For atheist to answer

[Eric]

The question I ask, is to see what responses are given by atheist. I am not looking to refute the answers, only to observe the replies. The question is simple: How do we know that evil and suffering exists?

[Peter Kirby]

I am feeling Clintonian: "depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

[Eric]

LMAO

[Peter Kirby]

Have you ever put your hand on a pile of suffering? Or perhaps caught a photograph of evil in its natural habitat? References to Clinton aside, the ontological status of these concepts is a legitimate question. It appears that they are properties attributed to processes in living things (suffering) and actions affecting people (evil). As such, perhaps we could say that evil or suffering exists but only in the same way that sarcasm and humor exist.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

The question I ask, is to see what responses are given by atheist. I am not looking to refute the answers, only to observe the replies. The question is simple: How do we know that evil and suffering exists?

Suffering has an objective definition. Suffering is physical or emotional pain. I can know it exists, if for no other reason, because I suffer myself. If I suffer myself, then suffering exists. As far as "evil," goes, you'll have to give a definition of what that word means before I can say whether it objectively exists or not.

[Eric]

The question I ask, is to see what responses are given by atheist. I am not looking to refute the answers, only to observe the replies. The question is simple: How do we know that evil and suffering exists?

Suffering has an objective definition. Suffering is physical or emotional pain. I can know it exists, if for no other reason, because I suffer myself. If I suffer myself, then suffering exists. As far as "evil," goes, you'll have to give a definition of what that word means before I can say whether it objectively exists or not.

There is no definition that I could give you on evil without answering what I perceive or others perceive as evil. I do appreciate your answer on suffering. Thank you.

[Eric]

Have you ever put your hand on a pile of suffering? Or perhaps caught a photograph of evil in its natural habitat? References to Clinton aside, the ontological status of these concepts is a legitimate question. It appears that they are properties attributed to processes in living things (suffering) and actions affecting people (evil). As such, perhaps we could say that evil or suffering exists but only in the same way that sarcasm and humor exist.

I agree there is the ontological side of it used by religion and/or intelligent design apologetically debating against atheism. I like the sarcasm and humor . But those questions point more than just to the existence or non-existence of a deity.

[spin]

Though I'm not an atheist, here is my response: the notion of evil is reified nonsense—that shields people from closer access to reality—, while suffering in a physiological sense is a well-observed phenomenon.

[Eric]

Though I'm not an atheist, here is my response: the notion of evil is reified nonsense—that shields people from closer access to reality—, while suffering in a physiological sense is a well-observed phenomenon.

You know that is an interesting response. Thank you Spin.

[beowulf]

The question I ask, is to see what responses are given by atheist. I am not looking to refute the answers, only to observe the replies. The question is simple: How do we know that evil and suffering exists?

Suffering exists because remaining alive necessitates a mechanism to produce the sensation of pain: pain is therefore a protective sensation giving notice of danger. Life is the protective pain of existence and death is the cessation of pain.

Evil is the name given to the cause of pain; evil is whatever threatens our well-being as determined by the absence of pain. We all are the cause of pain to others at some time or another.

The dead are free from pain and are no longer evil: life exits no more, except in morbid fantasies in which the lifeless corpses are punished with pain in hells and the like. Religion is hence an eternal factory of pain and hence evil