Blake Ostler: The Problem of Evil

“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.
Blake Ostler gives an overview of his latest book which explores how the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints deals with the problem of evil.
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[@benjamindaniel4575]

I loved serving with Bro. Ostler's son on my mission and I've enjoyed listening to his podcast. Thank you for highlighting some of his work!

[@beccnae14]

I love this kind of discussion. It's so fascinating!

[@natelf4825]

I loved this interview. Thank you both!

[@lukesteele4510]

From my perspective all evil is amenable to agency to some degree. Evil could possibly exist to judge our response to it, and to judge our inclination to do it. Natural disasters motivate good people to build better, and give opportunity for good people to show charity. Moral evil motivates good people the opportunity to enforce better, legislate better, and again to support each other better.
God is in the position to ultimately correct any evil that we experienced no matter how bad. The exam questions on this test are difficult and complicated, but this is the test for Exaltation.

[@bigboybrock1205]

All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good
There must be opposition in all things
Things don’t exist if their opposites don’t simultaneously exist as well
You can’t know good without evil. You can’t BE good without the option/temptation to do evil

[@bigboybrock1205]

In fact, how can you be ALL good with being tempted of ALL evil? I believe this is why the Father withdrew help to Jesus because He needed to do it alone

[@dhansen1001]

I enjoyed this discussion. A worthwhile topic to discuss. Though I will admit that by the end, I felt there was lots of mental gymnastics to fit theology into the discussion. In the end, it seems the LDS take on the problem of evil boils down to: we chose to be here, we knew there would be suffering, its ultimately for our own good and God is fairly powerless to do anything about it.

[@kp6553]

More great content.

[@thoughtfulfaith2020]

Thanks!

[@paulblack1799]

D&C 93:30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

[@worldkeyvideo9080]

Problem of Evil
is the speed of prayer bounded by the speed of light? I think prayer is bounded by our internal capacity to perceive time but isn't limited by spacetime, I think God knows our prayers the minute we say them and probably can predict our prayers before we say them because God knows us so perfectly well. Love isn't bounded by spacetime Perhaps prayer is similar to that
process thought
the guarantee of victory over evil in this view cannot come from God's power alone, meaning His power cannot simply overwhelm the forces of evil. Instead, it is a victory over evil by a promise by the character of God. Meaning God is not a liar and so everything He says He will do will happen because He will work to accomplish all his covenants. This is God saying I will defeat evil by continued unrelenting effort or I will never stop defeating evil because it would be against my character to do so. In this view, God doesn't have to know the exact outcome to know the end result because he will stop at nothing to guarantee the end result.

[@paulblack1799]

Sounds like King Benjamin may have been an occasionalist.
Mosiah 2:21. I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another-I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

[@renelthespiritualatheist]

God makes people with "horrible" desires because it makes just as much sense, to a perfectly objective being (God), as making people with "good" desires. Imperfect creatures (us) put our subjective opinions on God's creation (things are "good" and "bad"). In God's perfect eyes, things just are. Would love to explain this or any other questions about God. Let's talk

[@robwilliams2265]

The guy being interviewed is exploring different concepts involving the problem of evil. But your comment seems to indicate you have it completely figured out, and solved. And please understand that I only wish to understand, and have no desire to insult you. So what gives you such an assurance that your way of thinking is the right one?