Suffering and evil

[Sand Dancer]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

 

[dybmh]

The explanation I like best is: The greater the challenge, the greater the reward. Those who rise above the worst of the worst ( death and suffering of innocents ) and are able to maintain their faith, continue to be productive, never quit are rewarded greatly.

 

[Vee]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

Long story short:
Satan used to be an angel but he rebelled against God. He wanted to rule over others so he lied to Adam and Eve and they chose to believe his lie that God was withholding something from them, and they would be better off doing their own thing.
When Adam and Even disobeyed God's instructions, they became imperfect and passed on that imperfection to all their descendants (Rom. 5:12).
By doing this God gave Satan and humans the opportunity to rule themselves, but we have to live with the consequences. Even though He doesn't cause suffering, He's not stopping it yet.
Why do we suffer? For a number of reasons. Could be because of bad decisions (ours or someone else's), simple bad luck, because this system is extremely unfair... There are many different scenarios.
That doesn't mean God is indifferent to our suffering. He did promise to put an end to it after a certain amount of time (Revelation 21: 3,4).

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen?

Much depends on which Jew you ask. You might find

The Book of Job and the Paradox of Suffering​

interesting. Speaking of which, I've always thought Alter's translation and commentary worth reading. See, for example,

The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with Commentary​

 

[Quintessence]

There's not much to explain. Why wouldn't these things happen? The universe/gods do not revolve around humans, and by extension the universe/gods are not expected to be kind to humans either.

 

[Erebus]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

This is a big reason why I don't believe in an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God. Suffering and evil are much more understandable in a universe without that kind of deity.

We evolved in such a way that we're capable of experiencing suffering and of creating moral systems that allow us to describe things as evil. As a result, we're going to experience both over the course of our lives. It's just one of the drawbacks of being human in a universe that absolutely does not view us as special.

 

[Sand Dancer]

There's not much to explain. Why wouldn't these things happen? The universe/gods do not revolve around humans, and by extension the universe/gods are not expected to be kind to humans either.

Help me understand. I don't want this to be a stumbling block to religion.

 

[wellwisher]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

Humans have free will and choice and many people make the wrong choices, that then adversely impact other people. Like with Adam and Eve, they were told what not to do; do not eat, but Satan conned them to ignore the warning and believe what was not true. In the end, they chose the wrong path and suffering appears.

Free will and choice and being forced down a given path by God are mutually exclusive. You cannot have both ways at the same time. To have both, God needs to only set guidelines, while allowing you the freedom to chose, with only guide rails in place.

Doctors can tell us the best path for a healthy lifestyle, but he/she cannot force you. Some will sense this is healthier but they still may try to walk the wire or leave the yard, causing some health issues. God cannot give you free will and choice and also force you down the correct path. He can show you, but you need to choose in light of this, and other influences for your choices. This is how we learn. The negative things you listed implies humans have not chosen wisely, however free will and choice are still available to us.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Help me understand. I don't want this to be a stumbling block to religion.

But understanding is, and probably should be, the quintessential stumbling block to religion.

 

[Sand Dancer]

But understanding is, and probably should be, the quintessential stumbling block to religion.

I agree, which is why I want a realistic view. Hoping to find one because it's driving me crazy not being able to find a suitable spirituality.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I agree, which is why I want a realistic view. Hoping to find one because it's driving me crazy not being able to find a suitable spirituality.

But isn't that entirely a function of what you deem suitable? Why should 'evil' undermine spirituality rather than render is more important?

Furthermore, if your theism presumes preternatural agency, then the one certainty is that the 'god' you understand isn't.

 

[VoidCat]

The explanation I like best is: The greater the challenge, the greater the reward. Those who rise above the worst of the worst ( death and suffering of innocents ) and are able to maintain their faith, continue to be productive, never quit are rewarded greatly.

That is horrifying to me. The idea that an all powerful god would cause pain or allow it just to test folk. It gives me manipulative vibes

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

I dont believe my gods to be all powerful or all gods to be good. I also dont think most gods bother themselves with humans.

 

[George-ananda]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

I come from a Vedic (Hindu) religious perspective.

Problem of Evil proponents look at good/bad events as happening randomly to people. Eastern thinkers believe a long series of causes/events (karma) causes things to be the way they are.


