[aruanan]

I don't need to reread Paul, thank you. Was your comment that he is not immune to dementia a necessary evil? A painful truth? What would you say was its moral status?

My emphasis was on the choice of "necessary" in describing evil from God's point of view.

[Puddleglum]

My emphasis was on the choice of "necessary" in describing evil from God's point of view.

Well that's the conundrum I always face when thinking about the crucifixion. I mean, we have to accept the means God used to redeem us (human incarnation, suffering, and death). I wonder if the way He chose was 'necessary' based on the nature of how man fell and what man was/is, or if he could have just come down as a big old ball of light and said "I pushed the reboot button - you're all okay again"?

I admit it's hard understanding any evil as necessary yet not a denial of free will. I have to read up on it myself. I know in Exodus it says that God made pharoah obdurate show Moses could display the glory of God.