Why does God allow innocent children to suffer?

Answer 1

Some trials come from our own or the choices of others, but many others are something which helps to develop us into better human beings.
Often when I think of children who've never had to suffer, I see spoiled, misearble children. If we never knew want or sorrow, we wouldn't know what joy and happiness were because we'd have nothing to compare them with.
I can't help but think that, though this life has many great moments and many sorrowful moments, the greatest moments of joy are yet to come. Those children who may suffer here will at one time be surrounded by the arms of love in its purest form, and they will not have to suffer anymore.

Answer 2

The fact is that a supreme being, God, cannot act in an illogical manner with respect to that being's divine and perfect attributes. Hence, God cannot make a rock so big that He could not move it, nor could God do anything that would be a logical contradiction to His divine nature.

Omnipotence means God can do everything that is possible. Omnipotence doesn’t mean that God can do anything. The concept of omnipotence has to do with power, not ability per se. In fact, there are many things God can’t do, e.g.,

- God can’t make square circles.

- God cannot lie.

-**God cannot create a morally free creature that couldn’t choose evil or the creature would not be morally free to choose.**

None of these, though, have to do with power. Instead, they are logically contradictory, and therefore contrary to God’s rational nature.

See also:
"Whatever implies being and nonbeing simultaneously is incompatible with the absolute possibility which falls under divine omnipotence. Such a contradiction is not subject to it, not from any impotence in God, but because it simply does not have the nature of being feasible or possible. Whatever, then, does not involve a contradiction is in the realm of the possible with respect to which God is omnipotent. Whatever involves a contradiction is not within the scope of omnipotence because it cannot qualify for possibility. Better, however, to say that it cannot be done, rather than God cannot do it." (T. Aquinas Summa Theologica p. 163-164 , Volume I, ques. 15 ans. 3)

Key point:
God cannot create a morally free creature that couldn’t choose evil or the creature would not be morally free to choose.

Persons will choose to do that which is contrary to God's wishes. Such a choice was made at the beginning of mankind that let evil enter the perfect creation. The suffering of anyone, including children, is not what God intends.

Yet, God is also a perfectly righteous God and must, by this attribute, hate all sin. The Christian doctrine is clear that "there are none righteous, no not one." No one is "innocent". While this is hard to hear when it comes to small children, the doctrine is clear.

So how is a perfect God's demand for justice for sin reconciled with our own imperfections? Here we find that God came up with a perfect solution. He became flesh, lived a perfect life, and acted as our representatives in God the Father's court of justice. There He was judged and crucified, carrying all the past and future world's sins with his crucifixion. God the Son, Christ, became our sin bearer and we need only acknowledge that sacrifice to be made "justified" in God's eyes and in God's demand for justice for sin.

Think of it this way. Your son does something like breaking a neighbor's window. Yet your son is too young to be made to pay for his crime. Society demands that the parent then act in the son's role and pay for these crimes. Likewise, God the Father allows God the Son to be humankind's representative. Christ paid the price for us all; it is deposited there in the justice bank of God. We need only claim our "share" of that account's balance and present ourselves to God.

Answer 3

The better question is, why do people allow children to suffer? Can't people stop suffering? Is God suppose to be a genie that grants wishes? Nope. If you want to change things, get off your a** and change them. Volunteer as a Big Brother or donate money to a children's charity if you're so concerned. That's being proactive and not asking for help for something you could very well be doing yourself. Put your money where your mouth is and quit looking for a third party to take away the bad things in life. News flash: The world is tough, wear a cup.

Answer 4

In addition to all other answers, what incentive would we have for heaven if life was so great here? God says there will be suffering. And don't forget that if you believe in God, you must believe in Satan, who represents suffering.

If you believe in heaven, these children are taken care of, and are suffering no more.

Your question can only be more fully explained more by God himself. If you truly want to know, you will have to search for the answer through prayer. It is not something that has a clean cut answer.

I like the answer that suggested that YOU do something about the suffering in this world. God also put people here to help others.

Answer 5

What you're asking for is a theodicy. A theodicy is a 'vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil.' There is no satisfying answer to your question because there is no theodicy that works, not even the popular "free will" one.

God is supposed to be all powerful and all knowing. This means he could have created a world with absolutely no evil, suffering, pain, or harm whatsoever. Because suffering obviously exists, we can come to one of the following conclusions:

1. God is evil/immoral/doesn't care
2. God doesn't exist
3. God does not have the power to stop evil (which means he's not god, which means god doesn't exist)

“Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to... If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked... If, as they say, God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?”

- Epicurus

Answer 6

Why Does God Let Us Suffer?
- Facing Unpleasant Realities
- Is God to Blame?
- Why God Permits Evil
- Not Alone
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20040322/article_01.htm

The above-listed article (& its sub-headings) is 1 of a series of articles titled, "Young People Ask". It is Scripturally based, with Scripture reference-links, for ease of reference & comparison.
It answers your question in great detail.

Answer 7

Why do you allow innocent children to suffer? You could help, but you probably don't.

Answer 8

There is evil and there is good. Evil is what causes suffering among us all; not God. Evil is what influences a person to torture a child (or anyone).

If this is what you are talking about then remember Evil is a powerful force out there, and it is lurking around us all of the time. The good news is that so is God.

Answer 9

Man separated from God in the beginning. Man suffer. Man can reconcile themselves to God through Christ. God promises eternal life through His Son. Simple.

Answer 10

Why do you enable harmless babies to go through? Blame adam and eve. this could nicely be a fabricated from the international. If GOD does not have fun interior the demise of the depraved, because it somewhat is written, He does not take exhilaration in the youngsters suffering. It says interior the Bible that babies who die on the instant flow to Heaven, and little ones inherit the international. So i'm specific He knew people might question Him in this -- it somewhat is why this is addressed interior the Bible. Why do you and atheists and believers enable harmless babies to go through?