Why Does God Allow Evil?

"The God described by the Bible is omnipotent and can prevent anything. The God described in the Bible is claimed to be good. Now if I had the power to prevent a little girl from being raped I would. The free will of the rapist would mean nothing at all to me. Anyone who placed the free will of the rapist over the safety of the little girl is evil. If someone stood by and watched the girl be raped and did nothing they would be as bad as the rapist. Your God is said to sit by and watch endless harm that it could prevent like some sick and cowardly voyeur. I would call such a creature evil so why would I worship it even if it were real." RYK

You have touched on a very important point with the rape of a little girl. If God was good, it makes sense to think that He should immediately step in and (let’s say for argument’s sake) strike a child-rapist with lightning. Would that be okay with you?

You seem very righteous about the rape of a child. How about the rape and murder of an adult? How do you feel about hatred for someone? Or the desire they may have to rape a woman? How about lust in general? Envy? Fornication (sex outside of marriage)? Adultery? Greed? Rebellion? Ingratitude? Blasphemy? No doubt your call for immediate retribution stops at rape and murder because you don't see many of the above as being evil. God does. His standard of righteousness in infinitely higher than ours. Evil doesn't stop where you and I think it should, so if you are wanting Him to throw around bolts of lightning at that which He considers evil, you are talking about the entire human race, including yourself.

You will be pleased to know that the Day is coming when He will bring His full wrath on your child rapist. The hymn-writer was right with his "He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword." Every human being (billions--since the beginning of time) will stand before a holy God and be punished for their crimes against His Law.

So before you point your finger at others and ask why God doesn’t punish them, you had better point it at yourself and make peace with Him before that Day. Go through the Ten Commandments with a tender conscience, and if you have an honest heart you will see that you have a multitude of sins and dare not lift a holier than thou finger, point it at another and call for the justice of God.