> > I don't buy this, as I think that God also has free will. He CAN commit an evil act, but CHOOSES not to. And that's what makes Him God. Why would He give us an ability that He Himself doesn't have? We are created in His image, after all.

> I'm working with the understanding that evil is defined as doing something contrary to God, since He is the final arbiter of good/evil, that He and His commands, etc, are what an act is measured against to determine its...evilness. If God commits an act, it can't be contrary to himself, because I'm taking evil to be defined as something God *wouldn't* do. I have the feeling this is turning into a very circular argument.

This is only if you are talking about the Christian God or most other gods of established religions, who are considered to be good. In Stephen's scenario, as he stated, god is not being attributed any particular moral standpoint.