How could God exist and allow pain and suffering?

Answer 1

The stereotypical apologetics answer is this is because of man's sin.

My son has histiocytosis. Its a disease that didn't come about because he sinned at the age of one or two.

He is in pain and has suffered.

At some point, I have to ask, why does God allow my son, who has not sinned, to suffer?

The answer the people above have all given do not comfort me at all.

Answer 2

Why God Allows Pain
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard
trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good
conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber
said: "I
don't believe that God exists." "Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that
God doesn't
exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick
people?
Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would
be
neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who
would
allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because
he didn't
want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the
customer
left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man
in the
street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.
He looked
dirty and unkempt.. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and
he said
to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am
here, and I
am a barber. And I just worked on you!" No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if
they did,
there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed
beards, like
that man outside." "Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is that people do not
come to
me." "Exactly! "- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God
DOES exist!
What happens is that people don't go to Him and do not look for
Him.
That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

Answer 3

God has nothing to do with pain and suffering. It's part of life. For instance, you get drunk, drive a car, hurt yourself badly and kill someone else. God is not responsible for that pain and suffering, you are.

As far as someone getting cancer and being in pain? Flaw in the design? Person is just meant to go through that hardship for some reason? Maybe the person just wasn't healthy!I do not know what the right answer is here. I do know that god did not put us here to suffer. Look at all the positive that he is responsible for. He is not all bad.

Answer 4

The simple answer is that there is no God. I suppose that pain and suffering are caused by defects in people as well as things we are unable to control. God is the excuse human kind has come up with to explain why people feel the need to cause others pain. If it is not our choice, and we are unable to control our own destiny, we cannot be found at fault for our own defects.

Answer 5

THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION
i am christian, and spent most of my life saying i believe in God, bla bla bla
yet i did not do very much studying, learning, and seeking truths about God and Jesus, i do not know how to say what i feel but i will do my best from my level of knowledge and it is not enough but: why does he allow suffering,?\
I do not think he allows it, or causes it, When you go shopping to buy makeup, or clothes, do you spend a lot? CAN U AFFORD IT? Do you, we (all of us) need all the nonsense things we waste money on? PROBABLY NOT.

GOD ALLOWED IT? HE DID NOT STOP YOU EITHER.. WHEN young and sneaking out, or doing things that our parents or supervisors would not allow, we did it anyway.. did God stop us, ? WHEN it seems cruel a baby is born deformed, or with severe illness did he allow it? OR STOP IT? i know we have to make up our mind, if it doesnt seem fair, why does God let it happen?
BUT IF IT IS GREAT, winning the lotto, or Olympics. did god stop it, or allow it,?

DO YOU SEE WHAT I AM SAYING,? I ASK MYSELF DAILY, WHY AM I STILL ALIVE, I FEEL SO BAD FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN IRAQ, DYING, WHY? they have their whole life ahead and so many are dead. DID GOD ALLOW IT
While i have lived my life and i am fifty seven years old, and seem to be doing nothing good or great for the country,,, why am i alive, and they die? YIKES
IT IS A MYSTERY, BUT I CHOOSE TO TRUST IN GOD, AND IN JESUS PROMISE, AND THIS IS J UST TEMPORARY HERE, AND WE ALL MUST LEARN LESSONS, I DO NOT KNOW WHY ONE PERSON IS PARALYZED AND ANOTHER FOOL SURVIVES, AND KILLS RAPES ETC,, I GUESS WE HAVE TO (I HAVE TO KEEP PRAYING, KEEP LEARNING, AND GO WHERE THE ANSWERS ARE.. the bible, seems to be free, available and billions follow the word, so am I, but if i never knew pain, i would never appreciate feeling great, i PLEASE DON'T BLAME GOD, I USED TO, AND NOW I REALIZE WHAT HAVE I EVER DONE FOR HIM,? what about his feelings, PEOPLE ARE FROM THE BEGINNING ABUSING HIS LOVE AND TRUST, AND YET HE STILL INVENTED ME,, SO THIS IS A GIFT,,

Answer 6

how could some of the people commenting act like they don't believe in God and then blame him for pain and suffering (not you, some of those answering you question).
God didn't want us to suffer.According to the bible, In the beginning man was supposed to live forever with God, on the Earth He created. It was man's ill use of free-will that led to our death and suffering, and still does today.

Answer 7

God doesn't cause the pain and suffering. It happens because we're humans and have a God-given right to choose. Because we're imperfect, we choose the wrong choice at times. That, in turn, causes pain and suffering...not God.

Answer 8

god does exist, the pain and suffering we do ourselves. humans are destroying the world contaminating the food the water. another popular question is " how can God give children disease - same answer there. we do it to ourselves in order to resolve pain and suffering we need to clean up our acts and live a pure life. can you imagine if we all actually did that. God gave us free will and we did sure take advantage.

Answer 9

God allows all things and experiences. What we may experience as pain and suffering could very well be a choice we are making. There is an interesting saying....Suffering is inevitable, misery is optional."

Answer 10

Becuae the pain and suffering is a test from god. Not so much from god but he allows it to happen for one reason. To make us grow stronger spiritually. We tend when things come our way that god is deserting us. He is also with us the whole time during the hard times. So nothing as long as god is with you spiritually can happen to you.