The Mystery of Evil Found in Job Essay - 1467 Words

The existence of famine, war, disease, and other distasteful aspects of humanity pose a tough, insistent question as to why God chose to create evil. As an infinitely powerful creator, surely a morally perfect God can and should create a world where evil does not exist in the first place. To propose otherwise seems to paint God as a malevolent being who apparently takes joy in watching the chaos. Bernard Leikind (2010) is a physicist who published an article that paints a representation of the mystery of evil as seen by most non-believers. In his article, Leikind uses the Old Testament biblical figure Job to support a malevolent God who just as easily gives as he takes away. He references Job 38:1-4 (NIV): Then the Lord spoke to Job out of†¦show more content†¦As an agnostic, Ehrman represents the agnostic perspective. To address the mystery of evil, it is important to address this viewpoint as agnosticism does not effectively handle the question of the mystery of evil. There is an understandably stout yearning in almost all humans, despite their beliefs, to hope that pain and misery has definitive purpose, especially a purpose that makes sense in the context of our own existence. The desire to place suffering with purpose has repeatedly lead cultures to seek out and worship gods (or the God) in return for safekeeping in times of calamity. This strong desire, in the face of such travesty, is often given as evidence as to why the supernatural exists, or rather is created by humans. The desire to seek out God for protection should not and cannot be misconstrued with the certainty of the divine. God does not offer protection from the depths of misfortune, but healing in his uncon ditional love and self-sacrifice. Joseph Conrad (1897) offers this explanation, â€Å"What makes mankind tragic is not that they are victims of nature, it is that they are conscious of it. To be part of the animal kingdom under the conditions of this earth is very well—but as soon as you know your slavery, the pain, the anger, the strife, the tragedy begins.† In light of Conrad’s observation, Ehrman seems petulant, railing against what he feels is fair and what is not fair, blamingShow MoreRelatedBible Study: Lessons Learnt from Job Suffering756 Words   |  3 PagesJobs suffering Job and his friends were not aware that his (Job) suffering was inflicted by the devil who sought permission from the Lord to test the faithfulness of Job towards God. After Job suffered the loss of all his children and possession as well as well as being afflicted with sores all over his body, his friends Zophar, Bildad and Eliphaz sought to find meaning as to why all this occurrences. They tried to explain that it was because of sin that God punished man; this being a key argumentRead MoreHeart Of Darkness Critical Analysis1409 Words   |  6 PagesBiographical information about the author: Joseph Conrad was an orphan by 12 years old. His parents died as a result spent in exile in Siberia. He began his first job at the age of 17, being a sailor. He eventually began to sail British ships and became a British citizen. He enjoyed writing stories while he sailed and made money that he used to take care of his kids and ill wife with. Information about the literary period: The literary period was early modernism. Modernism refers to the forms,Read MoreThe Shining By Stephen King1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe Shining, a novel written by Stephen King followed by a film directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980 is a horror/thriller narrative filled with many mysteries of its own. Initially, The Shining portrays itself as an average â€Å"The house is haunted but no one believes me† story. However, as the plot progresses we learn that there is much more that goes into the big picture. At its core, the narrative is about isolation, psychological problems, alcoholism, and the suspense of an impending doom. JackRead MoreChupacabra1311 Words   |  6 Pagesevidence has provided. I. Sightings of the Chupacabra have been reported all over Mexico and Southern Texas. II. The Chupacabra has been hunted for centuries. III. Local scientists have recently debunked the mystery of the Chupacabra. Restated Thesis: even with all the new found evidence which shows the Chupacabra to be just a myth, some will continue not to believe what science has proven. The Truth about Mexico’s mythical Chupacabra creature The Chupacabra or â€Å"Goat Sucker† has beenRead More Herman Melvilles Billy Budd as Allegory of Good versus Evil1327 Words   |  6 PagesHerman Melvilles Billy Budd as Allegory of Good versus Evil Herman Melvilles Billy Budd relates an allegory of innocence versus evil by symbolizing Billy Budd, John Claggart, and Captain Vere as Jesus Christ, Lucifer, and God. The protagonist in the novel is Billy Budd.   The experiences that Billy undergoes throughout the novel parallel what Jesus Christ endured in his life.   Melville characterizes Billy Budd as an innocent man physically and mentally.   The first feature sailors wouldRead More Biography of Edgar Allen Poe and His Poetry Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesAllan Poe -------------------------------------------------------- Edgar Allan Poe was born on 19 January 1809 in Boston and passed away on 7 October in Baltimore. His poems and short tales are considered original and usually have a tinge of mystery in them. Edgar Allan Poe produced important literacy criticisms. Edgar Allan Poe’s parents, David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins died when he was only three years old. His parents were touring actors. After his parents’ death, John AllanRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Job As A Work On Human Suffering And Divine Sovereignty1678 Words   |  7 PagesOver the past centuries, scholars have regarded the book of Job as the seminal and quintessential work on human suffering and divine sovereignty. It has influenced the perspectives of both authors and philosophers for millennia. To some of the greatest writers of the past few centuries, the book of Job is presumed as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, literary work, especially on the topic of theodicy. When regarding the book of Job, Victor Hugo stated, â€Å"Tomorrow, if all literature was toRead MoreEvil : Horror Or Hoax?893 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"You know evil from experiencing it† (â€Å"Amityville: Horror or Hoax†) George Lutz made a very convincing statement about his experiences facing an â€Å"evil† presence that tormented his family which he spoke very in very great detail on an episode of History’s Mysteries documentary show when they featured the show â€Å"Amityville: Horror or Hoax. Although it is logical to assume that the force of evil â€Å"is diabolical and preordained reflects a view of the world in which mysterious, unseen forces are lockedRead MoreEssay on The Usual Suspects by Christopher McQuarrie1137 Words   |  5 Pagessuccessful film grossing over $51 million worldwide. The storyline is a crime mystery thriller the genre has a set of conventions, they create a high level of anticipation, uncertainty, mystery and nerve-wracking tension. They also help the audience understand the film more easily and know what to expect from it. It also helps make sure that the audience will enjoy the violence, suspense and mystery the film contains having seen similar films in the past. The manipulationRead MoreInternet Trolls: The Few ‘Bad Eggs’ 737 Words   |  3 Pagesconjures an image of an ugly misshapen creature, feeding on fear, an evil being intent on doing damage. Modern trolls are such creatures. They prowl the Internet, looking for the vulnerable. Trolls are bullies. They spark anger and hostility through degrading or rude comments and posts on news feeds. They typically remain unnamed, hiding behind anonymous usernames or handles to spout their damaging words. Internet trolls can be found on a variety of websites. There are many heated topics up for debate