Epicurean Paradox

One of my friends re-posted this picture on Facebook.  He found it at Facebook page "Americans against the Tea Party," which in turn got it from "I Acknowledge Class Warfare Exists," neither of which, in my opinion, imply discussions about God from the name of their Facebook pages... regardless, in my limited understanding, I felt complied to "Vent" about this picture, so this blog isn't particularly "Music and Worship Arts" related, but it was spawned by a "Picture" on Facebook!  I have edited my reply on Facebook for ease of reading and to omit personal references.  It went, in part:


First, intelligent Tea-Partiers will say you can believe (or not!) whatever religious belief you want--just allow us to believe what *we* want!
Next, "Could God have created a universe with free-will but without evil?" is a misleading question.  It presumes that this world exists as God created it.  God DID create a universe with free-will and without evil!  Genesis 1:31 says “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. “  Adam and Eve exercised their free will to defy God and Sin/Evil is the consequence!
 
Third, the answers to the question "Then why is there Evil?" in the chart are incomplete/incorrect.  Evil is both a choice and a consequence.  If someone chooses to "Do Evil," then "Bad things happen."  The chart supposes that the answer to "Why is there Evil?" is possibly to test us.  God doesn't use evil to "Test" us!  He uses US to express His love in the midst of Evil.  Look at all the first responders who ran into the towers on 9/11!  Look at all the people who help AIDS patients and the homeless!  Look at medical researchers working literal lifetimes to find cures for diseases!
The second possibility the chart poses to the question "Then why is there Evil?" is just "Satan."  (Way to over-simplify.)  It's response to that is "An All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Good God could and would destroy Satan."  Christians believe God CAN and WILL destroy Satan.  Just because He doesn't do it when you think He should doesn't negate His power.
Smarter theologians than I have said the Gospel stands on two feet--Truth and Love.  Take away either and you are ignoring the scripture and no longer talking about who God really is.  The Truth is there IS Evil and because God IS Love, He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins/evil choices, and to become a bridge only by which we can build our relationship with God.  If it was not true that Evil exists, then He would not have needed to send His Son to redeem us.  Conversely, as He *did* send Jesus to die in our place, how can we believe we are "Good Enough" on our own to get into Heaven?  If we could get in on our own merit, Christ’s death was a cruel joke!  Why would He need to die if we could be “Good Enough” without that sacrifice?  *Any amount* of evil in us separates us from God.  One rotten egg really does spoil the whole batch!  I may have strayed from the point Americans Against the Tea Party and the other page were trying to make, but what the Epicurean Paradox is trying to do, indirectly at least,  is what we all must do—answer the question “Who Is God?”


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