God as an omnipotent and benevolent deity

Waktu itu tengah malam, ketika sedang berkutat dengan "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown, ada satu paragraf yang sangat menggelitik dan langsung lengket di benak. Lengket bagaikan permen karet yang susah banget lepasnya. Kira-kira begini percakapan yang terjadi antara seorang "Asisten Paus" dan  seorang "Swiss Guard":

"You are confused because the Bible described God as an omnipotent and
benevolent deity"

"Exactly"

"Omnipotent-  benevolent  simply  means  that  God is all-powerful and
well-meaning."

"I   understand  the  concept.  It's  just...  there  seems  to  be  a
contradiction."

"Yes. The contradiction is pain. Man's starvation, war, sickness"

"Exactly!  Terrible  things  happen in this world. Human tragedy seems
like  proof  that  God  could  not  possible  be both all-powerful and
well-meaning.  If  He  loves  us  and  has  the  power  to  change our
situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn't He?"

"Would He?"

"Well...  if God loves us, and He can protect us, He would have to. It
seems  He  is  either  omnipotent  and  uncaring,  or  benevolent  and
powerless to help."

"Do you have children, Lieutenant?"

"No, signore."

"Imagine you had an eight-year-old son... would you love him?"

"Of course"

"Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?"

"Of course"

"Would you let him skateboard?"

"Yeah,  I  guess.  Sure I'd let him skateboard, but I'd tell him to be
careful."

"So as this child's father, you would give him some basic, good advice
and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?"

"I  wouldn't  run  behind  him  and mollycoddle him if that's what you
mean."

"But what if he fell and skinned his knee?"

"He would learn to be more careful."

"So  although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child's
pain,  you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own
lessons?"

"Of course. Pain is part of growing up. It's how we learn."

"Exactly."