Too Much Evil in the World for There to Be a God?

I have heard numerous people say, “God cannot exist because too much evil exists in the world.” I would love to hear someone tell me how they got this understanding of what “evil” really is.

C.S. Lewis stated: My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself such a violent reaction against it?...Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my whole argument against God collapsed too—for the argument depended on saying the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my fancies. Thus, in the very act of trying to prove God did not exist – in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless – I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality – namely my idea of justice – was full of sense (“Favorite Quotes”).

Theologians argue that if an all-powerful God could prevent evil, then an all-loving God would want to do that. Since evil and suffering exist, they say that God does not exist (McKnight).  St. Augustine argues that there are two types of evil: moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil is initiated by humans, such as war and murder. Natural evil is the pain of natural processes, such as sickness and natural catastrophes (Tammeus).  God has given us free will.  If God prevented evil, He would be eliminating free will, which would make us almost puppets.  When you really love someone, do you not give him or her free will even if you know he or she might use it in a way that will result negatively? (McKnight).  God is an all-loving God, and therefore gives us free will.

Most people believe that murder is an evil act or “sin”, but few believe that homosexuality is a sin. Don't think the Bible says homosexuality is a sin? Leviticus 20:13, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable." In James 2:10-11 it says, “For whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery’, also said, ‘Do not murder.’  If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”  Evil is lying, cheating, and stealing as well. All of these are sins, and therefore are evil. So, if people want God to eliminate evil, then they cannot pick what evil He eradicates. Everyone at some point has lied, cheated, stolen, or committed some form of an evil deed. If God eliminated evil, would we not all be eliminated? Consequently, the existence of evil does not effectively disprove the existence of God.