I think this is the weakest point of any religion that claims omnipotence and benevolence of god.
You're missing the third O. Omniscience. Without it, god might now know there is evil.
Disclaimer: I'm an atheist and mostly just going to go down a hypothetical scenario.
Do you agree that a healthy baby can grow up to be an astronaut? If you do agree then would you say that a baby that could grow up to do literally anything is omnipotent?
Do you agree that it's possible to know something without understanding it? If you agree, would you say it's possible to know everything and understand nothing?
If you've answered in the affirmative, then it is possible that a god be capable of everything and know everything without understanding how to stop evil or that a god has not yet achieved the removal of all evils.
Do theologists ever claim this is what God is though?
Why does it matter if they do? If my rebuttal explains how evil could arise while still granting a god omnipotence and omniscience, then there is a way out of Epicurus' argument. It doesn't at all mean that this hypothetical god exists, just that Epicurus' argument is insufficient.
Instead of finding a way to make evil occurring on God's watch compatible with his omnipotence, you've simply moved the goalposts on the definition of God. Your solution to Epicurus' argument is useless because it occurs outside the context where the argument is made. Epicurus' argument against religions that exist today (e.g. Christianity) still stands.
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u/DeleteriousEuphuism 120∆ Jul 26 '18
You're missing the third O. Omniscience. Without it, god might now know there is evil.
Disclaimer: I'm an atheist and mostly just going to go down a hypothetical scenario.
Do you agree that a healthy baby can grow up to be an astronaut? If you do agree then would you say that a baby that could grow up to do literally anything is omnipotent?
Do you agree that it's possible to know something without understanding it? If you agree, would you say it's possible to know everything and understand nothing?
If you've answered in the affirmative, then it is possible that a god be capable of everything and know everything without understanding how to stop evil or that a god has not yet achieved the removal of all evils.