Why do bad things happen to good people?

Question

and vice versa...

Answer 1

The rain falls on the just and the unjust alike.

Answer 2

Despite what we may want to believe, there is exactly an equal chance of good or bad things happening to good or bad people.

We might say that a bad person who 'lives by the sword' will die by the sword, but these days, there is an equal chance that some innocent infant will be killed in a drive-by shooting.

We say things like God wanted that person with Him sooner so God sent for him.. If those who are left behind can take comfort in that, then it is a nice thing to say.

What about natural disasters? Were all of the people killed by Katrina, or the Xmas Tsunami or the earthquakes in Indonesia bad people? Did they deserve to die?

It is obvious that people die because of random chance. Even in war. Why the guy next to me and not me? So the bottom line answer is, sadly, bad things happen to people. Some of the people are bad. Some of the people are good. They do not die BECAUSE they are bad or good.

Answer 3

Steering clear of all the standard religious meanings for this question, it is all all a matter of philosophy. Good and bad things happen to everyone, no matter if you are a good person or not. Some people just get "lucky" in the right times and places and sneak by. What I believe is that anything that doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. In the end, it doesn't matter what you've gone through - only how you've handled it.

Answer 4

Why do people need reasons for everything? You work to overcome the negative, be happy about the positive, and try to learn from your mistakes. That's all anyone can do.

"Only the good die young" is a pretty silly thing to take seriously. Many, many people live to a ripe old age; some are really great people whom we are happy to have known, others are just plain rotten and we're not sorry to see them go. Then again, many people, both good and bad, die young of disease or accident. It's really quite random, and trying to find reasons for everything is a futile endeavor. Life and death have whatever meanings YOU give them.

Answer 5

Why does God allow so much evil and suffering to exist in the world? According to Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of the best-selling book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, the answer is that God, although kind and loving, is “limited.” After the death of his young son, Kushner wrote: “I can worship a God who hates suffering but cannot eliminate it more easily than I can worship a God who chooses to make children suffer and die.”

Rabbi Kushner’s view may seem reasonable when compared to the common view that God is responsible for catastrophes, such as the death of a child. Yet both views well illustrate the truthfulness of God’s own word when he said: “The thoughts of you people are not my thoughts, nor are my ways your ways.” Showing that he is not a “limited” god, He adds: “So my word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.”—Isaiah 55:8-11.

Neither is God responsible for man’s woes, for, as Moses acknowledged, “perfect is his activity, . . . righteous and upright is he. . . . The defect is their own.” (Deuteronomy 32:4, 5) Yet, shortly, these inherited defects will be eliminated as the time period needed to settle the issues raised by the rebellion in Eden ends and God’s purpose to restore a Paradise earth is realized.—Micah 7:18-20; Isaiah 65:17-25.

Answer 6

Sometimes, things happen for a reason...u can't always have good things happening to good people..it happens to make the good people wake up and realise that life is not always this smooth...one will have to work at it to make it better. Perhaps some say it's a test of your faith..some say it's karma...whatever it is, it's there and we just have to make do with it or make the best out of it. Don't lament and keep saying..i am always doing good...why did this happen? At least good things have happened to you before..some dun even get to experience good things happening to them....but yet they continue to be good...you may not get paid in this lifetime but perhaps the next..no one knows...

Answer 7

For those who believe in the notion of supernatural powers and entities (eg. "fate", "god", etc.) it's a question in search of an answer.

For those who deal solely in the real world, it means nothing. What and who are "good people"? What are "bad things"? What you really mean is "Is what happened what I wanted to happen?" And you are assuming that a specific incident happens for a reason, rather than being an isolated event.

"Good" and "bad" happen to everybody. "Good" things happen more often to people who work hard and plan ahead. Hands that help are more effective than lips that pray.

Answer 8

Bad things happen to everyone. It is just more noticeable to the good ones. Even good people step out of line and need to get there ducks in a row. God lines them up and sometimes when he is realigning the ducks, it can hurt.

Answer 9

It isn't that bad things happen to good people, it's about Karma. What goes around comes around. They may not be as good as you think they are. They are responsible for what they do, and if something bad happens, it's a direct result of what they did.

Answer 10

Perhaps for the bad, this is the only life experience they will be allowed. (No Paradise for the wicked) So God, in His divine wisdom allows the bad folks some slack.

Good people, can handle a few ups and downs and will be rewarded for their patience ans steadfast love.

Answer 11

Because that's the way the world is. A rock about to fall doesn't stop to analyze the morality of the person it's falling on. It's impersonal and indifferent.

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you're a nice person is like expecting the bull not to charge because you're a vegetarian." ~author unknown~