Does the Presence of

Natural Evil Preclude

the Existence of God?

A Christian Response

Richard Deem

Argument Against God from Evil

1.

God is all-powerful, loving, and

perfect.

2.

A perfect, loving God would create a

universe that was perfect (e.g., no evil

and suffering).

3.

The universe is not perfect but

contains evil and suffering.

Therefore, an all-powerful, loving, and

perfect God does not exist.

Kinds of Evil

l

Moral Evil – Bad things that happen to

us that are perpetrated by moral agents

(e.g., human beings)

l

Natural Evil – Bad things that happen to

us that are the result of the nature of

the universe

Natural Evil and God’s Existence

“Although an omniscient, omnipotent,

perfectly good God could be justified in

allowing moral evil, such a God is never

justified in creating a world in which

natural evil occurs.”

Brian Marston, atheist philosopher

“Because natural evil is gratuitous, its

existence is incompatible with the

existence of God.”

Fëdor

Mikhailovich

Dostoevski

Rejected Christian Arguments

1.

Satan (or demons) are responsible for

all

natural evil

2.

The Fall of mankind, due to sin,

caused God’s physically-perfect

creation to become imperfect,

resulting in moral

and

natural evil

(young-earth argument)

3.

Natural evil is

always

due to God’s

judgment

4.

Natural evil is required for spiritual

growth (not completely rejected)

Examples:

• The great flood, drought

• Earthquakes, drought, famine,

asteroid, hail, fire, disease

Example:

• Satan harassed Job and his family

through fire and wind

• The Bible clearly indicates that the

current laws of physics were

operating prior to the fall (e.g., the

laws of thermodynamics)

The Primary Reason for

Existence of Natural Evil

l

The physical laws and processes that

are required for human existence

produce, on occasion, instances of

natural evil.

l

Without these laws, God’s purposes for

mankind could not be accomplished on

earth

Argument

For

Natural Evil

l

There exists an omnipotent, omniscient,

wholly good Being.

l

An omnipotent, omniscient, wholly good

Being would prevent the occurrence of any

intense suffering it could, unless it could not

do so without thereby losing some greater

good or permitting some evil equally bad or

worse.

l

It is not the case that there exist instances of

intense suffering which an omnipotent,

omniscient Being could have prevented

without thereby losing some greater good or

permitting some evil equally bad or worse.

Natural Evil

(According to Atheists)

l

Collisions in the universe (Crabtree, 2007)

l

Earthquakes (

Tattersall

, 1998, Marston, 1998,

Crabtree, 2007)

l

Volcanic eruptions (Marston, 1998, Crabtree, 2007)

l

Landslides (

Tattersall

, 1998)

l

Floods (Marston, 1998, Crabtree, 2007)

l

Hurricanes (Marston, 1998)

l

Tornadoes (Marston, 1998, Crabtree, 2007)

l

Lightening strikes (Rowe, 1979)

l

Fires (

Tattersall

, 1998)

l

Painful death from an incurable terminal disease

(Marston, 1998)

l

Infectious disease (Crabtree, 2007)

l

Animal pain (Rowe, 1979, Marston, 1998)

God’s Requirements for the

Universe

1.

The universe must allow for the

existence of sentient creatures

2.

These sentient creatures must have

the ability to make moral choices

3.

The universe must operate by

physical laws that are reliable, so that

the sentient creatures can interact

reliably with their surroundings and

each other

4.

