HQ

According to William Hasker, the existential problem of evil occurs when “theism is questioned and/or rejected on the basis of moral protest, indignation, and outrage at the evils of this world.” Hasker claims that if I am glad that I exist, then I cannot (reasonably) protest against God. The simple version of his argument is: (1) I am glad that I exist. (2) If I am glad that I exist, then I am glad that the history of the world is the way it is. (3) If I am glad that the history of the world is what it is, then I cannot reproach God for the general character or the major events of the world’s past history. (4) Therefore, I cannot reproach God for the general character or the major events of the world’s past history. (1) is based on an assumption. Hasker asks us to think for a moment. On the whole, do you prefer that you exist rather than not? If so, then proceed. (2) is based on a thesis about human identity. Hasker argues that you being you is conting...

C.S. Lewis knew how deal with human pretentiousness: cut it out by the root. In Lewis' hands our self deceptions are like some hidden terrorist cell who finds itself under the precise assault of special forces. For example, in The Problem of Pain, Lewis unearths some particularly well bunkered little wickednesses: We imply, and often believe, that habitual vices are exceptional single acts and make the opposite mistake about our virtues--like the bad tennis player who calls his normal form his "bad days" and mistakes his rare successes for his normal  Beware lest you are making use of the idea of corporate guilt to distract your attention from those hum-drum, old fashioned guilts of your own which have nothing to do with "the system" and which can be dealt with without waiting for the millennium  Everyone feels benevolent if nothing happens to be annoying him at the moment Prostitutes are in no danger of finding life so satisfactory that they can...

“Behold I am insignificant; what can I reply to you? I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:4)  At the close of the narrative we find that Job's silence can only be found again in his confrontation with God. Carson suggests that God achieves two ends in his speech. The first is to emphasize that Job cannot justify himself at the expense of condemning God. 1 A reason for Job's suffering is not forthcoming and Job has no rights to such a reason. But Job having no reason does not mean that there is no reason, only that Job is not in a position to know it. There is no satisfaction if the only thing that will satisfy is being told the reason one suffers.

"Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave” (Job 10:18). If Job had access to Dignitas , would he have used it? He certainly yearns for relief in death yet knows that it is God's prerogative to give and take life. His yearning is deeper than mere death, it is a yearning to have never been alive – to undo his own being. His desperation is, in part, the utter hopelessness of being unable to die or to undo his life: “Let the day perish on which I was born... why did I not die at birth... for then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest” (Job 3:3,11-13).

“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul” (Job 7:11). In the midst of his suffering, Job does what anyone would do. He complains. However, the grounds for the complaint are found in the same person as the one to whom the complaint is made. Job's appeal is made to and on the basis of who God is. Consequently Job's complaint to God is marked by a lack of idolatry. This is sacred complaint because God remains God.

“Good Lord, there are no words.” Aaron Brown on CNN, September 11th 2001. 1 “Let me have silence and I will speak.” Job 13:13 When reading the Book of Job it is difficult not to be humbled by a man whose woes far exceed anything most of us have experienced, yet who responds with such dignity. In the case of Job it is the suffer who offers counsel not the unafflicted.