God is omnipotent (T1)
God is good (T2)
Evil exists (T3)
If God is good, then God is willing to prevent all evil (T4)
If God is omnipotent, then God is able to prevent all evil (T5)
If God is willing and able to prevent all evil, then evil does not exist (T6)
God is willing to prevent all evil (2,4)
God is able to prevent all evil (1,5)
God is both willing and able to prevent all evil (7,8)
Evil does not exist (9,6)
Evil exists and evil does not exist (3,10)
Josh's Logical Model of the P.O.E.*
1. God exists. (premise)
2. God is omnipotent and omniscient. (premise — or true by definition of the word "God")
3. God is all-benevolent. (premise — or true by definition)
4. All-benevolent beings are opposed to all evil. (premise — or true by definition)
5. All-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will do so immediately when they become aware of it. (premise)
6. God is opposed to all evil. (conclusion from 3 and 4)
7. God can eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 2, 3, & 4)
8. Whatever the end result of suffering is, God can bring it about by ways that do not include suffering. (conclusion from 2)
9. God has no reason not to eliminate evil. (conclusion from 7)
10. God has no reason not to act immediately. (conclusion from 5)
11. God will eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 6 and 7)
12. Evil exists, has existed, and probably will exist. (premise)
13. Items 11 and 12 are contradictory; therefore, one or more of the premises is false: either God does not exist, evil does not exist, or he is not both omnipotent and all-benevolent.
*I do not hold to the concept that this model is true of my personal beliefs, but that it does represent the popular opinion (both secular and non) of God's logical "Problem" of Evil. Rather, I believe that the the problem is in our concept of God's Goodness/Benevolence.
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