A Unified Theory

[Paterfamilia]

of why God created the universe and why there is evil in it.  Is there such a theory?

For example, the free-will aspect seeks to answer the evil part, but not the creation part.  Friends and fellowship, objects of His love, speak to creation but say nothing of the evil.

I would say that because of His maximal greatness, the answer is necessarily the same.

[troyjs]

Most would argue that the natural suffering has a greater purpose, or that the skeptic must show that the natural suffering does not have some greater purpose.

[Paterfamilia]

We have the concept and promise of reward in heaven.

 Let's say a given person is born to a good family, does her school work, has a couple good friends, meets a nice boy, earns salutatorian at graduation, gets her liberal arts degree, raises 3 sons, enjoys grandmahood, and dies peacefully in her sleep.

When she arrives at heaven, what is she rewarded for?  Because she had a nice easy peaceful life with no challenges??  Unfortunately for her, no reward for an easy life.

Wouldn't she then say to God, "Lord, why did you make my life so easy?  Why didn't you give me more opportunity to show the excellence of my character?"

Another example - the highest military award is the Medal of Honor.  Very few are given and rightly so.  It acknowledges character, bravery, honor, fidelity, commitment, sacrifice, and brotherly love on level that very few of us are ever challenged to display.

You don't earn one without getting shot, and usually killed.  The horror of war is the context wherein true greatness of character is rendered and experienced.  There is nothing like it.

In like manner, natural evil is a challenge to us as human beings, but also an opportunity to exercise greatness of our own, and find out for ourselves what we are really made of - whether that be good or evil.

[Paterfamilia]

My theory has two main premises, and then several other assertions that perhaps are somewhat less probable.

1.  God created the universe because He wanted the best possible context to reveal the extremities of His greatness to all intelligent beings.

2.  Goodness in extremity is undefined in the absence of evil.

[Paterfamilia]

One additional assertion for now:

3. There exists analogous connectivities between realities in the physical dimension and realities in the spiritual dimension of the universe.

[devar93]

One additional assertion for now:

3. There exists analogous connectivities between realities in the physical dimension and realities in the spiritual dimension of the universe.

That sounds an awful lot like hylemorphic dualism and/or dual aspect monism

[jayceeii]

of why God created the universe and why there is evil in it.  Is there such a theory?

For example, the free-will aspect seeks to answer the evil part, but not the creation part.  Friends and fellowship, objects of His love, speak to creation but say nothing of the evil.

I would say that because of His maximal greatness, the answer is necessarily the same.

The Hindus teach that the universe is God’s Lila or play, but it’s a very serious kind of play when you note that once created, the souls might prefer to remain rather than to be annihilated (as the Hindus say will occur, to the apparent great relief of humanity). Evil is from the rising souls, who as yet lack power and wisdom. Only the weak can think or do evil, and it is apparent most humans rise only to goodness within the family, lacking the scope or vision to allow this care to spread globally. Even this morning I listened to a preacher who talks of love some days, but war other days, his mind intermingling these.

No human is a friend to God, in fact the religions did not make it a goal to make oneself a better companion to the Lord, or better companions to one another, a tragic oversight. There can be no talk of friendship while there is exploitation of a potential friend’s need. Humans will (rarely) say, “Your money’s no good here,” that manages to come across as insulting at the same time we are supposed to accept they’ve gathered the person under their wing as a family member. There is a higher way, which is working directly for the needs of one another, that Jesus hinted at so badly when washing the feet of the disciples.