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Unbelievable?

Evil, Pain, and the case against God: Atheist vs Theist | Alanzo Paul v Harry Amos hosted by Sam McKee

Unbelievable?

Premier Unbelievable?

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.72.4K Ratings

🗓️ 16 April 2026

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Why do we suffer, and what, if anything, can make sense of it? Live from John Colet School in Wendover, Unbelievable? hosts a compelling debate on one of the hardest questions in philosophy and faith: the problem of suffering. Joining the conversation are Alonzo Paul, a philosopher of religion based in Oxford researching horrendous and seemingly meaningless suffering, and Harry Amos, an ex-Christian philosopher who sees suffering as one of the strongest objections to belief in God. Together they explore both the intellectual problem of evil and the felt reality of pain. Is suffering evidence against an all-powerful, all-good God? Can free will, soul-making, or future hope really account for natural disasters, predation, disease, and grief? And if atheism offers a simpler explanation, does it offer enough comfort for the human experience of suffering? Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast a  www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 📢 Follow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE

Transcript

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0:00.0

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Search God's Work with Tom Nelson on Premier Plus, wherever you get your podcast.

0:51.8

Hello and welcome to Premier Unbelievable and we are live here at John Collett School in Wendover

0:56.8

just outside Aylesbury for a discussion between a the atheist and an atheist on the problem of

1:02.4

suffering and pain. Suffering the great equalizer, the great universal experience of humanity.

1:08.8

All of us have suffered. All of us are probably suffering in some way,

1:13.1

shape or form right now, and all of us have suffering to look forward to. Every single one of us

1:17.7

will die. And so we're asking the question, how do we make sense of both the intellectual

1:23.5

problem of pain and suffering, but also the felt reality, the why of suffering.

1:29.3

And that's what we're going to get into today with two amazing guests.

1:33.3

To my left, I have Alonzo Paul from Oxford University.

1:36.3

He is doing his PhD in philosophy of religion on the problem of obscene and seemingly meaningless suffering. So horrendous evil.

1:45.0

Horrendous evil is the technical term.

1:47.0

Okay, so thank you so much for joining us today.

1:49.0

I know it's your first time.

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