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Why do bad things happen when God exists?

arthra

arthra

Baha'i
In my view "good" is a positive reality while "evil" is more the absence of good. So when you shine a light the shadow disappears..in the same way evil disappears when Goodness radiates. God didn't create evil and there is no ontological being "Satan" at war with God. We as human beings have free will and can totally reject God and the Divine principles... The results are war, famine and disease. But free will also means we can love God out of choice...No choice cannot cultivate love. God loves us and we can try to return that love..We can also love others and show that love by serving others and not putting ourselves first.
 
G

GoodbyeDave

Well-Known Member
Firstly, you can't blame the creator for the behaviour of the creation. If there was a divine intervention every time come-one was about to do something bad, where would that leave our free-will? How could be grow? We've be like children whose parents won't let them out of sight. As for natural disasters, divine intervention to prevent earthquakes or forest fires would destroy natural law and leave no room for the development of intelligence. Either way, we'd be looking at a universe with no independent existence, a mere puppet-show: what would be the point of creating such a thing?

There are also hidden assumptions here: that the creator has unlimited knowledge and power and that they are under a moral obligation to only create happy creatures. This may be taught by Christianity, but it's not self-evident and it's not believed by Pagans. Atheists who think the "problem of evil" refutes religion have not refuted mine nor Hinduism!

I always say that if you put this question to the creator, she might reply "I created the best universe I could manage. If you think you know better, perhaps you should spell out the details of how you'd have done it. Personally, I'm rather proud of it. You may not like it, but then it wasn't done for your benefit."
 
Akivah

Akivah

Well-Known Member
Shalom AiR

I found most of your questions to be repetitive on the same theme. I will address just a few.

Your title asks "Why do bad things happen when G-d exists?" My mind instantly went to the atheists. They don't believe G-d exists, but "bad" things happen to them as well. Whether you have a belief in G-d or not, this is the reality of our existence.

AiR said:
If there is a G-d and He is good, then why does "bad" exist?
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You are presuming something that doesn't exist. I'm pretty sure that there isn't a single religion on Earth in which they believe that bad things don't happen in life, nor that their respective gods promise that no bad things will happen.

AiR said:
We can go on asking questions as to why God has created the world like this, but the question that we need to ask ourselves is that should we question this way?
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I don't see the point. Putting G-d and religion aside, this is the life and existence that we have. Questioning why things eat, things reproduce, and things die won't change the nature of our reality.
 
viole

viole

Ontological Naturalist
Premium Member
AiR said:
If there is God and He is good, then why does “bad” exist? What is the reason for God to create all that is bad? Why couldn’t God create a world that has only bliss and happiness? Why has God made suffering? Why has God made problems? Why has God made poverty? Why do we suffer? Why do we fall sick? Why has God made death? If God is such a good God and if He is the creator of the universe, then why has He created this whole concept of suffering? Why has He let people become terrorists? Why has He let people create pain? And this is not just about people. Look at the animal world. Why has He created it in such a way that the tiger kills the deer, the cat eats the mouse, and the dog chases the cat? Why has God made the world like this?

We can go on asking questions as to why God has created the world like this, but the question that we need to ask ourselves is that should we question this way? Should we question His authority – Why He has done this? What He has done? Do we know better about what He has done, or does the Creator know better about what He has done? So from our limited intelligence and viewpoints, is it right to comment on or question and be judgmental about what God has created and why God has created so?

Why are we questioning what God has done? Why do we doubt God’s intentions? Why do we question God’s plan for our life? Why do we question what God has created on Earth? Should we not spend time pondering upon these rather than questioning what God has done? This is the question I ask myself today.

AiR
Click to expand...

There is a very simple solution to this puzzle.

In the same way we gained more insights about the Universe by letting fall the assumption of a cosmic ether, I believe we will gain more insight about the problem of evil by letting fall another assumption.

Let it go, and see how much easier things become.

Ciao

- viole
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
AiR said:
If there is God and He is good, then why does “bad” exist? What is the reason for God to create all that is bad? Why couldn’t God create a world that has only bliss and happiness? Why has God made suffering? Why has God made problems? Why has God made poverty? Why do we suffer? Why do we fall sick? Why has God made death? If God is such a good God and if He is the creator of the universe, then why has He created this whole concept of suffering? Why has He let people become terrorists? Why has He let people create pain? And this is not just about people. Look at the animal world. Why has He created it in such a way that the tiger kills the deer, the cat eats the mouse, and the dog chases the cat? Why has God made the world like this?

We can go on asking questions as to why God has created the world like this, but the question that we need to ask ourselves is that should we question this way? Should we question His authority – Why He has done this? What He has done? Do we know better about what He has done, or does the Creator know better about what He has done? So from our limited intelligence and viewpoints, is it right to comment on or question and be judgmental about what God has created and why God has created so?

Why are we questioning what God has done? Why do we doubt God’s intentions? Why do we question God’s plan for our life? Why do we question what God has created on Earth? Should we not spend time pondering upon these rather than questioning what God has done? This is the question I ask myself today.