The universe must declare the power

and glory of God

Requirement 1: Sentient Creatures

l

Humans to rule over the earth:

l

And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be

fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and

subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the

sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every

living thing that moves upon the earth. (

Genesis

1:28

)

l

The LORD God took the man and put him in the

Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

(

Genesis 2:15

)

l

…You made him ruler over the works of your

hands; you put everything under his feet: all

flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the

birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that

swim the paths of the seas. (

Psalm 8:3-9

)

Requirement 1: Sentient Creatures

l

Humans to be in relationship with God:

l

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

(

Deuteronomy 6:5

)

l

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall

not perish, but have eternal life. (

John 3:16

)

l

"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and

His

lovingkindness

to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His

commandments; (

Deuteronomy 7:9

)

l

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (

Romans 5:5

)

l

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(

Romans 5:8

)

l

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus

from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (

Romans

8:11

)

l

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor

things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to

separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (

Romans 8:38-39

)

l

Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together

with me in your prayers to God for me, (

Romans 15:30

)

l

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? (

1

Corinthians 3:16

)

l

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the

God of love and peace will be with you. (

2 Corinthians 13:11

)

l

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be

with you all. (

2 Corinthians 13:14

)

l

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were

dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and

raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the

ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ

Jesus. (

Ephesians 2:4-7

)

l

Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He

has made to dwell in us"? (

James 4:5

)

l

keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to

eternal life. (

Jude 1:21

)

Requirement 2: Moral Choice

l

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set

before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in

order that you may live, you and your descendants, (

Deuteronomy

30:19

)

l

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for

yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your

fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the

Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD." (

Joshua 24:15

)

l

"Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among

ourselves what is good. (

Job 34:4

)

l

Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways.

(

Proverbs 3:31

)

l

"He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse

evil and choose good. (

Isaiah 7:15

)

l

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who

desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

(

1 Timothy 2:3-4

)

l

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand

slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but

everyone to come to repentance. (

2 Peter 3:9

)

Requirement 3: Reliable, Fixed

Physical Laws

l

Fixed physical laws are required for sentient

creatures to reliably interact with the world

and each other

l

God fixes the laws of the universe:

l

“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or

fix their rule over the earth?” (

Job 38:33

)

l

Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light

by day And the fixed order of the moon and the

stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so

that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His

name: “If this fixed order departs From before

Me,” declares the LORD, “Then the offspring of

Israel also will cease From being a nation before

Me forever.” (

Jeremiah 31:35-36

)

Requirement 4: Universe Must

Declare the Power and Glory of God

l

For the choir director; on the

Gittith

. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in

all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! (

Psalm 8:1

)

l

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (

Psalm 19:1

)

l

Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth. (

Psalm 57:5

)

l

And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and

Amen. (

Psalm 72:19

)

l

The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

(

Psalm 89:5

)

l

Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the LORD

and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But

the LORD made the heavens. (

Psalm 96:3-5

)

l

The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory. (

Psalm 97:6

)

l

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His

lovingkindness

toward those who fear

Him. (

Psalm 103:11

)

l

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth. (

Psalm 108:5

)

l

The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. (

Psalm 113:4

)

l

To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His

lovingkindness

is everlasting; (

Psalm 136:5

)

l

Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and

heaven. (

Psalm 148:13

)

l

And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of

His glory." (

Isaiah 6:3

)

l

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts

than your thoughts. (

Isaiah 55:9

)

l

Thus says the LORD, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched

out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the

LORD. (

Jeremiah 31:37

)

l

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who

suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them;

for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal

power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that

they are without excuse. (

Romans 1:18-20

)

Is Natural Evil a Necessity Under

All Possible Creations?

l

Is natural evil necessary given the

current laws of physics?

l

Could God have used other laws of

physics to accomplish the same goals,

but without the possibility of natural

evil?

Fundamental Forces of Physics

1.

Strong nuclear force (keeps protons

within atomic nuclei from flying away)

2.

Weak nuclear force (responsible for

phenomena within the atomic

nucleus, such as radioactive decay)

3.

Gravity (attraction between masses)

4.

Electromagnetic force (which governs

interactions of charged particles)

Can the Laws Be Tweaked?

