The orginal question, Why does God permit evil, has come up often in this world and is an interesting question. On the surface it seems logical that if God is really an all powerful God of Love then he opposes himself by allowing evil, but the answers we know do not lie on the surface of man's wisdom, or even in the depths of man's wisdom for that matter.

I doubt that any of us really have a depth of understanding about Evil, but here's my thought....

Considering Perfect Love & Truth, anything at all that resisted perfect love & truth (thus God), would be like a negative charge encountering a positive charge, meaning it would be moving away from God, and what can the ultimate result of denying God be but Evil? If it doesn't lead to Perfect "Life" then there must be some manner of opposition or resistance to Perfect Life (God) and what could it be that resists or denys Perfect Good but Evil, ultimately?

Also, if God is a God who Is Love itself, then comes the question of whether free will is actually an essence of Love. Let's think about this...Is it Love or a lack of Love or Evil that allows freedom and free choice? If we determine that free choice is an element of Love or is Love itself then how can Love and no free will exist as one? God either allows us a free choice or we are programmed or designed to serve him without a choice or free will. If we have no free will choice, then are we not more of a servant than a friend? God calls us friends, and we know by the common language that "friend" denotes Love while "servant" speaks only of owned or captured service.

If free will exists, then the choice exists to deny Perfect Love & Truth (God). And any choice against God is toward what opposes God which is Evil. Evil then may be seen simply as anything that denies and opposes Perfect Love & Truth.

Thank God that He has made a way for us to come so near him, when we consider not just the great evils that exist in the natural fallen man's Nature, but the molecular evils that are beyond reasoning man's consciousness, which are like the negative charge encountering Perfection.

[CatholicCrusader]

Why does God permit evil? It would be a much better world without it.

Two words: FREE WILL

[Beauty1]

Originally Posted by CatholicCrusader

Two words: FREE WILL

Very well said; however, In my opinion it goes much deeper than that. I believe that God has an agenda. He wants man to come into agreement with Him so he can have communion with man that is in harmony. God wants us to love Him of our own free will. It like having somebody love you because they choose to. I believe God is looking for that kind of love and the test of that love is in our obedience.Even Jesus said it Himself... "If you love me then obey me." such powerful words. It would be interesting to consider this as to the reason why God strategically place the "tree" in the garden; to test the love through obedience.

[CatholicCrusader]

I like your new pic

[Beauty1]

Originally Posted by CatholicCrusader

I like your new pic

Thanks!

[CatholicCrusader]

Originally Posted by Beauty1

Very well said; however, In my opinion it goes much deeper than that. I believe that God has an agenda. He wants man to come into agreement with Him so he can have communion with man that is in harmony.......

Wow. How very interesting. Read this:

1. God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

2 So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Strengthened by this mission, the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it."

source:
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Prologue

[Beauty1]

Originally Posted by CatholicCrusader

Wow. How very interesting. Read this:

1. God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

2 So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Strengthened by this mission, the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it."

source:
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Prologue

Wow, that is interesting. Its almost exactly what I said. Just a more thorough explanation and more eloquently stated.