2007-06-30 18:18:00 · 20 answers · asked by ? 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There are many points to consider.
The first human pair were created perfect,designed to live forever.They were placed in a garden paradise and told to fill the earth and subdue it.
This was(and still is)God's plan for mankind.No death,no suffering,no violence etc.
However Adam and Eve decided they would rather govern themselves and sided with Satan.
Jehovah God in his wisdom and justice has had to allow man to try every form of government so no doubt remains that man cannot live independent of his Creator.
The Bible also teaches us that Satan is "the god of this system of things".(2Cor.4:4;1John5:19)
We can be assured however that the time is drawing very close when our Heavenly Father will be stepping in and ridding this earth of not only all the suffering and pain and violence and unrighteousness but also the reason behind it all,Satan the Devil.
Jehovahs Witnesses conduct free home bible studies.Why not go to your local Kingdom Hall and request one.By careful study of the Bible you will be able to received answers to all your spiritiual questions.
2007-06-30 19:12:52 · answer #1 · answered by lillie 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The only reason to allow the suffering is because God is imaginary. Religious people believe that suffering is caused by the free will or the acts of Satan, but the truth is that a loving god can't permit that. If my kid is suffering from a illness my responsibility is taking care and look for a doctor or go to the pharmacy. If a hurricane destroy the house of my friends I will give them a hand. Or not?
God is like an old guy sitting in a comfortable chair looking at the destruction of the world that he create. Do you really believe in this God?
2007-07-01 01:31:49 · answer #2 · answered by Lost. at. Sea. 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Because God grants free will.
That's the easy answer. Any time people have freedom to choose, that means they have the freedom to choose badly. These bad choices, selfish choices, choices disinterested with the well being of others leads to much suffering.
Then again What is suffering? Suffering is a relative concept. Paris hilton spent a couple of weeks in jail. Based on her prior experiences and what she was used to she was suffering. Jane the homeless girl gets arrested and sent to the same prison and she's doing great! Free food, warm dry place to sleep, a place to take showers...
The point is that whether or not a particular occurance or event causes "suffering" is very much dependant on the prior experience and future expectations of the person in question. Whether or not a person experiences suffering is not dependant on any particular event but rather the "sufferer's" perspective.
Now some things are so far outside ANY typical human experience that we can all agree that it constitues suffering. Children starving to death in Africa, Nazi death camps, etc... but even if you eleminated all of those events, people would still experience "suffering" because there would always be events that are worse than your prior experiences and future expectations. So until all experiences are exactly the same for everyone and exactly according to their prior experiences, suffering by necessity must always exist.
Thirdly, if we did not know suffering, would we know joy? Elation? Ecstasy? These experiences are "good" precisely because we can directly compare them to events in our lives that have been nagtive and see the huge difference. If there was no bad to compare it to, would there be any good?
2007-07-01 01:43:55 · answer #3 · answered by David M 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
One answer was that God didn't allow suffering, we do. Since God is all knowing, then He knew before creation and still chose to allow creation to take this form.
Others thought that we might grow stronger because we suffer.
It's hard to understand the strength a five year old child gains by being sexually or physically abused by a step parent.
There was also the sick child being made well by a painful procedure.
The analogy fails to answer the question since God created sickness as well. We would put parents in prison who deliberately make their child sick, so they can enjoy the positive attention and sympathy it brings them.
2007-07-01 02:33:38 · answer #4 · answered by muffdiver4u1951 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God has given us HIS view on life in the Bible, and Jesus paid a very high price for us to be free of sickness and suffering of plagues and diseases and accidents: read Psalm 91 and Isaiah 53 and in the gospels, "He healed them ALL" that came to Him.
He has given us all authority over all the power of the devil according to Luke 10: 19; Luke 11:24; so His hands are pretty much tied with us having free will and US allowing stuff! He sorta has to "allow" what WE ALLOW, ya know? I think He pretty much did His part in whipping the devil/satan, so we have to "hold the fort".
The devil has tatics like.. deceive us, threaten and antimidate us, bully us, make us afraid by "sight"..., but HE HAS BEEN DEFEATED and the Lord Jesus has GIVEN US THE VICTORY according to 1 Corinthians 15: 57 and 2 Corinthians 2:14; and Galatians 3: 13 - 29.
