Why does God allow evil and suffering?

Question

The news gets worse every day, I can barely stand to watch the news...many people are mean and vicious these days....why does God allow this to go on?

I am not blaming anything on anyone...I asked why does God allow this...please stay tuned to watch for the answer that I choose as best.

Answer 1

To find out why God allows suffering, we need to think back to the time when suffering began. When Satan led Adam and Eve into disobeying Jehovah, an important question was raised. Satan did not call into question Jehovah’s power. Even Satan knows that there is no limit to Jehovah’s power. Rather, Satan questioned Jehovah’s right to rule. By calling God a liar who withholds good from his subjects, Satan charged that Jehovah is a bad ruler. (Genesis 3:2-5) Satan implied that mankind would be better off without God’s rulership. This was an attack on Jehovah’s sovereignty, his right to rule.

Jehovah has not stopped Satan and those who side with him from trying to prove that they are right. Allowing time to pass has thus been necessary. In the thousands of years of human history, mankind has been able to try every form of self-rule, or human government. Mankind has made some advances in science and other fields, but injustice, poverty, crime, and war have grown ever worse. Human rule has now been shown to be a failure.

And Jehovah has not helped Satan to rule this world. If God were to prevent horrible crimes, for instance, would he not, in effect, be supporting the case of the rebels? Would God not be making people think that perhaps humans can govern themselves without disastrous results? If Jehovah were to act in that way, he would become party to a lie. However, “it is impossible for God to lie.” Hebrews 6:18.

Jehovah can and will undo the effects of mankind’s suffering. As we have already learned, the ruining of our planet will be undone by the turning of the earth into Paradise. The effects of sin will be removed through faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, and the effects of death will be reversed by means of the resurrection. God will thus use Jesus “to break up the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3:8) Jehovah will bring all of this about at just the right time. We can be glad that he has not acted sooner, for his patience has given us the opportunity to learn the truth and to serve him. (2 Peter 3:9, 10)

Instead of unfairly accusing Jehovah of not caring about mankind's suffering, we need to take in as much knowledge of him as possible and his true purpose for humans, apply that to our live, and then to share what we know with others, in compliance with Jesus' command to preach the good news of God's Kingdom before the end comes. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20)

Answer 2

There has been evil and suffering in the world long before we were here, and it will exist forever. Our media just feels that it is necessary to broadcast only the worst of news. They don't feel that good news is ratings worthy. As for your question about God allowing it to exist, no matter what god or Deity you believe in, the answer is the same, good can not exist without evil. Without evil, how would anyone know what good is. Stop concentrating on the bad and focus only on the good in the world. You will feel better.

Answer 3

*** ct chap. 10 pp. 175-176 If the Creator Cares, Why So Much Suffering? ***

In understanding suffering, we have to recognize that accidents, sinful human tendencies, man’s mismanagement of the earth, and Satan the Devil are causes for suffering. However, knowing what is behind suffering is not enough. When one is afflicted, it would be easy to feel as did the ancient prophet Habakkuk when he said: “How long, O Jehovah, must I cry for help, and you do not hear? How long shall I call to you for aid from violence, and you do not save? Why is it that you make me see what is hurtful, and you keep looking upon mere trouble? And why are despoiling and violence in front of me, and why does quarreling occur, and why is strife carried?” (Habakkuk 1:2, 3) Yes, why does Jehovah ‘keep looking upon trouble’ without seeming to act? As the Almighty, he has the power and the love of justice needed to end suffering. So when will he do so?

As was mentioned earlier, when the first human couple chose total independence, the Creator was sure that some of their offspring would act differently. Jehovah wisely allowed time to pass. Why? In order to prove that rulership apart from the Creator leads only to unhappiness and, conversely, that living in harmony with the Creator is right and brings happiness.

In the meantime, God has maintained the earth as a reasonably pleasant environment. The apostle Paul reasoned: “In the past generations he permitted all the nations to go on in their ways, although, indeed, he did not leave himself without witness in that he did good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts to the full with food and good cheer.” (Acts 14:16, 17) Clearly, the Creator does not bring suffering, but he has permitted it so as to settle issues of the utmost importance.

*** w99 9/15 pp. 5-6 Someone Really Does Care ***

Through the centuries since man’s creation, mankind has moved ever further away from Jehovah’s standards. (Deuteronomy 32:4, 5) In their continued rejection of God’s laws and principles, humans have fought one another, and “man has dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9) All efforts to bring about a truly just society, free of everything that plagues the suffering masses, have been thwarted by the selfishness of those who want to do things their own way rather than submit to God’s sovereignty.

There is another problem—one that many might dismiss as superstitious nonsense. The instigator of rebellion against God is still inciting people to badness and selfishness. He is Satan the Devil, and Jesus Christ called him “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19) In the revelation given to the apostle John, Satan is identified as the predominant source of woe—the one primarily responsible for “misleading the entire inhabited earth.”—Revelation 12:9-12.

