[unspun]

I have enjoyed your fasscinating and superb dialogue here. Please forgive this interjection, but I wonder what made J.S. Mill think that taking away evil in the world has anything to do with God's power? Power can only do what power can do. I might as well ask our dear general to make a square circle, as to ask how a Good God if he is omnipotent, permit evil in the world.

To me, it seems to boil down to something as simple as:

1. God not being the one responstible for evil, though he was prescient of it, for only the practitioners are responsible for evil, as morality tells us.
2. God granting only good and perfect gifts, which do not loose value, though they may change in function.
3. ....and yes: God developed a greater good. I don't see that I need to 'show' that the greater good is compensatory for the evil. There is no comparison between good (what is of God) and evil (what is disagreement and disobedience with God) and again, God is not responsible for the disagreement or disobedience with him. The "greater" is simply greater than had God never created beings who could share in his loving relationship.

[unspun]

The "greater" is simply greater than had God never created beings who could share in his loving relationship.

And that seems infinitely greater, for any who accept it (if infinity can be compared to {0})!

[unspun]

J.S. Mill

One more thing, though: I like that quotation of his a about commitment to just warfare. (Nothing else, just warfare. No, no, no....)