Parameter Max. Deviation

Ratio of Electrons:Protons 1:10

37

Ratio of Electromagnetic Force:Gravity 1:10

40

Expansion Rate of Universe 1:10

55

Mass of Universe 1:10

59

Cosmological Constant 1:10

120

These numbers represent the maximum deviation from the

accepted values, that would either prevent the universe

from existing now, not having matter, or be unsuitable for

any form of life.

Let’s Try to Eliminate All Forms

of Natural Evil

l

Can’t change the fundamental forces of

nature significantly and retain life

l

Can attempt to eliminate underlying

causes of natural evil

l

Elimination of natural evil must not cause

additional evil

l

Elimination of natural evil must not

negatively impact God’s requirements for

the universe

Natural Evil from

Extraterrestrial Sources

Meteorites

l

Every year, a few people are killed

by falling meteorites

l

Couldn’t God just eliminate all

space “junk” in the Solar System?

l

Produces a contradiction, since

planetary systems are produced

by accretion of material

l

A solar system without any small

objects would be telling a lie

about the way it was formed

(Violates requirement #3)

Create the Earth Another Way?

l

God could have created only one star

and one planet?

l

Violates requirement #4, since the

universe would not declare God’s glory

Natural Evil Due to

Tectonic Activity

Earthquakes

l

On average, thousands of people are

killed every year by earthquakes.

l

How do we prevent the earth from

shaking?

Earth Science 101

l

The earth’s continents are floating on a

molten mantle

l

When the plates that make up these

continents drift into each other, stress

builds up until one of the plates gives

l

Energy released results in an

earthquake

Eliminate the Earth’s Molten

Interior?

l

None of the other rocky planets in the

solar system have a molten core

l

Also removes the earth’s magnetic

field, eliminating the Van-Allen

radiation shield

l

Resulting radiation results in a greater

evil.

Get Rid of All Radiation?

l

Nuclear fusion (which produces heat

and radiation) is required to produce

elements heavier than helium (for rocky

planets)

l

Fusion cannot be made radiation-free

without messing with the weak nuclear

force, which would prevent life from

existing at all

Earthquakes are Good!

l

Without movable continental plates, no

dry land would exist on earth.

l

Colliding continental plates build

mountains and volcanoes

l

Without land-building processes,

erosion would result in a

waterworld

l

Advanced spiritual life is not possible

in purely aquatic animals (contradicts

requirement #4)

Fault Zones and Civilization

l

13 out of 15 of the first civilizations

developed in the vicinity of earthquake

fault zones (the exceptions being

ancient Egypt and China)

l

Due to:

l

More abundant underground water

supplies

l

Rich volcanic soils

Tsunamis

l

Tsunamis occur when earthquakes

happen under large bodies of water

l

Energy released by the earthquake is

transferred to the water, resulting in a

very large wave

l

Can’t get rid of earthquakes or oceans

and still have advanced life

Volcanoes

l

Are caused by plate tectonics

l

Relatively minor impact on human

populations, with some notable

exceptions

l

Cannot be stopped without serious

impacts to the land masses of the earth

Natural Evil Due to

Weather

Landslides

l

Every year Californians experience

landslides due to sporadic heavy rains

l

Dozens to hundreds of people are left

homeless and occasionally people are

killed

l

In order to eliminate landslides, one

would have to eliminate mountains (i.e.,

plate tectonics) or rain

Floods

l

Kill an average of 146 people in the U.S.

every year

l

Caused by flat land and excessive rain

l

Cannot eliminate the water cycle

l

It is unclear how atheists propose that

both floods (flat land) and landslides

(not flat land) can be eliminated

simultaneously

Floods are Good!

l

Some rivers throughout the world used

to flood every year (e.g., the Nile)

l

Flooding brought much needed silt and

minerals to the surrounding land,

making it more fertile

l

In New Orleans, control of flooding

(levees) has caused the delta to sink,

since all the silt is funneled into the

Gulf of Mexico

New Orleans

Silt

Hurricanes/Cyclones/Typhoons

l

Are tropical storms that gain energy

over warm waters to produce winds in

excess of 100 mph

l

Caused by uneven heating of the earth,

so that they are found in tropical

locations

Fixing Uneven Heating

l

Multiple Suns?

