The definition to the word theodicy is “a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil” (The definition of theodicy. n.d.). To believe that a god exists, why does he allow evil to happen? If god is all powerful why doesn’t he just do away with all evil to make it easier for people? These are the questions that are asked by the masses.
One of the answers to evil is the free will defense to the existence of evil. In this theory God doesn’t allow evil he gave man free will. In that free will man has choices to make good or evil. And that it is man’s choice to bring on evil not God. With the natural disasters that brings pain and suffering that is the work of the devil.
In my chosen career path I have chosen to place myself in harm’s way. I chose this life because I was up to the challenge and know that I can with stand the evils that are thrown at me. As a correctional officer here in the jail working the maximum security lock up I met true evil. Those inmates that I meet and supervised were the worst I have ever seen. That gave me the drive to go out on the street and to try to prevent and stop predators like them before they harmed.
As an officer evil shows its head every day in our line of work. Evil comes to use in forms of a child abuser to a murderer. We see day after day call after call the true evil of man. The temptations to follow that evil are great. From the urge to get revenge on a domestic abuser that keeps beating his wife and kids to taking found drug money on the street that no one will claim that will never be missed instead of turning it in. As officers we have all seen and been around it. It is good to know that my faith, beliefs and values are strong and have guided me to overcome these obstacles that have been put before me.
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2) Theodicy, (from Greek theos, “god”; dike, “justice”), explanation of why a perfectly good, almighty, and all-knowing God permits evil. The term literally means “justifying God” (Sherry, n.d.). Dictionary.com defines theodicy as a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil (Theodicy | Define Theodicy at Dictionary.com. ,n.d.)
Theodicy looks at how and almighty God could allow evil to live in the world. Thinking of evil as why God enables it to happen, theodicy tries to explain the reasons why evil occurs. Many religious people point out that there is no real answer why evil occurs but we must believe that God allows it and God will deal with evil on judgment day. My opinion, God knew there would be evil in the world and he called it sin. We all must answer for the sins that we have committed and God has his way of taking care of evil.
One of the strategies that people have adopted in service to the goals and aims of theodicy is the free will defense. The free-will defense is a defense of theism against the argument from moral evil. The argument from moral evil is the argument that the existence of moral evil is inconsistent with, and so disproves, the existence of God (Philosophy of Religion » The Free Will Defence, n.d.). God gave us free will to decide good or evil. Another strategy that people have adopted in service to the goals and aims of theodicy is that God has to allow evil to occur or there would be no free will. In this case, God is not responsible for evil but people are.
In my personal life, one evil that I had to encounter and negotiate is peer pressure. When you know that your peers are asking you do evil but you do it because of pressure. This usually happens as a teenager but can occur anytime in life. The way I handled this situation once I realized it was evil was to ask God for forgiveness. We all encounter peer pressure in our lives and must decide the best course of action to cope with it.
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