People have always had to come up against many hardships or even catastrophes. Of course, many of these catastrophes were caused, by people themselves. For example, innocent people suffered from numerous wars which their leaders started. However, there were many natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, or the spread of some severe diseases like plague. Moreover, even in our everyday life, we witness many suffering of innocent people.
Christianity has taught people that, suffering is either punishment or trial to reach heaven, but at present many people doubt that these basic explanations are truthful. Of course, it is hard to believe that kind God can let innocent children (who know nothing about sin) die or suffer. However, in the real world, many horrible things happen. For example, an innocent child dies after several months or years of disease like meningitis.
In such cases, it is insufficient to know that God is wise and does what is necessary. Many people deserve punishment for their cruel and inhumane deeds. No one would argue much if Hitler died in the 1930s, but he lived and caused the death of millions of people. He was not punished by God, instead, he chose his death. Whereas many really good people have to suffer from diseases or catastrophes for no reason. Is it possible that God could be blind and miss such injustice?
To consider the peculiarities of God’s justice there is no need to dwell upon some leaders and wars it is possible to focus on the simple and, unfortunately, quite common case when a child dies in a fire. First of all, it is necessary to decide whether a child may be punished in such a way. It is not the case of divine punishment since a child is innocent, it is born innocent, and in several months of its early life, simply cannot sin.
Another assumption is that suffering is a kind of path to heaven. However, it cannot be the case with a child since it should get to heaven at any rate (due to its being innocent). Thus, there is no vivid reason for such death. Even if God needs to take the innocent soul to heaven, there is no need to make it that painfully. So, God cannot want to make innocent children suffer. Christianity has a reason for unexplainable – the evil. All injustice happens because of evil forces.
However, we can argue that even can cause some bad things, but God is almighty and can prevent at least the most horrible cases. For example, God can save a child from a fire: he can send rain or make a miracle. However, there are a few (if any) miracles nowadays and many innocent children die suffering. Is it possible that God could be less powerful than evil forces? The affirmative answer would contradict all the main principles of Christianity. It is simply impossible that the force, which created the world with its beauty and diversity was unable to prevent a fire or save a child from the fire. Admittedly, God is powerful enough to save innocent children from suffering. Nevertheless, God often does not do it.
B.C. Johnson assumes that if God does not prevent suffering and lets it happen, this means that God himself causes these sufferings. Thus, God is not kind, what is more, he is regarded as evil. Such an assumption makes sense because a powerful God capable of preventing injustice simply does not do it. In my opinion, if there was some evil force causing all vicious things, God would never let this force win. So, God is the source of those evil things happening.
He is not that powerful kind force which longs to create perfection, but an evil force which makes innocent children suffer and die. Of course, such a statement contradicts the moral features of God promulgated by Christianity, but it explains the injustice ruling in the world. As for the moral features of God, it is possible to assume that he is evil since he causes many evil events.
At this point, it is possible to consider whether God was evil since the beginning of history, or he became evil just recently. After some consideration, I would state that God did not change people have changed. Thus, people wanted to believe that only good and right things should take place, and since they were not able to prevent and explain many bad things, they hoped that God knows what is necessary and will be good to people.
At present, people became powerful enough to understand the nature of many things and, thus, they can count on themselves. They do not need a kind God to save them (but many people still hope to obtain divine assistance). They can now see injustice and feel that many horrible things could be prevented. So, now God seems to be the evil force that people have to resist.