. . . We have free choice . . . free will . . . isn’t that God’s great gift to mankind?” “Well . . . but that means we have to suffer the evil and mean and dumb decisions of other people.” “Yes. Even our own bad decisions. We have to suffer wars and crimes and earthquakes and all the other good and bad things that mortal existence throws our way. . . . Otherwise how would we learn? . . . How would we progress beyond an innocent carefree childhood? . . . “We’re here to experience good and evil. “Happiness and grief. “Life and death. “Health and disease. “Without those polar opposites we’d know nothing. We’d appreciate nothing. “We would live and die as undeveloped or underdeveloped human beings. It would be like being stuck in kindergarten or the first grade the rest of your life. You’d never progress.” “I . . . I . . . well . . . I have to say there’s a strong logic in what you’re saying if there’s a God.” “Even if God does not exist you have to admit that life has a much greater meaning once you understand that human beings need to experience good and evil .
