If you believe in a good and loving God, why do you think there is so much suffering in God's creation?

Question

Please don't give me the free will excuse. Starving children never chose to starve. Mentally ill people never chose to be mentally ill. People with abusive childhoods didn't chose their crappy parents and traumatic upbringings. And so on... We don't chose our genetics or what kind of socioecomic evironment we're born into, which throws a big monkey wrench in the whole free will concept, if you ask me.

So if God is good, loving and has the ability to affect our lives, why do so many people continue to suffer from problems they are not responsible for creating? How can you reconcile a good God with a harsh world?

Answer 1

To the question 'why does suffering and sorrow, disease and death, conflict and avarice persist in the presence of a divine eternal soul spirit’, I answer life does not exist by soul spirit alone. Seed body and fractal infernal temporal universe are equally important components of the synthesis that is life. The fractal infernal qualities and temporal longevity of our seed bodies are the perfect compliment to the divine quality and eternal longevity of our soul spirit.

Answer 2

This is in essence a one word answer......SIN. Yes we have free will but it is not the gift of free will that causes all the ugly in this world. It is the SIN that causes the children to starve. Free will allows the rich to continue to get richer those that are greedy and selfish could feed those children yet they choose not too. As a christian I do what I can to help feed the needy.
As far as the mentally ill......well this is a broad group of people I would say that some of them may be here just for us to be compassionate and care for all of Gods children. Others well the Bible says alot about different illness being Demon's that were cast out.
People with abusive childhoods......again SIN! Anyone who abuses a child is not right with God and living with Satan as their ruler.....this can not be blamed on God.

I was abused as a child and God has used my horrible experiences to help others who have been through the same things. He has healed me and showed me his protection even in hte dark places. I have never nor will I ever blame HIM for the works of people who never knew him.

Answer 3

Listen friend sin is in the world,yet God controls all. He corrects His children,yes for some the correction will bring death, but God is able to kill,and make alive again. Eventually God will draw all men unto Himself. All will be saved,Christ died for all,not just some and all will be reconciled unto Him,but each in there order. Also remember there are worse punishments than death,by far. God can also deal with the dead as well as the living,actually better because the dead are no longer hung up with the lusts and desires of the flesh.

Answer 4

Despite you asking me not to I have to bring "free will' into it. Children are starving because someone chose to let them starve. Children...and adults are being abused because someone chose to abuse them, etc, etc. There is so much suffering, not because of God's will but instead it is the will of mankind that has chosen to abuse the gift of free will.
On the other side of the coin look at the suffering that has been alleviated through the kind works of those that have chosen to help those that need it but unfortunately, they can't help them all.

I pray that you don't blame God, but instead put the blame where it belongs and that is in the fact that most of mankind has chosen to ignore the the teachings of God.

Answer 5

The question of why a righteous and loving God allows evil to exist is almost as old as the human race. Over 3,000 years ago, Job asked, "Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? ... Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways'" (Job 21:7, 14).

Nor does the Bible give us a complete answer to this puzzle. Someday in heaven we'll fully understand God's ways—but not now. We live in a fallen world, a world where evil often seems to be in control. But that isn't the whole story! By faith we know that God still loves us, and His power is greater than all evil. The proof is Jesus Christ, who was put to death by evil men but rose from the dead by the power of God. Never forget this truth: Ultimately, God is in control, not Satan.

And someday God's justice and power will rule, and all evil will be destroyed. Satan will be bound forever, and Jesus Christ will reign over all the earth. In the meantime, we say with the Bible, "How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33, KJV).

The real question, however, is this: Is your trust in God? In the midst of so much confusion and doubt in the world, have you put your faith in Christ, and are you seeking to follow Him every day? Make sure of your commitment to Christ, and then make it your goal to grow closer to Him every day.

Answer 6

I personally don't use the idea of god in understanding the suffering, but I guess religious people would sometimes say that either evil is necessary to understand the good or that suffering is a part of a "whole grand plan".

Social scientists, social policy makers and government official never use religion as a way of addressing poverty problems... or even explaining them...

Answer 7

Light can't see the shadow it makes. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow.

IS this world his creation? I often doubt i am viewing God's work when i watch the evening news.

In my personal experience, suffering increases the strength of true faith. I accept that evil occurs for a reason, and i accept that i may never know the reason but i still believe it's there.

Answer 8

From before the beginning of time Satan has maligned God's character, and accusing him of being a liar. Did not Satan tell Eve in the Garden of Eden that she would not die from partaking of the fruit when God told Adam and Eve that if they ate from the Tree they would surely die. Now again, God's character is questioned. God allows this evil to continue in order for there to be no questions left regarding sin and it's effects. Even in the midst of all this misery though, God continues to bring us beauty to behold and promises never to give us more than we can handle.

Answer 9

There is a verse in the quran is says: We Do not Put Burden On any of our slaves...BUt they put Burden on the selves..(eg. you have $50 you dont buy what within you capability you want me thus putting burden of yourself,,your not appreciating what you have you want more
These are some verses from the quran

Good and evil: "Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein, and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden." Chapter 4, Verse 85

Reaction to evil: "Repel (evil) with what is better. Then will he, between whom and thee was hatred, become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint." Chapter 41, Verse 34 and 35

Do good: "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden (paradise) whose width is that of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous - Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity or in adversity, who restrain (their) anger and pardon (all) men - for God loves those who do good." Chapter 3, Verses 133-134

Reward for righteousness: "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to them will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions." Chapter 16, Verse 97

Acts of compassion: "And what will explain to you what the steep path is? It is the freeing of a (slave) from bondage; or the giving of food in a day of famine to an orphan relative, or to a needy in distress. Then will he be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude and encourage kindness and compassion." Chapter 90, Verses 12-17

Answer 10

I too have been trying to get an answer to this question for many many years. I am hoping someone here can finally provide an answer that makes some sort of sense.
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Edit to add: And from the answers above, I'm not going to get it answered here either.

So you're saying your "loving God" chooses to let some suffer and/or die because someone else chooses to commit dire acts upon them...But WHY doesn't "He" choose to punish those COMMITTING the acts instead of the victims?

And that is why I will NEVER go back to Christianity!!!