God's Plan?

Question

Every year thousands of innocent children die slow, painful deaths from cancer. As you know, cancer doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter if you are white, black, christian, muslim or atheist. Cancer affects all races & religions.

Question:
1: Is this part of God's plan? (yes or no)
2: If so, Do you think this is a particularly "good" plan? (yes or no)

PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE YES OR NO QUESTIONS!

Hey RO35: How do you know they are in a better place? How would a 1 yr old child know the difference?

hey whynotaskdon: Are you telling me that you believe these little children deserve an agonizing death because eve gave adam an apple? Do you really believe in "talking" snakes? gimme a break don!

hey landk916: you think it's a GOOD plan???? you are a sick psycopath! Please seek a mental health professional, you maniac!

Answer 1

Obviously our pain fits into God's plans somehow if he thinks that it is necessary to allow it to take place. Otherwise he would stop it.

Is it a good plan? It depends on what God is trying to acomplish. Since we do not know that, then we cannot judge whether God's plan is the best plan or not. We do not have enough information to pass judgement on God.

If you are truly worried about these children and their pain, do you do anything for them to help? Would God approve of your "plan" (or lack thereof) for these people? While you are judging God for doing nothing to help, keep in mind that he might be thinking the same thing about you and I.

Perhaps we should ask the opinion of someone who experienced the pain of cancer firsthand:

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...The existence of suffering in a world created by a good and almighty God — "the problem of pain" — is a fundamental theological dilemma and perhaps the most serious objection to the Christian religion. The issue is serious enough already in Theism. Christianity aggravates the problem by insisting on Love as the essence of God; then, unexpectedly, it makes a half turn and points to the Mystery of suffering — to Jesus, "the tears of God." Lewis does not propose to penetrate the mystery. He is content enough with approaching pain as mere problem that demands a solution; he formulates it and goes about solving it. "If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what he wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both."4 With a characteristic conciseness and clarity Lewis sets the stage for the entire book in the first paragraph of Chapter 2. "The possibility of solving [the problem] depends on showing that the terms 'good' and 'almighty', and perhaps also the term 'happy', are equivocal: for it must be admitted from the outset that if the popular meanings attached to these words are the best, or the only possible, meaning, then the argument is unanswerable". In the remaining nine chapters, Lewis will develop this basic statement through an in-depth reflection on divine omnipotence, divine goodness, human condition, human and animal pain, and last, but not least, hell and heaven.

The main argument of The Problem of Pain is preceded by a presentation of an atheist objection to the existence of God based on the observable futility of the universe. The book starts on a personal note: "Not many years ago when I was an atheist … ". There follows a compelling picture of a universe filled with futility and chance, darkness and cold, misery and suffering; a spectacle of civilizations passing away, of human race scientifically condemned to a final doom and of a universe bound to die. Thus, "either there is no spirit behind the universe, or else a spirit indifferent to good and evil, or else an evil spirit". On the other hand, "if the universe is so bad, or even half so bad, how on earth did human beings ever come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good Creator? […] The spectacle of the universe as revealed by experience can never have been ground for religion: it must always have been something in spite of which religion, acquired from a different source, was held". But, where should we look for the sources? ...

Answer 2

We know that we won't live forever. So yes it's God's plan that we die and most of us will suffer in the process of dying. Ye, sadly it's inevitable that some children will die suffering as well.

What are you doing to prevent children dying?

I think it's probably a kindness to die as a child rather than having to grow up in a world full of hatred. I wouldn't have minded dying as a child. I'll die as an adult, so what difference does it make to me? It just would have been harder for my family.

I don't know if it's a good plan or not as I just accept that is what happens. Rather than theorizing about the metaphysics, we should be trying to find a cure regardless of our faith or lack of faith. What i know is that we learn to be compassionate by the suffering we see and experience.

It's your compassion that is making you so angry. Do something positive with it. Find an injustice to try to improve.

No question is ever a yes or no answer.

Answer 3

Yes, this is part of God's plan and it is a "good" in my opinion because you cannot have a testimony without a test. The others were correct, they are in a better place with God in Paradise. God said in His word that before He came to gather His believers, ALL of these trials and tribulations would happen on this earthly home. Don't worry just be prepared for His arrival.

Answer 4

When you read Genesis, you will see that all sorts of diseases and pestulences entered the world at the same time that Sin and evil entered the world.

This is a direct result of original sin, and while we may not like it, it is the way that it is. So, is this a part of Gods plan, yes it is, not understood fully by any of us, but still a part of the overall plan.

Is it a good plan?, in my finite mind, I do not like it, but I am also well aware that God is bigger than I can conceive or understand, so yes, somehow above my own understanding it is a good plan and I will know all will be revealed as is written in the bible.

Answer 5

i do no longer understand. What the hell are YOU doing approximately it? i'm getting so aggravated while human beings whinge that this multi-millionaire or that multi-millionaire or some customary individual or GOD isn't doing adequate to help "the African toddlers." i won't be able to help yet contemplate whether they have stepped back and introduced a examine out themselves.

Answer 6

These are not "yes or no" questions unless you intend them to be provocetive.

1. If you are really asking (which it sounds as if you are) is this according to God's will? then, NO, it is not according to God's will that anyone suffer.

However, what is according to God's will and design is that we reap what we sow:
"Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same." (Job 4:8)

Many like to blame God for our troubles and suffering, instead of looking in the mirror. Sin hurts everyone; and it keeps on hurting for generations!

God's Law is a law of love -- love for all of God's creation; and love is eternal. Sin is a law of hate, and the pain of it is passed on from generation to generation:
"...The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." (Exodus 34:6-7)

God has said many times that if we disobey him the result will be bad for us, but if we obey him we will be rewarded:
"If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

2. God's plan to turn us away from the harm we do to ourselves and loved ones is a good one. His plan is to allow us to do whatever we want until we are fully sick of the results.

Are you sick enough of your way of death to turn and live God's Way?

Answer 7

It is probably part of some greater fractal pattern... "God's plan?"? Maybe "gods pattern" of self repeating/iterating patterns (like a tree branching off into infinity)...

Is it good? I don't know. Certainly not in the moment, for those who are directly or indirectly experiencing that trauma! In the end is it good? Maybe. There are some traumatic experiences in MY life which I learned SO much from...

I can't be the one to judge.

Answer 8

1) NO.
2) & NO.

Answer 9

Yes, I believe this is part of God's plan. Everything is part of God's plan. He designed everything to be the way it is (except, of course, for sin, which is,surprise!, mankind's fault)

I am not sure if this is a good plan or not. I am not about to judge God, when He is our Judge. I am not in such a place to do so. I hope you find your answer(s).

Answer 10

Well those children are in a better place. It is hard for us to understand and in that situation I don't know if I would be in that frame of mind.