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Why Does God Allow Suffering?
- Thread starter Jimmy
- Start date
ratiocinator
Lightly seared on the reality grill.
Made by an imperfect God, or no God at all, then.
Disclaimer: This my belief as a Hindu, and pretty much the Hindu belief in general.Others may believe and explain it differently.
Why is it God's job or responsibility to stop suffering or evil, or to cure cancer? As Hindus, we don't believe that God/dess controls any of that. Not that He or She can't, but He or She doesn't. We believe that our suffering, evil, disease, good fortune, bad fortune, are a result of our karma. Some karma, good and bad, does manifest in this life, but largely it's an accumulation. It's like a bank account we deposit into and withdraw from.
What did a child with cancer do to "deserve" their cancer? We don't know but it happened for some reason from something(s) done in past lives. Why are there hurricanes and tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides that kill and injure people, destroy their homes? That's an easy one to answer ... we live in a world where **** happens. Not everything is the will of God. The universe is like Australia ... everything in it wants to kill us.
The Srimad Bhagavatam, a Hindu scripture, says that not a blade of grass blows in the wind without the Supreme Lord knowing about it. But the scripture doesn't say that He causes it. That God is in charge of suffering, pain and evil, and does nothing about it or causes it is an Abrahamic concept. Abrahamics have painted themselves into a corner by making God an all-intrusive, manipulating puppet master pulling strings and interfering in every aspect of our lives, leaving nothing to the workings of the universe. Every action we do has an effect somewhere down the line, like ripples in water when we throw a rock in. That's karma; karma is not "paybacks are a *****". Karma is not the story of the poachers who killed a rhino, then five minutes later are eaten by lions. Nor is it the driver who cuts me off in a rage and promptly slams into a telephone pole. That's stupidity. And in my perverse, twisted and macabre sense of humor .. kind of funny.
Why is it God's job or responsibility to stop suffering or evil, or to cure cancer? As Hindus, we don't believe that God/dess controls any of that. Not that He or She can't, but He or She doesn't. We believe that our suffering, evil, disease, good fortune, bad fortune, are a result of our karma. Some karma, good and bad, does manifest in this life, but largely it's an accumulation. It's like a bank account we deposit into and withdraw from.
What did a child with cancer do to "deserve" their cancer? We don't know but it happened for some reason from something(s) done in past lives. Why are there hurricanes and tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides that kill and injure people, destroy their homes? That's an easy one to answer ... we live in a world where **** happens. Not everything is the will of God. The universe is like Australia ... everything in it wants to kill us.
The Srimad Bhagavatam, a Hindu scripture, says that not a blade of grass blows in the wind without the Supreme Lord knowing about it. But the scripture doesn't say that He causes it. That God is in charge of suffering, pain and evil, and does nothing about it or causes it is an Abrahamic concept. Abrahamics have painted themselves into a corner by making God an all-intrusive, manipulating puppet master pulling strings and interfering in every aspect of our lives, leaving nothing to the workings of the universe. Every action we do has an effect somewhere down the line, like ripples in water when we throw a rock in. That's karma; karma is not "paybacks are a *****". Karma is not the story of the poachers who killed a rhino, then five minutes later are eaten by lions. Nor is it the driver who cuts me off in a rage and promptly slams into a telephone pole. That's stupidity. And in my perverse, twisted and macabre sense of humor .. kind of funny.
an anarchist
Your local loco.
I sometimes get the impression that you are a troll and not earnest. But that's not for me to say.
The problem of evil is not a stupid question. That is all I have to say on the topic.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
A god who makes all of existence is beyond petty ideas of perfect and imperfect imo.
Nimos
Well-Known Member
What is heaven to you? and what does the Bible say about it?
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
A kid gets cancer cuz of past lives? I can say with certainty that this is nonsense.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
I’m not Christian. Heaven is this life. There is no other imo.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
The idea of heaven in the Bible is a metaphor for a state of mind imo.
Massimo2002
Active Member
Why ask the question if you sincerely think that it is stupid ?
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Most Christians believe in another realm that exists beyond this one. A realm of perfection with no disease or pain etc. I don’t buy into it.
Koldo
Outstanding Member
As long as you don't say God/dess is good, that is alright.
Ok, but was the karma system created by God/dess? If yes, why? Why not prevent all evil from happening?
But why hasn't God/dess willed for it to be a world where crap doesn't happen?
Honestly, your answers are no better than what is offered by an average abrahamic theist.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Because corn farts deliver oceans
Because that is how humans designed their gods. Suffering is a reality than even theists can't ignore, so they had to include it in some way. Does it make sense? No. Do religions make sense? No. They are traditions of belief that even many modern people adopt without thinking.
ratiocinator
Lightly seared on the reality grill.
You know that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense, yes?
A creator of everything is responsible for everything. Any imperfections would be entirely down to said creator.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Our creator made reality which is subject to the laws of nature imo. The ideas of perfect and imperfect are irrelevant.
ratiocinator
Lightly seared on the reality grill.
Just repeating yourself isn't going to magically make it make sense....
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Actually you’re right. We have an imperfect creator. I prefer to call him a realistic creator. So you call him imperfect. Is that suppose to offend me? I’m not offended in the least.
Koldo
Outstanding Member
It is interesting that you equal the absence of suffering to complete perfection.
Koldo
Outstanding Member
Just sometimes? Just an impression?