Should we try to eradicate SUFFERING from the world, or does it have it's place?

Question

I'm talking about a global goal to end suffering...no starvation, no sickness, nobody getting raped or beat up in prison...end of suffering. Is that a worthy goal, or does suffering actually have a place in the world?

Answer 1

It will never happen. There will always be the poor.

Answer 2

I don't know about having a "place", but I think it's a useless effort. People have been trying to do this for thousands of years under countless different methods. And that certainly includes trying to get everybody to follow the same religion, so don't even go there.

Even if you DID eliminate "suffering" on some level, there are always going to be the conflicts that happen with the day to day world, and a new bottom line of "suffering" is created. I'm not saying we shouldn't make ANY effort, but I do think it's useless to think we can "eliminate all suffering".

Answer 3

I think that the attempt to end suffering is noble, but unattainable.

As an individual, I can try my best to help those around me, and would make an impact on society. If everyone thought that way things would be much better, but they don't, because it is natural to seek to obtain comfort at the expense of others.

Its just natures way, in order for a lion to feel content, a mother zebra has to lose a child. In order for a man to feel safe, a different man has to give up on his beliefs or be killed. That is religion.

Answer 4

Ending suffering is a noble cause, but without the suffering, how do we appreciate the good things? How do we stay humble? How do we truly understand love, peace, and caring? How do we know what a hero is?

Answer 5

There is merit in struggle. Sin is the root of all the worlds sorrows. Eliminate sin and the world will no longer be ugly
If all would put on the mind of Christ the beauty and light would emerge from the darkness.

Answer 6

Of course we should.
The question is how much of our precious resources do we invest in this.
and then how do you know that we're going about it in the right way.

Bush and the neo-cons believe that bringing democracy to Iraq would reduce the oppression and suffering there. Sadly- this didn't work out as planned.

Answer 7

Humans are to blame for much of the suffering. They fight wars, commit crimes, pollute the environment, often carry on business in a manner motivated by greed rather than concern for their fellowman, and sometimes indulge in habits that they know can be harmful to their health. When they do these things, they hurt others and themselves. Should it be expected that humans would be immune to the consequences of what they do? Is it reasonable to blame God for these things that humans themselves do?

Satan and his demons also share responsibility. The Bible discloses that much suffering is because of the influence of wicked spirits. The suffering for which so many people blame God does not come from him at all.

How did suffering get started? Examination of the causes focuses attention on our first human parents, Adam and Eve. Jehovah God created them perfect and put them in paradise surroundings. If they had obeyed God, they would never have got sick or died. They could have enjoyed perfect human life forever. Suffering was not part of Jehovah’s purpose for mankind. But Jehovah clearly told Adam that continued enjoyment of what He had given them depended on obedience.

Obviously, they had to breathe, eat, drink, and sleep in order to continue living. And they had to keep God’s moral requirements in order to enjoy life fully and to be favored with such life forever. But they chose to go their own way, to set their own standards of good and bad, and thus they turned away from God, the Life-Giver. (Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-6) Sin led to death. It was as sinners that Adam and Eve produced children, and they could not pass on to their children what they no longer had. All were born in sin, with inclinations toward wrongdoing, weaknesses that could lead to illness, a sinful inheritance that would eventually result in death. Because everyone on earth today was born in sin, all of us experience suffering in various ways..

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says that “time and unforeseen occurrence” also have a bearing on what happens to us. We may get hurt, not because the Devil directly causes it or because any human does it, but because by chance we are in a place at the wrong moment.


Jesus performed many miracles to demonstrate that he was the Messiah. He even raised the dead. Those works attracted the crowds, but Jesus did not come to earth merely to do a social work. He came to bear witness to the truth. He knew that any material benefits he provided were temporary. Even the resurrected ones would die again. Only by bearing witness to the truth could he help some to gain everlasting life. (Luke 18:28-30) Today, some individuals try to imitate Jesus’ good works by opening hospitals or performing other services among the world’s poor. In some cases, they do this at great personal cost, and their sincerity is commendable; but any relief they supply is temporary at best. Only the Kingdom a Heavenly Government that Jesus talked about when He was on the Earth will bring permanent relief.

Answer 8

Suffering was never part of the original plan.
However, man has had over 6,000 years to set things straight and it has only become worse.
Either a higher source intervenes, or it'll never happen.

Answer 9

Obviouly - it is the Universal Goal

I think The Question is "Why we suffer ?"

If we can understand it - Then we have the will to make suffering disappear

Peace & Love

Answer 10

Every one must try their best according to their given means to help the needy and the poor. The differance in status of man are all according to universal plan of God. He could have created every one equal if He willed.