Does God Create Evil?

A familiar story still needs evidence

Can a good God be responsible for evil? The classroom dialogue below uses light, heat, and darkness as an illustration of one response. Before relying on it, we must distinguish the argument from the story’s historical claims. A memorable anecdote is not evidence simply because a famous name appears at the end.

The dialogue went something like this:

“Was everything that exists created by God?” The professor asked.

One student bravely answered: “Yes.”

“So, did God create everything?” - the professor asked.

“Yes, sir,” replied the student.

The professor then argued: “If God created everything, then God created evil, since it exists. And according to the principle that our deeds define ourselves, then God is evil.”

The student became silent after hearing such an answer. The professor was very pleased with himself. He boasted to students for proving once again that faith in God is a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said: “Can I ask you a question, professor?”

"Of course," replied the professor.

The student got up and asked: “Professor, is cold a thing?”

“What kind of question? Of course, it exists. Have you ever been cold?”

Students laughed at the young man.

The young man answered: “Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is actually the absence of heat. A person or object can be studied on whether it has or transmits energy.”

Cold describes a lower temperature; it is not a separate substance poured into an object. But absolute zero does not make all matter inert or remove every kind of motion: quantum zero-point motion remains. So let’s keep the analogy modest. A physics comparison can illustrate an idea about evil; it cannot prove the theology. [Source]

The student continued: “Professor, does darkness exist?”

“Of course, it exists.”

An analogy is not a proof

“You're wrong again, sir. Darkness also does not exist. Darkness is actually the absence of light. We can study the light but not the darkness. We can use Newton's prism to spread white light across multiple colors and explore the different wavelengths of each color. You can't measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into the world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you tell how dark a certain space is? You measure how much light is presented. Isn't it so?

Darkness is a term man uses to describe what happens in the absence of light.”

In the end, the young man asked the professor: “Sir, does evil exist?”

This time, the professor answered:

“Of course, as I said before. We see him every day. Cruelty, numerous crimes, and violence throughout the world. These examples are nothing but a manifestation of evil.”

To this, the student answered: “Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist for itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is like darkness and cold—a man-made word to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not faith or love, which exists as light and warmth. Evil is the result of the absence of Divine love in the human heart. It’s the cold that comes when there is no heat or the kind of darkness that comes when there’s no light.”

This classroom dialogue is an illustration, not a verified event from Albert Einstein’s life. No reliable primary source for that attribution has been established here. The argument must stand on its own feet; borrowing a famous scientist’s name does not give it a better pair of boots.

Let us heed the wisdom revealed in this dialogue and turn our hearts from the darkness of sin to the radiant love and light of God. John 1:5 reminds us, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Take evil seriously enough to respond with good

Whatever questions remain about the origin of evil, cruelty and suffering are not imaginary. Respond with practical compassion. Help someone in danger, offer care, and let love become visible. We should not need a famous scientist’s endorsement before doing what is good.

Faith, hope, and love in action through Christ and kindness. Raise a Hand. Build a Bridge. Find a local ministry and put what you believe into practice.