l

Cannot be made to orbit each other to

produce even heating on the earth

Orbital Parameters: Obliquity

23.5°

0°

Both Poles Freeze

90°

One Pole Freezes

Tornadoes

l

Although most tornadoes occur in the

Midwest part of the United States, they

can occur in numerous locations

throughout the world

l

Wind speeds can exceed 200 mph

l

Tornadoes cannot be prevented except

by preventing storms or preventing

uneven heating of the earth

Lightning

l

Lightning strikes from thunderstorms

kill ~100 people every year in the United

States

l

Lightning is caused by the differential

charges generated within clouds

l

Eliminate lightning?

l

Eliminate storms

l

Reduce the electromagnetic force

constant (violates requirement #1)

Lightning is Good!

l

High energy electrical discharge results in the

splitting of molecular nitrogen and oxygen,

When these atoms recombine, they form nitric

oxide, which is delivered to plants in the rain

l

Molecular nitrogen is inert, so other than the

action of some prokaryotes, is the way in

which nitrogen becomes available for use by

plants

2NOON

Lightning

¾¾¾ ®¾+

)(

22

Wildfires

l

In California, wildfires cause millions of

dollars in destruction and usually a few

fatalities every year

l

Atheist William Rowe used the example

of fire as natural evil, in which lightning

started a fire in a forest, which

eventually burned a young deer (read

"Bambi") that suffered for several days

before dying

Get Rid of Fires?

l

Fire requirements:

l

Fuel

l

Heat

l

Oxygen

l

Can’t eliminate

any

sources of fire

l

Cellular metabolism is form of

combustion

l

C

6

H

12

O

6

+ 6O

2

→

6CO

2

+ 6H

2

O + Heat

Biological Forms of

Natural Evil

Genetic Diseases

l

Caused by mutation

l

Some genetic diseases are “good” (i.e.,

adaptations)

l

Sickle-cell disease

l

Mutation in hemoglobin gene

l

Confers resistance to malaria

(which kills 1 million people/year)

l

Homozygous individuals die young

l

Heterozygous individuals

suffer minimal morbidity

Malaria Life Cycle

Sporozoites

Mosquito injects sporozoites

Into human blood stream

Sporozoites infect

liver cells

Merozoites

Merozoites infect

red blood cells

Merozoites multiply

In red blood cells

Some merozoites develop

into male and female gametocytes

Mosquito drinks blood

containing gametocytes

Liver

cells

Gametocytes

Male

Female

Male

Female

Sperm

Egg

Fertilized

Egg

Salivary gland

Human

Host

Sperm and egg

develop from

gametocytes

Ookinate

Sporozoites migrate

To salivary gland

Fertilized egg

differentiates and

moves into stomach

Oocyst

Sickle Cell Trait

Cancer

l

Caused by mutation (or viruses) which

cause cells to replicate uncontrollably

l

Couldn’t God have done a better job

designing life so that mutation was not

possible?

Mutation Error Rate

Parameter Humans Bacteria

Replication rate 60 bp/sec 500 bp/sec

Error rate ~2.2x10

-9

per

base per

generation

~1x10

-8

per

base per

generation

l

Slower replication results in fewer

errors

l

However, given the laws of

thermodynamics, there is no way to

make the error rate zero

daughter chromosomes

5’

3’

5’

3’

5’

3’

Origins of DNA replication (every ~150 kb)

5’

3’

5’

Bidirectional replication

Fusion of bubbles

replication bubble

How DNA Replication Occurs

DNA ligase

DNA polymerase I

Helicase primase

DNA gyrase

b subunit “sliding clamp”