Regardless of how much some people care about their fellow humans, they will never be able to remove Satan the Devil or to change this system that fosters an ever-increasing number of victims. What, then, is required to solve mankind’s problems? The solution is not simply someone who cares. There is a need for someone with the will and the power to get rid of Satan and his entire unjust system.

*** w01 5/15 p. 7 God’s Permission of Suffering Nears Its End ***

A Marvelous New World

Under the rulership of God’s Kingdom, survivors of the end of the present system of things will be ushered into an earth cleansed of wickedness and suffering. God-given instruction will be provided for mankind, and in time “the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” (Isaiah 11:9) This upbuilding, positive teaching will result in a truly peaceful, harmonious human society. Thus, there will be no more war, murder, violence, rape, theft, or any other crime.

Answer 4

I'm sorry you have gone though such trials. Most people have experienced bad things happen to them or their loved one.
But there is a reason it goes on.
God has allowed it mainly because he was allowing mankind to fill the earth . He is being patient and allowing mankind to choose who they will serve. ....God or Satan.
Also some say he could have just started over by killing Satan and Eve and Adam....but he is a wise and just God. He knew there would always be a question of his right to rule.

And God couldn't just forgive Adam and Eve and put up with sin and rebellion for that would mean he would have to lower his standards....never again would he have holiness on the earth.

Answer 5

God allows sin and suffering because this is a sinful world.. we have to show him that the devil cannot control us, that even though our house has beentaken away,have no food, homeless, alone, lost everybody in ur family... etc.. that this will not keep us from the love of god. Originallly jesus didnot plan for it to be like this it was lufficer (satan) that changed things he and the angles that he decieved was kicked out of heaven, that caused the opposition in christ. Because of this the devil is working hard to decieve many and bring them down in the hopes of getting to heaven in an everlasting life..
So.. because satan tempted adam and eve they were kicked out of the gaurden of evill and form then on they were considered sinful humans they had kids, and the kids had kids and walla here we are.... we have do prove ourselves just as Adam and Eve did (they started off perfect and god told them not to eat from the tree of life.. which made them sinful because they did eat.....
So basically wut i am saying is that if god didnt allow evil then this would not be a sinful world it would be in fact perfect!!! which we r not although miracles do happen!! oh and if he didnt tollerate sin we wouldnt be here today forgiven freely if u believe because jesus is my hero for allowing sin because that is what we are maby more but nothing less.... Oh and also the reason why everything is getting worst in the media and the news is because the devil is trying his hardest to bring as many people down as he can before jesus comes!!
GOD BLESS~

Answer 6

All things are for God's purpose. Anything that happens whether good or evil, light or dark is done BY Him and FOR Him. (Isaiah 45:7 I am the one who creates the light and makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.)

The problem that most of us humans have is that we don't seem to understand that "we" as well as EVERYTHING belongs to Him to do with whatever He wills.

We want Him to think like us, but He doesn't and therefore we try to find some type of human rational understanding for His will, but we can't. (Isaiah 55:8-9 My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.)
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But hang in there iwannaknow, the time is quickly coming when those that belong to the LORD will experience greater happiness than our human minds can fathom.
(Isaiah 65:17-25) "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more. "No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young! In those days, people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. It will not be like the past, when invaders took the houses and confiscated the vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the LORD, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

