Changes

== The problem of evil for [[atheists]] ==

== The problem of evil for [[atheists]] ==

Rejecting God does not dispose of the problem of evil; evil continues to exist, and continues to be as problematic as before. While the atheist, having rejected God, no longer needs to justify the goodness of God to themselves ([[theodicy]]), now they are faced with the equally difficult task of justifying the goodness of their new objects of faith, humanity and the universe. Thus they turn to what are the atheistic equivalents of theodicy, [[anthropodicy]] (the attempt to justify humanity as good despite the great evils humanity has been responsible for) and [[cosmodicy]] (the attempt to justify the universe as good in face of the great evils it contains). It is necessary for atheists to do so because the atheist worldview falls apart without faith in the goodness of humanity or the universe.  These disciplines are as difficult as theodicy is.

 

 

Rejecting God does not dispose of the problem of evil; evil continues to exist, and continues to be as problematic as before. While the [[atheism|atheist]], having rejected God, no longer needs to justify the goodness of God to themselves ([[theodicy]]), now they are faced with the equally difficult task of justifying the goodness of their new objects of faith, humanity and the universe. Thus they turn to what are the atheistic equivalents of theodicy, [[anthropodicy]] (the attempt to justify humanity as good despite the great evils humanity has been responsible for) and [[cosmodicy]] (the attempt to justify the universe as good in face of the great evils it contains). It is necessary for atheists to do so because the atheist worldview falls apart without faith in the goodness of humanity or the universe.  These disciplines are as difficult as theodicy is.

J. Matthew Ashley explains the relationship between theodicy, anthropodicy and cosmodicy:

J. Matthew Ashley explains the relationship between theodicy, anthropodicy and cosmodicy: