1. THE PROBLEM OF EVIL. SUFFERING CAUSED BY MANKIND, AND NATURAL DISASTERS.

2. MANKIND. This refers back to the allegory of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Something is wrong if it has a disadvantageous effect on a third party. Furthermore, Mankind is capable of working out what will have such an effect, e.g. assaulting someone, or stealing. The human condition, i.e. flawed, brings evil about by making the “wrong” choice out of selfishness. Christianity says God gave mankind the freedom to make this wrong choice, or to make the “right” choice.

3. NATURAL DISASTERS. These are events brought about seemingly at random by the forces of Nature. They result in disasters accompanied by huge loss of life and damage to communities. Examples are earthquakes, accompanied by tsunamis if they occur under the ocean, floods, tornadoes etc. This poses a problem for “God” supporters. Why does God allow these to happen? An answer, which you may not accept, is that, again, it is down to mankind’s folly. E.G. by rebuilding San Francisco on the San Andreas Fault, they run the risk of another disaster despite the knowledge that it was destroyed by an earthquake at the start of the 20 th Century.