Do theodicies explain why God allows evil in the world?

God needs evil for an authentic relationship with humanity

Question: Do theodicies explain why God allows evil in the world?
Position‹3 of 5›: Yes, evil occurs as the absence of good and God is testing us.
Argument1 of 5›: God needs evil for an authentic relationship with humanity

God needs evil to offer an alternative to his love. Without a viable alternative, humans cannot choose God's love

The argument

God needs evil to establish an authentic relationship with humanity. If there was no evil on earth, humans would have no choice between doing good and doing evil deeds. They would have no choice but to love God and their omnipotence and benevolence. By ordaining evil, God can establish an authentic relationship with humanity. Humans choose "good" in the face of evil. Therefore, when they choose to love God, they are doing so because they want to, not because there are no other options.

Context

Without evil, humans would have no choice but to love God. Humans need a choice between good and bad to choose "good". Humans need to choose "good "to have an authentic relationship with God. Without evil, there would be no choice and no authentic relationship.

Premises

[P1]Without evil, humans would have no choice between good and evil and so no choice but to love God. [P2] By allowing evil, God lets humans genuinely choose good in the face of it. [P3] When they then choose to love God, they do so freely rather than for lack of alternatives. [C] Therefore, because God needs evil for an authentic relationship with humanity, theodicies explain why God allows evil as a test.

Counter-arguments

Evil also encompasses natural evil (caused by natural phenomena such as disease, earthquakes, and floods). This does not affect the quality of any relationship. People don’t “choose” their relationship with God. It is largely dependent on their upbringing, their parent’s religious choices, the influence of their peers, and the people they meet and interact with. Finally, if God ordained evil to establish an authentic relationship with humanity, how can we explain animal suffering and evil acts committed against animals? How can it explain suffering and evils committed against those that have not had the opportunity to choose to resist temptation? Children who die from diseases before they are able to choose to love God or choose to resist evil have had no opportunity to build an authentic relationship with God.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Most people who have a relationship with God did not choose God in any real sense. [Rejecting P3] Some people do evil things out of necessity, not choice.