PoE

Not Edgar Allen, but the problem of evil.

There's a long post on this at Logic and Light, but I think in a way the point is missed.

The PoE is not a problem for Christians, it is a problem for the casual atheists (and the doctrinaire atheists), the casual pantheists and their pals, the casual panentheists.

Its a bit of a problem for Calvinists, of course, but I have no sympathy for them as they bring the problem upon their own heads.

Firstly, how do the atheists and other religionists deal with the problem? Generally they have to ignore it, deny it, or accept it. After all, for evolutionists (most people these days), there is no 'good' or 'evil'. They are mere terms for convenience and inconvenience and have no meaning beyond that. Thus for materialists.

The big question for this lot is where do they get the idea that evil is a 'thing' outside of personal evaluation? Who says that something is evil? Evil to whom and why? What does their 'world view' do about this problem that they can't even start to address?

Crickets.

Secondly, unless they have a good theology of creation, Christians will miss the point that comes from this sequence of verses:

Genesis 1:26

Genesis 2:15-17

Genesis 3:7

Psalm 115:16

The L&L post hinges on 'free will'. A philosophical concept. The Bible is not a philosophy book, although it does represent a grounded philosophy, it is the book of the relationship of God and man in context of his creation.

Evil is the disrelation of man and God; it is man being in the image disconnected from the image giver, it is man saying to God, 'thanks for the world, we'll do this ourselves now'. And that can happen in true relationship where there is no inherent binding, such as mother and child (that is, the mutual status will never change); to have a relationship of friends with someone, it must be possible to not be friends. To be given the earth, but discontinue relationship with the giver, and 'do' earth-stewardship without partnership with God...results in what we have.

You want to live without God (to the atheist), but you want the world to be like you live with God. Can't be done, and you choose this every day!