If god (sic) is so great why do good people (and animals) suffer?

Question

i expect you christians will answer with some dumb s*** like "everyone is born with original sin" or some similar nonsensical garbage.

Max Marie - wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong WRONG. if war did not exist and all humans were vegetarians there would still be suffering, just less. and considering how much suffering there is, it would be less in the same sense that the number of gallons of water in all the world's seas is less than the number of grains of sand on all the world's beaches.

Answer 1

because there is no god. i just watched sumthing about africa ; every 30 seconds a child under 5 dies from malaria. thats ridiculous!!!! if there was a god why does he help???!!! i always hear people sayin everything happens for a reason so what is the reason for all these children to be brough into the world & suffer & die an untimely death leavin behind family that will never get over their childs death??? it makes no sense to me. those families over there probaly pray everyday & for what??? because nothing is going to happen to god is going to come help them. i would never follow & honour a god like that

Answer 2

Because this life is nothing but a test. If you handle all the burdens in your life, you'll be rewarded. What's the big deal?

ps: I'm not a Christian and don't believe the original sin thingy! We say God is great right? So why would He create us with sin? What's His or our benefit? Pff...

Answer 3

First, we generally don't let animals suffer.

"They shoot horses, don't they!"

If science is so great and wonderful why does it inject animals with ills so that humans can possible overcome diseases.

So if you want to DEFEAT GOD in the same BREATH you better DEFEAT SCIENCE AS WELL

Go attend a PETA meeting

Then go read "The Secret Life Of Plants" and see, if you have a conscients and compassion, if you can ever eat LETTUCE again.

You tie our hands by not allowing the original sin, for that is the primary reason.

MAN chose to not only DISOBEY GOD, but MAN CHOSE to segue, to start DOING A SPIN on things.

THE WOMAN YOU MADE MEN HAD ME DO IT

THE SERPENT HAD ME DO IT

God realized he had WEASLES in the GARDEN OF EDEN

Do you want WEASLES in your garden.

A wasp gets into your house.

DO YOU KILL IT

Does it die instantly!

A rattle snake is at the foot of your bed

Do you KILL IT do you call an exterminator to KILL IT

Does is suffer

WHO ARE YOU to pass judgement unless YOU are willing to share your home with Millipeades and Wasps and Rattle Snakes and Scorpions.

GO LIVE IN NEW MEXICO and let's see just how COMPASSIONATE you are to lower forms of life!

Answer 4

Based on your comment - I gather you didn't ask this question out of genuine concern? I gather you asked this question just to poke fun at the Christians?

That's pretty sad.

In the event that someone looks here hoping for a good answer, I'll try to give one.

Why must we blame God for the evil that men do?

People are made in the image of God. Jesus came to remind us of this. Jesus came to remind us that we all need to BE the presense of God for one another.

Early Christians lived in communities. Not only did they care for one another, but they cared for any and everyone. Regardless of belief. Regardless of potential threat.

For instance St. Francis of Assisi and one of the other brothers were beaten by thieves and throw in a ditch. They had nothing to be robbed of. They felt these men tried to rob them because they were starving, so they climbed out of the ditch and invited these men back to their hut for dinner.

Today, while we have so many who profess to be Christians, there is no sense of being Christ for others. We have people out there with millions of dollars socked away. Money they can't take with them. Money they aren't doing a thing with.

But there is no love in their heart for those less fortunate. They feel no need to contribute to end global hunger.

That is not God's fault. That is man's fault.

In America - we slaughter almost two times the worlds population in animals to serve our selfish love of meat. That is some 12 billion animals a year.

Again, that is not God's fault. That is man's fault.

Answer 5

Because the idea of God is just a human archetype of pure goodness that people want to move toward. He doesn't exist except in our minds.

Answer 6

So do you expect GOD to make everything happy and dandy? Well you shouldn't.... Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people... and vice versa... It's just a natural part of life... Don't think we believe God's there to make everything perfect... We live life, and we keep God in our lives for hope, aspirations, and guidance... I don't say "I'm Christian because I want God to take care of me... " I take care of myself. Good or bad, I know I will experience life as it was meant to be.

Answer 7

I find it strange that someone who is an apparent nonbeliever would be worried about suffering. Stay the course you are on and you will know about suffering.

Answer 8

Well Christ himself suffered and he said if they persecute me they will persecute you . So suffering is part of it and not to mention Freewill. Lets face it humans make some real stupid decisions sometimes myself included.

Answer 9

Its difficult to explain the answer to your question if you are not a seeker of God. But let me try anyway. I am born and raised Catholic, I followed what I was taught till I was about 18. Around that time I researched other religions and philosophies. After 2 years I found myself back to where I started, following the Catholic beliefs and actually teaching them in Sunday school. During my 2 years of searching, my life took a turn for the worse. My parents split up, I got into several accidents, one of which put me in the hospital. I lost my job, my friends. It was like someone took my life and turned it upside down.

I had no idea what to do. I was lost with no direction. Then one night I was standing outside depressed; and I had this feeling. The kind of feeling like someone is behind you. Except instead of the feeling being behind me, I felt it above me. At that moment I had an epiphany. God was watching me. And at that moment he called me. Not in a voice or a sound, but a feeling in my heart. At that moment I began to speak to God. I poured my heart out. and after I was done, I felt relief like I've never felt relief before.

The next day, I made a decision to know God and to make him a part of my daily life. I went back to church, I began reading the Bible with more dedication, and began a history search of Biblical figures and the life of Jesus Christ. My life has never been so fulfilling. God is my best friend. I speak to him and ask of him anything. And I praise and thank him for what he does or does not give me.

Now as for your question - why does the world suffer? -
It took me 2 years to understand why suffering occurs. WE are not of this world. Created by God in Heaven. After the banishment from Eden, we were doomed to suffer, suffer by being far from God. Which is in my opinion true Hell. Until God sent his Son Jesus Christ as our savior. A supreme gesture of love and compassion. Sending his kin to suffer the trials of death so we do not have to.
We suffer in life because we turn from God. Because the Devil surrounds us like a lion watching and waiting for the opportunity you give him to decieve you and keep you from God. And as evil grows, the world suffers also, because of hate, jealousy, envy, the sickening need to have power over one another.
But this will not be forever, for God is collecting his children, gathering his people and his family. He leads us back home and brings us back to him. But we must accept the call, and follow the lead. It saddens me to think of my friends and family whom turned from God and refuse to search their hearts for the truth. It saddens me to think that one day might come when it is too late.

I pray for them to hear the call of God, and to return to him. I pray for those who suffer and do not know God, that he gives them a path to him, and get to know him.

I pray that you were truly looking for an answer and that I delivered at least a beginning for your search.

Answer 10

Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean it's wrong.