Dimeric replicative

DNA polymerase

Okazaki

fragment

SSB

Primer

SSB

Molecular Machines Required for

DNA Replication

Bacteria

l

Single-celled prokaryotes

l

Indispensible to the biomes of the

world, recycling carbon and minerals

from dead organisms

l

Present at greater than 10

7

organisms/g

in soil

l

Greater than 10

30

bacteria on earth

l

First

trophic

level in a food chain

Bacteria in Humans

l

10X more bacteria than human cells

l

Colonize the intestinal tract

l

Metabolize “indigestible” material

l

Prevent the overgrowth of pathogens

l

Make biotin and vitamin K for us

l

Pathogens

l

Recent, poorly adapted bacteria

l

Usually originate from other species in

which they are better adapted

l

Can’t prevent bacteria from

translocating

Neisseria

gonorrhoeae

Viral Diseases

l

Obligate intracellular parasites

l

Probably originated as

prokayotic

parasites that lost much of their

molecular machinery, since they could

exploit the hosts’ molecular machinery

l

Mycoplasma

genitalium

is an obligate

intracellular parasite that can no longer

exist as a free-living bacterium

l

No way to prevent virus formation other

than direct intervention when they arise

H1N1 virus

Viruses are Good!

l

~10

30

viruses in the ocean

l

These viruses positively impact the

marine nutrient cycle

Dell’Anno

, A., et al. 2008. Major viral

impact on the functioning of benthic

deep-sea ecosystems.

Nature

454, 1084

-1087

.

Rohwer

, F. and R. Vega Thurber. 2009.

Viruses manipulate the marine

environment.

Nature

459: 207-212

.

H1N1 virus

Animal Pain

l

Produced by carnivores on their prey

l

Elimination of carnivores would result in

over-population of herbivore populations

and starvation

l

Starvation is much more painful than

being eaten

l

Produced by disease

l

Removes weak members

l

Strengthens gene pool

Pain is Good!

l

Pain is produced by pain receptors,

which transmit the signal via nerves to

our brain

l

Tell us that something is wrong

l

People with genetic disorders that

prevent pain reception must be

constantly watched so that they don’t

do things that destroy parts of their

bodies

Extent of Natural Evil

Natural evil % People Affected/Year

Meteorites 0%

Earthquakes 0.02% (Northridge, 1994)

Volcanoes 0.2% (Mt. St. Helens, 1980)

Landslides 0.02%

Floods 0.03%

Hurricanes 1% (Katrina, 2005)

Tornadoes 0.006%

Lightning 0.00004%

Fires 0.1%

Genetic diseases 1.3%

Cancer 0.5%

Infectious diseases 0.06% (deaths)

Total 3.2%

Natural Evil Conclusions

l

All physical processes that produce

natural evil are required for the proper

functioning and existence of life on

earth

l

It is not the case that there exist

instances of intense suffering which an

omnipotent, omniscient Being could

have prevented without thereby losing

some greater good or permitting some

evil equally bad or worse.

The Tinkering God?

l

Yes, God can (and has) intervened in

the laws of physics to prevent some

natural evil (i.e., miracles)

l

Why couldn’t God intervene to prevent

all

natural evil?

l

People would become complacent,

expecting God to rescue them whenever

they messed up

l

The laws of physics would be deemed

unreliable, since God would be constantly

breaking them

Different Laws of Physics?

l

Nearly all natural evil is the direct result

of the laws of thermodynamics

l

Eliminate the laws of thermodynamics

l

no stars

l

no electromagnetic radiation (including

light

l

no machines (including biological ones)

that depend on heat/energy flow

The Perfect Universe

Characteristic Implication

There will be no Sun or

moon or stars

No thermodynamics

No more death, suffering,

pain

No thermodynamics

No sea No water cycle

Gravity will be absent or

greatly reduced

Heaven does not

contain matter (?)

Believers will receive a

spiritual, non-physical body

Heaven does not

contain matter (?)

No sin Limited free will?