(David Robertson) It was embarrassing. The two humanists on the panel were having a collective nightmare. As we discoursed on the nature of evidence, creation and the Bible, they were struggling more and more to make a coherent case for their atheism. Until at last one cracked. Red faced and angry he just blurted out: “How can you believe in a God who allows suffering?” It wasn’t the subject of the evening, but this was his last desperate attempt to justify not believing in the God of the Bible. For some it is the first and greatest hurdle. The problem of evil, or in its more refined form, the problem of suffering, is probably the number one defeater belief.
The Problem defined
God is all-powerful so could destroy evil and prevent suffering
God is good so would want to destroy evil and suffering
Evil and suffering exist so the good and all-powerful God does not exist.
It is apparently such an overwhelming logical case that anyone who does not accept it is in denial, stupid or themselves evil. Any attempt to answer the problem is considered heartless as well as impossible – but here goes. READ MORE
E.G. White’s “The Great Controversy” is the ultimate in understanding this. She ties the WHOLE Bible AND history together to get the big picture, making it really quite elementary.