Let's say a pregnant homeless woman with no relatives is in the woods alone and dies in childbirth. The baby is alive but she is not. Why does God let the baby suffer and die of hunger? There is no lesson to teach because a newborn baby can't understand it and nobody else is around to know. There are no living relatives who would know or care about the birth. Nobody knows the baby exists. Why does it have to suffer?
2007-10-05 02:48:29 · 18 answers · asked by Meat Bot 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Lynn: Solve what? The baby would die because that's what happens when you don't eat. There is no god to intervene.
2007-10-05 02:58:07 · update #1
Anthony B: Babies aren't aware of their suffering? Why do they cry then?
2007-10-05 03:00:02 · update #2
The best answer I'm getting is that the baby suffers because of original sin. Isn't it evil for God to let a baby suffer because somebody 6000 years ago ate some fruit?
2007-10-05 03:04:52 · update #3
That's a horrible situation. Unfortunately, things such as this happen constantly. All you have to do is flip on the news and see terrible things happening all over this country and world (seriously, just watch a news channel for 10 minutes and really listen - so many horrible things are going on!).
We live in a fallen world where sin has invaded. Because of sin, bad things happen - to the good and bad alike. Rain falls on all of us, whether we are lovely or spiteful. Suffering is a result of sin.
Fortunately for a child in that situation, I believe that God will give that child peace and immeasurable joy in heaven.
2007-10-05 03:01:56 · answer #1 · answered by TWWK 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why make up an obscure scenario. How about a partial birth abortion. All present what the child to suffer and die. Why does God permit it?
In either case, it is really a chain of human choices, not God's. The life of the child may be short and painful. None the less he will still receive Heavenly Fathers blessings. He will have received a body and have died free of sin. Such will receive the Celestial Kingdom.
2007-10-05 04:31:01 · answer #2 · answered by Isolde 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is no extraordinary scenario. What about infant rape; torture; brutal murder. Is any lesson worth the pain of these and many more examples?
I could tell you it is likely the baby was better off dying as an infant and going to heaven than growing up without Jesus and dying as a lost sinner but that's just speculation.
Unfortunately, our actions have all kinds of consequences. The first being Adam and Eve's decision to abandon God's plan and evil entering God's perfect creation. The goal now is to reach as many as possible with the Good News.
Oh yes, the baby...safe in the arms of God; happy forever. The mom may even be with them, too.
2007-10-05 03:02:25 · answer #3 · answered by starfishltd 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God doesn't sovereignly act in the way we would like in that situation. But I suppose if He acted there, you'd also expect to see Angels in abortion clinics binding the hands of doctors physically so they couldn't abort helpless and despised babies.
It may come down to authority issues. Man in a sense would in an ideal state be able to readily ask and receive help from God. But the sin issue means God can't do anything unless He has someone with authority to ask. Thats why christians should pray more for God's help, since we do have authority as Jesus was perfect, so "in Him", which is the position of christians as pertains rights, because of the Atonement, we can pray in faith for help - but it does have to be in faith. Also caring people can directly help. I read of a young child once who used to be put in a frying pan and burnt when her unstable parents were annoyed - she was saved from her parents abuse and lovingly brought up by nuns in the end. Some kind soul saw what was happening and intervened (maybe a prayer made that person walk in and see what was happening.)
2007-10-05 03:11:52 · answer #4 · answered by Cader and Glyder scrambler 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you asked from a Biblical perspective, I will tryu to answer as best I can. When sin enterred th world through Adam. Mankind is in a fallen state, it is not how God intended for man to live. With that curse, suffering came into the world god has a different plan for thode who love and obey Him. 1st Corinthians 2:9
2007-10-05 03:01:08 · answer #5 · answered by ShadowCat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you have an excellent question/scenario. the only answer i can give is that if "us" christians would get off our butts and be proactive in our communities, and build homeless shelters, etc., and provide some sort of care for homeless, instead of sittin' around wondering what the A-team's doing, sending $90,000 to try to prevent Kathy Griffin's speech from airing, and other STUPID shkit like that, quit our frickin' belly-aching and DO SOMETHING, this girl in the woods would have had proper care and attention, and could have at least had her baby in a clinic, where the baby would have gotten the care it needed and she (the mother) probably could have put it up for adoption, where the child would have the opportunity to live and be raised by people who would love him/her.
2007-10-05 03:13:42 · answer #6 · answered by ddking37 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay...why in the world was this woman homeless and pregnant with no relatives or friends? And why was she in the friggin woods? I mean come on...you are blaming God....when the real person to blame is the pregnant, homeless woman who decided to take a walk in the woods. It isn't God's fault...it is the woman's fault - - she killed herself and the baby because she was making bad decisions. People need to take responsibility for their actions.
The other person said something about Hurricanes, well I live in New Orleans and I made a CHOICE to live here...I know about Hurricanes...and I know what they can do...I have that knowledge...when they are headed here...I LEAVE...those who don't leave have only themselves to blame...not GOD...take responsibility for your own actions...jeez!
2007-10-05 03:34:54 · answer #7 · answered by badgirlzhvmorfun 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The baby will not be aware of it's suffering and the suffering will only be for a few days and then the child will be in the arms of the Lord forever.
2007-10-05 02:57:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
This is the same kind of question I have heard from other skeptics and scoffers.
They ask why God didn't stop Katrina or the Tsunami, et cetera.
Think about this for a minute: You are telling God, "Go away, get out of my life, leave me alone!" then, when catastrophe strikes, you blame God for not being there! This is utter nonsense and extremely hypocritical!
If you want God's intervention in events, then quit pushing Him away!
Additional comments:
And yet even as people push God out of their lives and continue to put foolish tests to PROVE God doesn't exist, yet when they are given a legitimate answer that challenges their scoffing ways, they give it a thumbs down! Amazing!
All I can say is that if you want answers, ask God - or look at Jesus. He even said "I only do those things I've seen my Father do" and "When you've seen me (my actions and attitudes), you've seen the Father")
Final comment to RieganTheRadiant:
That's a good question. I don't criticize it. But I also don't have an answer. I'm not gonna "shove it under the rug", so to speak, by saying "Have faith" or "God has his purposes". I WILL say, however, that we live in a fallen world, and bad things DO happen to good people. In a "picture-perfect" world, this wouldn't happen, and in God's perfect kingdom, it won't.
But what I'm curious about is, why was she giving birth in the woods? A woman knows when her time is coming. Why would she go off alone in the woods with a baby due any time now?
The hypothetical scenario presented in this question is not realistic to begin with. We can make up all sorts of scenarios, but unless they have meaning - unless they match reality, then the answers would also be meaningless.
But, thanks for asking.
2007-10-05 02:52:55 · answer #9 · answered by no1home2day 7 · 2⤊ 5⤋
If God had a purpose for the baby, He would send someone to come and get the baby. He would not allow that baby to die in the woods alone and cold. Apparently, the baby's mother has fulfilled her purpose in life, now it's the baby's turn.
2007-10-05 02:54:50 · answer #10 · answered by kellygirlaj 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