May God Bless You

Answer 7

Do you recognize why men and women make the error of blaming God for all of the soreness on the planet? In many circumstances, they blame Almighty God considering that they suppose that he's the truly ruler of this international. They have no idea a functional however most important fact that the Bible teaches. The truly ruler of this international is Satan the Devil. The Bible certainly states: “The entire international is mendacity within the vigor of the depraved one.” (a million John five:19) When you suppose approximately it, does that no longer make feel? This international displays the persona of the invisible spirit creature who's “deceptive the whole inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:nine) Satan is hateful, misleading, and merciless. So the sector, beneath his have an impact on, is filled with hatred, deceit, and cruelty. That is one cause why there's such a lot soreness. A moment cause why there's such a lot soreness is that, mankind has been imperfect and sinful ever considering that the uprising within the lawn of Eden. Sinful folks generally tend to battle for dominance, and this outcome in wars, oppression, and soreness. (Ecclesiastes four:a million; eight:nine) A 3rd cause for soreness is “time and unexpected prevalence.” (Ecclesiastes nine:eleven) In an international with out Jehovah as a protecting Ruler, men and women might undergo considering that they occur to be within the flawed position on the flawed time. To uncover out why God makes it possible for soreness, we have to suppose again to the time whilst soreness started. When Satan led Adam and Eve into disobeying Jehovah, an most important query was once raised. Satan didn't name into query Jehovah’s vigor. Even Satan is aware of that there's no restrict to Jehovah’s vigor. Rather, Satan wondered Jehovah’s proper to rule. By calling God a liar who withholds well from his topics, Satan charged that Jehovah is a foul ruler. (Genesis three:two-five) Satan implied that mankind could be larger off with out God’s rulership. This was once an assault on Jehovah’s sovereignty, his proper to rule. Let us don't forget an instance. Imagine that a trainer is telling his pupils find out how to resolve a complex situation. A sensible however rebellious scholar claims that the instructor’s manner of fixing the situation is flawed. Implying that the instructor isn't ready, this insurgent insists that he is aware of a far larger solution to resolve the situation. Some pupils suppose that he's proper, they usually additionally turn out to be rebellious. What must the instructor do? If he throws the rebels out of the category, what is going to be the end result at the different pupils? Will they no longer feel that their fellow scholar and those that joined him are proper? All the opposite pupils within the magnificence could lose appreciate for the instructor, considering that he's frightened of being proved flawed. But consider that the instructor makes it possible for the insurgent to exhibit the category how he could resolve the situation. The trainer in our instance is aware of that the insurgent and the pupils on his part are flawed. But he additionally is aware of that permitting them the possibility to take a look at to turn out their factor will improvement the entire magnificence. When the rebels fail, all sincere pupils will see that the instructor is the one one certified to steer the category. They will have an understanding of why the instructor thereafter eliminates any rebels from the category. Similarly, Jehovah is aware of that each one honesthearted folks and angels will improvement from due to the fact that Satan and his fellow rebels have failed and that folks can not govern themselves. Like Jeremiah of ancient, they are going to be taught this primary fact: “I good realize, O Jehovah, that to earthling guy his manner does no longer belong. It does no longer belong to guy who's strolling even to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23. What, even though, approximately all of the damage that has been performed for the period of the lengthy uprising in opposition to God? We do good to recall that Jehovah is almighty. Therefore, he can and can undo the results of mankind’s soreness. As now we have already discovered, the ruining of our planet shall be undone through the turning of the earth into Paradise. The results of sin shall be eliminated via religion in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, and the results of dying shall be reversed by way of the resurrection. God will as a result use Jesus “to get a divorce the works of the Devil.” (a million John three:eight) Jehovah will deliver all of this approximately at simply the proper time. We may also be joyful that he has no longer acted quicker, for his endurance has given us the possibility to be taught the reality and to serve him. (two Peter three:nine, 10) Meanwhile, God has been actively looking for honest worshipers and serving to them to suffer any soreness that can stumble upon them on this stricken international.—John four:23; a million Corinthians 10:thirteen.

Answer 8

Hi wannaknow, like your screen name.!!!
He has provided a hope for believing ones... a way out soon to come.
He loves us & wants all to live on forever.

The Issue of Universal Sovereignty is at stake. Satan challenged God's authority & right to rule way back in the Garden of Eden. True justice MUST be served.

By allowing humans enough time to experiment with total freedom, God would establish for all time whether humans are better off under God's rule or on their own. And the time permitted would have to be long enough to allow humans to come to what they considered the peak of their political, industrial, scientific, and medical achievements.

Therefore, God has allowed man a free rein clear down to our day to show beyond any doubt whether human rule independent of him can succeed. Thus man has been able to choose between kindness and cruelty, between love and hate, between righteousness and unrighteousness. But he has also been confronted with the consequences of his choice: goodness and peace or wickedness and suffering.

Therefore, God has permitted enough time for all intelligent creatures to see how this issue as well as the issue of God's sovereignty would be resolved. (Compare Exodus 9:16. But, in fact, for this cause I have kept you in existence, for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth. )
The eventual experience of human history would reveal the truth about these two issues.

Read links below for a more thorough discussion on this:
Why God Has Permitted Suffering &
Why Does God Let Us Suffer?

Answer 9

God gave man free will, without which man could not truly love God. However, man can misuse that free will, including twisting something that might be good, such as religion, into something that is evil. Until the unbeliever can show that a universe with love (even though it entails the possibility of evil) cannot be better than a universe without love (even though it entails no possibility of evil), then the "problem of evil" argument will always falter. It is not God who caused the human suffering and so forth, but man's misuse of free will.

Answer 10

yes, I hate watching the news or reading the paper. in five minutes on the news you hear five different bad things. but Jesus Christ told us these things would have. Matthew 24 verse 3-14, when Jesus was on Mount Olive, when the disciples asked Jesus when these things would happen. also second timothy chapter three verse 1-3. Jehovah will step in real soon and end the awful things that is happening. we are all looking forward to living forever on a paradise earth. psalms 37 verse 10 and 11. learn what Jehovah Witnesses are all about at www.watchtower.org