Expert: Clint - 1/17/2010

Question
Dear expert,


Some arguments to solve problem of natural Evil (about sickness and malformations) are as following:


    diseases and congenital malformations aren't imcompatible with a perfectly good God,
rather they are created by God in the sole purpose to make humans appreciate health more and love their normal shape more, so they know how lucky they are and be more grateful towards God.

Otherwise, in a world without any sickness and malfomations,
people would find that their condition is merely normal and usual and wouldn't be totally convinced how lucky they are, thus they wouldn't be so grateful.


Examples:  *a man who became blind loves sight more than ever when it's finally given back to him.
       *After seeing a man who was born without legs and arms, we tell ourselves 'Fortunately, i'm luckier than him. Now, i thank God for creating me correctly shaped.'



is this argument valid to solve the problem of natural evil?



sincerely

Answer
Who is this god to determine who shall be burdened with illnesses and malformations that one person goes through life without challenges while another suffers greatly? Seems unfair from a fair god. So one knows how lucky the other is but can never be so lucky themselves? A lesson without reward? Or just a way for those more gifted to feel less guilty? "Normal shape"? We have evolved over billions of years in many shapes and will evolve further yet some more. Abnormal is an elitist way of referring to others not like yourself. There is no "normal", only diverse.

A world without sickness and malformations sounds like heaven. That is in fact what religious people think of when they think of heaven, perfectness. Are we supposed to learn some lesson about challenges we will never face in the afterlife? What's the purpose of learning lessons about death if there is none? So we will appreciate life more? Seems that a powerful god can simply instill that information into his creations, or is he not that powerful?

And why do we have to be convinced how lucky we are if in heaven we will truly be very lucky? I'm sure he is all knowing enough to be able to filter out those who would taint the barrel when we all get there, right? Seems all these lessons are just for amusement more than practical, given that he can do anything. Why not just create perfectly appreciateable souls to run around up there and worship him for all eternity instead of going through all this nonsense? Maybe because it is all nonsense.

As for "natural evil", there is no solution to be had because there is no problem and there is no evil. Sickness and abnormalities are nature, not design. It is the force behind evolution and natural selection. Your looking at a "problem" from the perverted perspective of religious leaders who use ignorance and fear to tame the flock. Look at things from a human perspective instead where we're all in this together, some luckier than others but certainly not because of any cruel divine intervention. But is that's what makes you feel better, then by all means please help yourself to some more selfish and irresponsible thinking, I'm not at all against stupidity, it just makes me look smarter.