AiR
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It is all on us. God doesn't exist.

If he did, he created everything. So, it is natural to blame the person with whom started everything. Unless you are saying that your (and believers) freedom of choice is independent of god?
 
First Baseman

First Baseman

Retired athlete
Subhankar Zac said:
I m not even going to understand what you said here... There is no sin is existence for us.
Might as well be in gibberish.
Click to expand...

So you just ignore the fact that people miss the mark when it comes to morality and holiness. I guess right and wrong just do not exist if we ignore them. :rolleyes:
 
B

blue taylor

Active Member
arthra said:
In my view "good" is a positive reality while "evil" is more the absence of good. So when you shine a light the shadow disappears..in the same way evil disappears when Goodness radiates. God didn't create evil and there is no ontological being "Satan" at war with God. We as human beings have free will and can totally reject God and the Divine principles... The results are war, famine and disease. But free will also means we can love God out of choice...No choice cannot cultivate love. God loves us and we can try to return that love..We can also love others and show that love by serving others and not putting ourselves first.
Click to expand...
The OT says God did create evil.
 
First Baseman

First Baseman

Retired athlete
Subhankar Zac said:
Says the guy who thinks war, murder, rape, robbery, genocide, etc in the name of the biblical God, done by church, is moral.
Click to expand...

Says the guy who reads posts and intentionally attempts to discredit the poster because he hates what was posted.

Fallacy is something you excel at. But you only succeed at fooling yourself.
 
Subhankar Zac

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
First Baseman said:
Says the guy who reads posts and intentionally attempts to discredit the poster because he hates what was posted.

Fallacy is something you excel at. But you only succeed at fooling yourself.
Click to expand...


Attempts to discredit or have successfully asked for justification while he received none?
And don't use the word fallacy... It's the definition of what the church you love has been for centuries
 
First Baseman

First Baseman

Retired athlete
Subhankar Zac said:
Attempts to discredit or have successfully asked for justification while he received none?
And don't use the word fallacy... It's the definition of what the church you love has been for centuries
Click to expand...

Your posts have been called out, weighed in the balances and found wanting.

I'm sure you hate the word fallacy. It is your entire philosophy summed up in one word.
 
Subhankar Zac

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
First Baseman said:
Your posts have been called out, weighed in the balances and found wanting.

I'm sure you hate the word fallacy. It is your entire philosophy summed up in one word.
Click to expand...


I m not sure, how many people you are talking to at the same and has the same name as mine, but you can't pin that on me.
And calling the basic truths of the universe as false is nothing new to your church or it's members, so forgive me for not gasping for air.
 
Scott C.

Scott C.

Just one guy
AiR said:
If there is God and He is good, then why does “bad” exist? What is the reason for God to create all that is bad? Why couldn’t God create a world that has only bliss and happiness? Why has God made suffering? Why has God made problems? Why has God made poverty? Why do we suffer? Why do we fall sick? Why has God made death? If God is such a good God and if He is the creator of the universe, then why has He created this whole concept of suffering? Why has He let people become terrorists? Why has He let people create pain? And this is not just about people. Look at the animal world. Why has He created it in such a way that the tiger kills the deer, the cat eats the mouse, and the dog chases the cat? Why has God made the world like this?

We can go on asking questions as to why God has created the world like this, but the question that we need to ask ourselves is that should we question this way? Should we question His authority – Why He has done this? What He has done? Do we know better about what He has done, or does the Creator know better about what He has done? So from our limited intelligence and viewpoints, is it right to comment on or question and be judgmental about what God has created and why God has created so?

Why are we questioning what God has done? Why do we doubt God’s intentions? Why do we question God’s plan for our life? Why do we question what God has created on Earth? Should we not spend time pondering upon these rather than questioning what God has done? This is the question I ask myself today.

AiR
Click to expand...

To a great extent God has answered these questions. Although IMO, there's still some mystery to it all. God doesn't create evil, but he allows it. Life is supposed to be hard. It's part of his plan for our growth and development that will benefit us now and in the hereafter. In the grand scheme of eternity, mortal life is the blink of an eye. We'll look back on suffering as a brief passing moment and yet enjoy the blessings of having endured it well for all of eternity.

God created us that we would have joy now and in the next life. His plan requires opposition which is as severe as the joy and blessings are wonderful.
 
First Baseman

First Baseman

Retired athlete
Scott C. said:
To a great extent God has answered these questions. Although IMO, there's still some mystery to it all. God doesn't create evil, but he allows it. Life is supposed to be hard. It's part of his plan for our growth and development that will benefit us now and in the hereafter. In the grand scheme of eternity, mortal life is the blink of an eye. We'll look back on suffering as a brief passing moment and yet enjoy the blessings of having endured it well for all of eternity.

God created us that we would have joy now and in the next life. His plan requires opposition which is as severe as the joy and blessings are wonderful.
Click to expand...

Well did the Lord say,

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
 
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