Origin of evil

[missionseeker]

What is the origin of evil?

It couldn't have always been b/c God is the only thing/Person who was always. But He couldn't have created it either b/c He's all good and a good God can't create bad things. He didn't create us bad nor did he create the angels bad. But a human or angel can't create anything.

So what is the origin of evil?
I don't know if this a dumb question, but it's been bugging me for a while.

[missionseeker]

sorry 'bout the duplicate. My computer said it failed.

[crazymaine catholic]

well, God gave us all free will right? even satan had free will, and he chose the wrong side. God allowed him to bring evil into the world, and i think that was a way of testing us to see whether we truly love Him. but, tha'ts just my abbreiviated, uninformed thoughts on the matter. i could easily be way wrong.

[missionseeker]

Yea. but then I'd think "so it wasn't created, was it always there?" and it's be this circular"argument" in my head.

[crazymaine catholic]

well, i think that since God gave everything free will, that allowed for evil to be created. but i think that's a necessary part of free will. i mean, how could God really know if we loved Him if we didn't have the choice between obeying and disobeying Him, and for that matter, would you consider disobeying God evil, since that is what satan did?

[missionseeker]

I get that part. And yes I beleive disobeying is evil. Evil is evil no matter how small. It's still giving the devil power over you which can lead to demonic oppression. So even if it starts with you know- -- not cleaning your room or something, the more you disobey, the more power Satan has over you. With your consent.

[Paphnutius]

Evil is not a created thing, it is the absence of a thing, namely the Good. It does not make sense to ask "what created evil?" for it is not a thing. One cannot point to "evil" as one can point to a computer or a glass of water. Evil, as sin, is a possibility of free will.

[missionseeker]

[quote name='Paphnutius' date='Mar 16 2006, 10:56 PM']Evil is not a created thing, it is the absence of a thing, namely the Good. It does not make sense to ask "what created evil?" for it is not a thing. One cannot point to "evil" as one can point to a computer or a glass of water. Evil, as sin, is a possibility of free will.
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thank you.

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='Paphnutius' date='Mar 16 2006, 11:56 PM']Evil is not a created thing, it is the absence of a thing, namely the Good. It does not make sense to ask "what created evil?" for it is not a thing. One cannot point to "evil" as one can point to a computer or a glass of water. Evil, as sin, is a possibility of free will.
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i was gonna say that, but nutty beat me to it :

for more on this, see the following entry:

The Problem of Evil, and Other Causes of Unbelief
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