Atheism Quote by A.C. Grayling
![“The notion that evil is non-rational is a more significant claim for Eagleton than at first appears, because he is (in this book [ On Evil ] as in others of his recent 'late period' prolific burst) anxious to rewrite theology: God (whom he elsewhere tells us is nonexistent, but this is no barrier…” quote by A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6a5/a-c-grayling-9398_atheism_the-notion-that-evil-is-non-rational-is_599668.jpg)
““The notion that evil is non-rational is a more significant claim for Eagleton than at first appears, because he is (in this book [ On Evil ] as in others of his recent 'late period' prolific burst) anxious to rewrite theology: God (whom he elsewhere tells us is nonexistent, but this is no barrier to his being lots of other things for Eagleton too, among them Important) is not to be regarded as rational: with reference to the Book of Job Eagleton says, 'To ask after God's reasons for allowing evil, so [some theologians] claim, is to imagine him as some kind of rational or moral being, which is the last thing he is.' This is priceless: with one bound God is free of responsibility for 'natural evil'—childhood cancers, tsunamis that kill tens of thousands—and for moral evil also even though 'he' is CEO of the company that purposely manufactured its perpetrators; and 'he' is incidentally exculpated from blame for the hideous treatment meted out to Job.””
About This Quote
Source Book: On Evil by A.C. Grayling, 2015
Evil is portrayed as irrational, challenging the idea that God’s actions are rational or moral, thus freeing God from responsibility for suffering.
In simple terms: Evil is irrational, not God’s fault.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about divine rationality.
Themes
theology
evil
philosophy
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- ethical debates
- religious discussions
- philosophical analysis
Key Concepts
rationality
responsibility
theodicy
Questions to Reflect On
- Can evil ever be rational?
- How does this view affect moral accountability?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook human agency in causing evil.
![“Perhaps worse still is what liberal societies might do to themselves in the face of this new and different threat [of terrorism]. They begin, by small but dangerous increments, to cease to be as liberal as they once were. They begin to restrict their own hard-won rights and freedoms as a…” quote by A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/42e/a-c-grayling-9398_commit_perhaps-worse-still-is-what-liberal-soci_374837.jpg)
