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Religious responses to the problem of evil are concerned with reconciling the existence of evil and suffering with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God. [1] [2] The problem of evil is acute for monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism whose religion is based on such a God.
This still leaves the question of why God set out those people's lives (or the negative choice of deeds) which result in Hell, and why God made it possible to become evil. In Islamic thought, evil is considered to be movement away from good, and God created this possibility so that humans are able to recognize good. [ 39 ]
The problem of evil is acute for monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism that believe in a God who is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent; [84] [85] but the question of why evil exists has also been studied in religions that are non-theistic or polytheistic, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
However, because God is unable to make a person's state desirable to the person, the theodic problem does not exist. [62] The reincarnation theodicy believes that people suffer evil because of their wrongdoing in a previous life. The contrast theodicy holds that evil is needed to enable people to appreciate or understand good.
[198] [199] The Lord's Prayer includes a petition for being delivered "from the evil one", but a number of other specific prayers also exist. The Prayer to Saint Michael specifically asks for Catholics to be defended "against the wickedness and snares of the Devil."
In Judaism one is not only permitted but required to perform most sins, if necessary in order to save human life. This principle is called pikuach nefesh . The only exceptions are the three exceptional sins (murder, idolatry, and sexual misconduct), which one must die rather than commit.
In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the yetzer hara, or 'evil inclination'. In Christianity and Islam, he is usually seen as a fallen angel or jinn who has rebelled against God, who nevertheless allows him temporary power over the fallen world and a host of demons.
Differing views also exist as to why evil might arise. Many religious and philosophical traditions claim that evil behavior is an aberration that results from the imperfect human condition (e.g. "The Fall of Man"). Sometimes, evil is attributed to the existence of free will and human agency.