Let's assume there is a god. Per definition, something that causes evil has to be evil itself. Imagine a father were to tell his son that by the time he is twelve, he must decide whether or not to love his dad. The father says the child is free to choose whatever he wants, but if he chooses to not love his father, then the father will put his son in the oven and cook him. What sort of freedom of choice is this? I don’t think it is any choice. Surely a man who did this would be considered one of the most insane, sick, twisted, and evil person you could meet. He would be thrown in prison for child abuse, neglect, and infanticide. Even the criminals in prison would look down on this child murderer, most likely taking out revenge in the child’s name. How ironic is it then that when God does this, we worship him, say “God is Love”.

This is a choice God gives us in many religions. Either love him, and choose him, or we will face the fires of hell. In fact, I think the God of those religions to be a much more sadistic, unjust, malevolent, and cruel than the man who puts his son in an oven. This is because God punishes us eternally. The young boy will burn and die. Mankind will suffer the pains of hell for eternity.

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"