You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the Holy Mount of God; you walked among the firey stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you." (Ezekiel 28:12-15)

But Satan went bad, very bad!

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like The Most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14)

God created the perfectly-righteous Lucifer, by God's choice. Lucifer created the absolutely-wicked Satan, by Lucifer's choice. Lucifer, and all of the millions of angels had the power of choice - to obey, or to rebel. Most chose to obey God, while some followed Satan's rebellion and have become hopelessly corrupt

[ Last edited by casejulia at 6-2-2007 08:43 PM ]

casejulia · Post time 6-2-2007 09:42 PM

Dear watttb and GasTrick

evil is not really a created thing. You can't see, touch, feel, smell or hear evil. It is not one of the fundamental forces of physics, nor does it consist of matter, energy, or the spatial dimensions of the universe. Still, some like to claim that God created evil and cite the Bible to "prove" their point. The Bible is quite clear that God is not the author of evil and insists that He is incapable of doing so. (see Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 4:31; 10:17; 32:4, 1 Samuel 15:29, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:10; 36:5, Psalms 5:4; 92:15, Jeremiah 2:5, Titus 1:2)

King James Version
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, KJV)

Use of this translation is problematic these days, since it uses an archaic version of modern English, which doesn't necessarily mean the same things today as when it was translated over 400 years ago. In addition, the KJV was produced using a limited number of medieval manuscripts that did not represent the earliest Alexandrian set of manuscripts.

modern translations
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. (Isaiah 45:7, NASB)
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, NIV)

Isaiah 45:7 contrasts opposites. Darkness is the opposite of light. However, evil is not the opposite of peace. The Hebrew word translated "peace" is shâlôm,
which has many meanings, mostly related to the well being of individuals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
shâlôm (Strong's H7965)

completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
completeness (in number)
safety, soundness (in body)
welfare, health, prosperity
peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
peace, friendship
of human relationships
with God especially in covenant relationship
peace (from war)
peace (as adjective)

Râ‛âh, the Hebrew word translated "evil" in the KJV often refers to adversity or calamity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
râ‛âh (Strong's H7451)

bad, evil (adjective)
bad, disagreeable, malignant
bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)
evil, displeasing
bad (of its kind - land, water, etc)
bad (of value)
worse than, worst (comparison)
sad, unhappy
evil (hurtful)
bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)
bad, evil, wicked (ethically)
in general, of persons, of thoughts
deeds, actions
evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity (noun masculine)
evil, distress, adversity
evil, injury, wrong
evil (ethical)
evil, misery, distress, injury (noun feminine)
evil, misery, distress
evil, injury, wrong
evil (ethical)

There are two forms of the word. Strong's H7451a most often refers to moral evil, whereas Strong's H7451b (the form used here) most often refers to calamity or distress. Obviously, "calamity" is a better antonym of "peace" than "evil."

Amos 3:6
If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it? (Amos 3:6, NASB)
When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? (Amos 3:6, NIV)

Likewise, Amos 3:6 uses the same word, râ‛âh, referring to calamity or disaster. the context (a disaster happening to a city) does not refer to moral evil.

Lamenation 3:38
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? (Lamentations 3:38, NIV)
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? (Lamentations 3:38, NASB)

The King James Version of Lamentations 3:38 seems to suggest that God speaks both good and evil. However, if one reads the verse in context, the preceding verses indicate that God does not do or approve of evil.(Lamentations 3:33-36). The verse following indicates that people should not complain in view of their sins. (Lamentation 3:39) What the verse really is saying that God decrees times of good things and times of judgment. Lamentations was written by Jeremiah during a time of judgment, when Judah had gone off into exile. Jeremiah was chosen by God to be the prophet to tell Judah to reform or be judged. The people did not believe Jeremiah, and, therefore, fell under God's judgment. In Lamentations 3:38, the word translated "good" is ṭôb (Strong's H2896).

Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
ṭôb (Strong's H2896)

good, pleasant, agreeable (adjective)
pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
pleasant (to the higher nature)
good, excellent (of its kind)
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
better (comparative)
glad, happy, prosperous (of man抯 sensuous nature)
good understanding (of man抯 intellectual nature)
good, kind, benign
good, right (ethical)
a good thing, benefit, welfare (noun masculine)
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things (collective)
good, benefit
moral good
welfare, benefit, good things (noun feminine)
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things (collective)
bounty

The word usually refers to good things, as opposed to bad things. Again, râ‛âh does not refer to moral evil, but calamities, in this verse. Likewise, the Bible commentaries indicate that the verse refers to God's judgment based upon people's sin.

God is not the author of evil(see James 1:13). However, God does reward and punish on the basis of good and bad behavior. Therefore, God does bring judgment and calamity (either directly or through human authorities) on those who rebel (See Ecclesiastes 12:14, Ezekiel 6:11, Romans 13:4)

sources: did God create evil - does the Bible say so? by Rich Deem

[ Last edited by casejulia at 7-2-2007 02:26 PM ]

casejulia · Post time 7-2-2007 12:58 AM

If you didn't get mac06 story, here is a brief synopsis. The professor argument is that since God created everything, He is responsible for the creation of evil. However, "evil" is a word that we use to describe certain things that happen to us (most of which are caused by other people). In reality, it is not a physically created thing at all and, therefore, does not fall within the realm of something created by God. So, the argument is fundamentally flawed. As i stated before, evil is allowed by God so that free will beings can choose or reject God. Without free will (and evil as a consequence), love is not possible, and God would be unable to express one of His key attributes.

shalom · Post time 7-2-2007 10:04 AM

Augustine On Evil

The problem of evil can be phased in several ways. One approach addresses the origin of evil, prompting the syllogism:

1) God created all things
2) Evil is a thing
3) Therefore, God created evil

If the first two premises are true, the conclusion is inescapable.

Augustine realized that the solution was tied to the question: What is evil?

The argument above depends on the idea that evil is a 搕hing