Having done all to stand therefore; STAND! Just don't give into feelings or sight.., say what the Bible says and act as if you believe it! Tell the devil to "GO, in Jesus' name, or tell you what is his right to bring this ______ to your door!" In Jesus' name, he has to obey YOU. He's a fallen angel, not a big, bad god. Jesus took away his 'bite'. Now he can do whatever you allow him to do to you! Forgive all ancestors before you that carried diseases and inherited stuff and place the cross of Christ between you and all them. Break the curses or that stuff off you and yours! Inherit only from God!
The only suffering we are supposed to do is when our "flesh" wants it's way or the persecution from being a lover of Jesus comes from the world! We are to bring Jesus to the suffering world.
2007-07-01 01:34:32 · answer #5 · answered by gg28 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
How does blaming a God (which is judging his means and intentions) help ease this suffering? It's up to people to help, and time. lots and lots of time. And there will still be suffering. Perhaps less.
2007-07-01 01:30:37 · answer #6 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Only God really knows. Most people feel it is not God that allows it rather it is ourselves that choose it. Maybe God is asking himself the same question, "Why do they choose suffering?"
2007-07-01 01:29:14 · answer #7 · answered by furshluginer 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
God doesn't allow suffering, we do.
2007-07-01 01:22:43 · answer #8 · answered by °¤teehee¤° 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The Bible shows why God allows suffering, it tells us of a major issue at hand.
It also shows what God is doing in the meantime of working towards taking away all suffering on earth and that in the future even "the former things will not be called to mind".(Isaiah 65:17) Anything we have suffered during this time will be forgotten, it will not harm us anymore.
Back to the issue at hand. It is the issue of Universal Sovereignty that involves us all. During the time of Job when he was being attacked by Satan, Satan raised a challenge to God that he could turn any man against him and that no one would serve God because of their love for Him that they would chose their own self over continuing faithful to God. At Job 2:4 Satan said: "Everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul." Satan wasn't just claiming that he could get Job to turn away from God, but he said "a man" so that implies that Satan's claim applied to all humans. He uses various ways to try to get us to stop loving God and serving him.
Satan challenges God's right to rule the universe. He did this first with Adam and Eve. He got Adam and Eve to think that they could chose their own course, not obey God and it would be better for them. When they did chose to not obey God, it proved disasterous to them, they ended up dying with no hope of life again. But because they disobeyed, the challenge was still there. If God had destroyed Adam and Eve right there, it wouldn't have proven that God's way is best. He had to allow time to pass for humans to show whether they can live independently of God and independent of His laws and do well. During these past thousands of years, man has been allowed to try all kinds of governments to rule themselves and all it has proven is that man cannot govern themselves. As Eccleisastes 8:9 says: "...man has dominated man to his injury."
History has shown that human rule independent of God has caused more and more suffering. But God has a plan in place to remove this suffering. He promises that He will make the earth a paradise where there will be no more suffering, no more death, no more pain, and no wickedness. (Psalm 37:9-11,28,29; Revelation 21:4)
We can prove Satan a liar by trying our best to serve God even despite suffering and remain faithful like Job was. Proverbs 27:11 says: "Be wise my son and make my heart rejoice that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me."
Satan has taunted Jehovah God saying that no one would remain faithful to Him if they suffer, but Jesus, Job, the Apostles and many others have proven faithful and have proven the Devil (the taunter) a liar. We can too. And the Bible shows the reward that we will have. It will be everlasting life in a paradise earth. (Matthew 24:13; John 17:3; John 3:16)
We may suffer for a short period of time, but if we receive everlasting life, life forever, this period of time will be like seconds in time, compared to forever and the suffering will be forgotten. Right now, Jehovah God is allowing time for people to repent and turn to Him, learn about and obey Him. He is allowing this time, but the Bible shows that the time will soon come when He will bring an end to wickedness and suffering. (2 Peter 3:9,10; Matthew 24:3-14)
2007-07-01 02:27:09 · answer #9 · answered by Kally 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
We are free to do as we chose, but God doesn't agree with it at all, except all will be judged according to what they did, say and think. It is man who allows suffering! God has given us a time on this earth but all will come into judgement... ALL.
The Lord says:
Pro 6:16 These six Jehovah hates; yea, seven are hateful to his soul: 17 a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that plots wicked plans, feet hurrying to run to evil, 19 a false witness who speaks lies, and he who causes fighting among brothers.
Those who chose God will do according to God's heart and not cause suffering.
2007-07-01 01:23:00 · answer #10 · answered by monfille 3 · 1⤊ 5⤋