I look at life from the perspective that life is eternal and we are in the process of learning that. We live as individuals for eons and not one life. We all return to godhead in the end. If one could see one's life from separation from godhead through the eons to return to godhead then things and temporary sufferings make more sense. What we see as evil are very short temporary events in the grand scheme of things where each individual story ends in success; return to peace/bliss/awareness of godhead.

Also, I've heard from multiple sources I respect that Old Souls actively choose more challenging physical/health conditions for greater challenges. This is the opposite of how we think of things from our physical-only view.

 

[Mock Turtle]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

These things don't tend to impact any reasoning as to why I have doubts regarding religious beliefs, and it seems to me all it does is open up the various channels for explanations and reasons why such might occur, as does most of existence in fact - that is, there is always a suitable explanation that someone somewhere will believe as being appropriate (either thought up by themselves or believed from the work of others), whether such is true or not. Hence the spectrum of religious beliefs.

In my view, there are plenty of natural causes for all such to happen - unfortunately.

 

[dybmh]

That is horrifying to me. The idea that an all powerful god would cause pain or allow it just to test folk. It gives me manipulative vibes

What I'm proposing is that the purpose, the ultimate desire is to reward, not to test.

 

[VoidCat]

What I'm proposing is that the purpose, the ultimate desire is to reward, not to test.

Still gives me manipulative vibes. Like I've been through some horrible stuff. Have me go through it just to reward me? Why? What's the point...

Edit: I can't figure out how to word it but it reminds me of something an abuser would do. Im trying hard to figure out how to word what it reminds me of.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

The 'sin issue' started in Eden and sin leads to death.
Thus, sinners Adam and Eve passed down to humanity (us) their loss of health leading to death.
It is also good to keep in mind that it is Man who chooses for the most part to Not live by the Golden Rule.
MAN's long history shows it is MAN who has dominated MAN to MAN's hurt, MAN's injury.
Plus, in the Bible book of Job we find Satan not only challenges Job but by way of extension challenges us.
Touch our flesh.... ( loose physical health ) and we would not serve God. - Job 2:4-5
Both Job and Jesus suffering under adverse conditions proved Satan a liar and so can we.
The passing of time was needed for us to be born and think who we would like as Sovereign over us.
Jesus is the promised 'seed' (Messiah) promised at Genesis 3:15
We are all invited to pray to God for Jesus to come ! - Rev. 22:20
Come and bring ' healing ' to earth's nations - Revelation 22:2
Healing to the point that No one will say, " I am sick......" - Isaiah 33:24
Healing earth wide as described in Isaiah 35th chapter.
Today's NEWS shows it's soon time for Jesus to take the action as found at 1 Corinthians 15:24-26; Isaiah 25:8

 

[nPeace]

How does your religion explain why suffering and evil happen? Things like birth defects, the death of innocent people, starvation and sickness in developing nations, dictators, etc. I can't believe in a god that doesn't keep these things from happening.

Here is a video that explains it in a simple illustrative way.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

This is a big reason why I don't believe in an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God.......................

The God of the Bible is Not omnipotent because there are things God can Not do - God can Not lie - Titus 1:2
The God of the Bible is Not omniscient because we are created with free-will choice.
So, God does Not see into the future what our free-will choices are or will be.
As far as omnibenevolent we can picture a town where all the workers are employed by one town business.
The owner goes bankrupt and all the workers loose their jobs.
A benevolent person decides to buy the bankrupt business and put all the employees back to work.
The God of the Bible is like that benevolent person because Satan and Adam and Eve bankrupted us.
He sent heavenly Jesus to earth for us to undo all the damage Satan and Adam and Eve brought upon us.
This is why we are all invited to pray the invitation to God for Jesus to come ! - Rev. 22:20
Come and undo all the suffering by bringing ' healing ' to earth's nations - Revelation 22:2

 

[dybmh]

Still gives me manipulative vibes. Like I've been through some horrible stuff. Have me go through it just to reward me? Why? What's the point...

Edit: I can't figure out how to word it but it reminds me of something an abuser would do. Im trying hard to figure out how to word what it reminds me of.

I agree it's manipulation, but not abuse. Why?

If God is beyond time, and if the desire is to reward, then the reward has already happened / is currently happening. The challenges happened, the reward has happened, overcoming the challenge has happened, everyone ultimately succeeds / has already won. If not, they would not exist.

All of this is dependent on the ultimate desire is to greatly reward.

It's super-duper optimistic.