Is presence of pains & sufferings a sufficient reason not to believe in God?

Question

Keshavji and Badri.. .we r having b'ful discussion on Karma in our group Sadhana....and we are missing yr inputs..

Answer 1

Pains & sufferings are no reason to disbelieve God, but those are signs of God's presence who want you overcome those situations of your own, though HE will give you the guidance from within yourself !

Answer 2

Presence of persistent pains & sufferings do destablize a person's faith for a while but ultimately one cannot deny God's existence. I feel that pain & suffering are the outcome of negative thinking and carelessness in looking after the body as much as u look after ur house. When the body is over-used or not used properly then it revolts and illness comes. When mind is constantly focusing on negativity then also illness and sufferings come and stay until the thought process is changed. Recently I read in a newspaper that even Mother Teresa did not feel the presence of God in the presence of so much suffering and pain around her but still she hoped in God only. So a human being's capacity is limited and one needs enlightened people at such time to surmount all pain and suffering. The ultimate solution lies with God only and His existence cannot be denied.

Answer 3

The pains and sufferings may not be due to our known actions of this birth. That is why people generally feel that there is no God when they undergo certain sufferings.

These sufferings are generally due to our actions of previous birth also. If you read the story of Mandavya Mahamuni, who had to undergo punishment of piercing a Sul through his chest, it was explained that was due to his deeds in the childhood, when he was pushing thorns in the wings of insects. Like this there are several examples in our epics.

Sudama had to suffer poverty, because he ate the share of food of Lord Krishna during his school days. In Gods law no action will go unpunished or unrewarded. That is why in Gita it is stated to do Nishkama Karma to get out of the bondage's. Unfortunately or fortunately many of us do all our actions with one desire or other. One should try to reach the level by constant practise.

Answer 4

The tragedy of human existence is that, he tries to find a cause for everything. In reality a cause before my birth could be an effect now. Causal relationship is an illusion. In reality the ultimate cause is God. Therefore unknowable cause for pains and sufferings is God only. The statement in the reverse is true.

Answer 5

I've discovered that, most often, people in our day extract their spiritual evolution from suffering.
I think God is like a parent who punish his child for doing something wrong- because that's the only way for child to learn about what is wrong and what is good. But I'm sure that there is no parent in this world who punish his child forever - so when the parent see that his child understood his punishment he love him more.
If a earthly parent make this why don't do the same the heavenly father which is so loving and so wise?

Answer 6

Quran Sura 4. An-Nisaa
78
As for death, no matter where you may be, death is going to reach you even if you are in fortified towers. When such people are blessed with some benefit, they say: "This is from Allah;" but if they suffer a loss, they say: "this is because of you." O Muhammad tell them: "Everything is from Allah." What is the matter with these people that they do not understand a word?

79
Whatever benefit comes to you O people, it is by Allah's grace; and whatever loss you suffer, it is the result of your own doings. We have sent you, O Muhammad, as a Rasool to mankind. Allah is your All-Sufficient Witness.

Answer 7

I don't think so. Pains and sufferings are the fruits/results of one's own deeds/activities during past and present births and can not be attributed to belief or disbelief in God. One who do not wish to belief can state any reason. The persons who do not believe in God do have to suffer by pains and other hardships and those believe in God also have to suffer alike. There is no discrimination in this matter. Only difference is the believers take it lightly thinking of their destiny and more advanced ones at 'compassion of God to send reminders to remember Him' and disbelievers think otherwise.

Answer 8

Personally I do not believe that is true. If we don't suffer then we don't know what true happiness is. Life is a journey and the road isn't always smooth and clear. In times of tragedy and suffering I have kept a strong faith in God and I believe He helped me get through it.

We need pain and suffering to become stronger and better people. We need to go through all that to learn about ourselves and gain more knowledge. One of my favorite quotes is:

"You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life." - J. Krishnamurti

Answer 9

No, because we do not have adequate understanding of God. If we do not have adequate understanding of something or someone then how can we pass judgement?

Pain and suffering has to do with our identification with our temporal biological body. Our biological body is resulting from countless eons of development. This material existence is a semblance of things as they are in the eternal spiritual world.

We need to discover our true eternal spiritual identity.

Answer 10

Once upon a time I would have said yes but then I was younger and quite inexperienced in the knowledge of God. I still don't understand a lot about Him but I have come a long way.

Now here's my answer. My son had a sports injury and wore a neck brace. One morning, he attempted to get up (he was advised by the physician not sleep with it) and could not bear the intense pain. He lay on his bed, unable to get to the bathroom after sleeping all night.

He called out to me and I could not help him - it was so excruciating. I wanted to bawl (mother's pain) but tried to stifle the tears as I called out to God. Nothing seemed to happen and my son lay there in such frustration and pain. I went to the kitchen and cried.

A moment later, I saw a shadow pass by me. I looked up and saw my son. I asked him what happened; how did he get up. He said, "I don't know, I just got up." I asked him if he did not feel any pain and he said "No!"

You see, when he called me initially and couldn't move, he asked me, "Ma, do you believe God hears when you call Him?" And I said "I don't know, I suppose. But don't give up!"