The Blog of Oscar Godson

I thought it would be nice to start my blog off with a bang with this controversial topic. Read the quote and then read my explanations.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

- Epicurus [341–270 B.C.]

What does this quote mean to you? I’ll tell you how I read it. The first sentence is simply asking does God want to stop the evil, but can’t? He says then he is not omnipotent, or all powerful. Which is true. If he really gave you “free will” and is powerless against free will then he really isn’t the all powerful “thing”.

The second is saying can he prevent evil, but doesn’t? Then he is the evil person. If he has the power to stop the evil brought on by free will, but doesn’t then he is evil. He would have no feelings for anyone. If you saw someone getting stabbed to death, and you had some type of power to stop it such as a gun or some magical powers, but instead sat there and said, well, you were walking on this street and you know there are bad people out there, wouldn’t you be considered evil or just crazy?

The third is saying does he have the power to stop evil and wants to stop the evil. He then says, well, how did evil come about. This all depends on what religion you believe in, but since I am referring to Christian beliefs I’ll go off the Adam and Eve fable. If you say Adam and Eve did it and made the evil this contradicts the first part of the quote. He would still be able to stop the evil if he really is the all powerful supernatural creature. But he is not if Adam and Eve somehow bypassed his power. Maybe Adam and Even should be God/Goddess. Then this would mean, if you are Christian, God can not prevent evil even if he wanted. He is omnipotent or malevolent.

The last is the easiest to understand. Is he neither able to stop the evil or want to stop the evil? Then why call him God. God is “the supreme being” based on many dictionary definitions. No matter what God you have if he falls into this category then he isn’t really a God.

I love this quote because it makes you contradict yourself about your God, if you have one. I am an Athiest so this is just what I need when I talk to theist. They will make up some long confusing explanation and somehow be “right”. I would love your input on this quote!