ill cannot exist in such a state because when the church seeks “a happier or more perfect state of affairs than now exists…they are explicitly recognizing the possibility of a state of affairs in which created beings always freely choose the good.” By this logic, Mackie is able to prove that it was indeed possible for God to create a world in which suffering does not exist in such abundance. Therefore, God is in some way accountable for the suffering that exists in this world, because he could have prevented it and still maintained free will.The free will defense is a very functional way of approaching evil in this world. It allows people to logically understand and accept the fact that evil is able to exist in a world that an all-knowing and all-powerful God created. This defense is not infallible; in fact, it has several flaws and critics. It does, however, adequately answer the problem of evil for many believers. It might not be able to turn the disbeliever into a believer, but it will provide assurance for those who feel doubt in their religious faith because of the abundance of evil that exists in the world. Theodicies are an important thing for the believer. The believer must know that God is just, all-loving, and all-powerful, for his faith the be strong, and I believe, despite the inconsistencies in the argument, that the free will defense does indeed assure these things....
