Why would an All-Loving God create a world that has so much suffering in it?

[Trailblazer]

You keep saying that God is all knowing...
Where does God say that...
There is no where in the Bible that God has ever said that he's all knowing..
It seems people will say things....b
God never said it.
Can you give the book and chapter and verses as to where God said that he's all knowing..where exactly is that written at.

The Bible verses about omnipotence are on this website:

What Does the Bible Say About Omniscience?

 

[Trailblazer]

You said in your post above...
( It is all throughout the Bible.
Why would Christians believe that God is omniscient if it was not in the Bible?)

Because Christians only go by what their
Pastors and Preachers will say and not check it out to see if God actually said that he's all knowing... That's why it's not written in the Bible... because it's man's teachings..and nothing that God said himself that he's all knowing..

Ask any Christian and Pastors.Preachers.. to give where it's written in the Bible that God saying that he's all knowing. .see what they tell you..
There is no where in the Bible that it's written that God is all knowing... nonetheless God doesn't even say it himself...that he's all knowing..

See my previous post with the verses that mean God is All-Knowing.

 

[Trailblazer]

Are you absolutely positively that God never said anything in the Bible..
What about in Genesis 3:9---"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

It seems God speaking here..

No, the one who is speaking is the one who wrote Genesis. It was a “story” men wrote about God but not necessarily anything God said.

What about God speaking..saying in
Matthew 3:17----"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"

Should I go on...it seems God is doing a lot of talking himself..

That is the same as your previous example in Genesis. Whoever wrote Matthew said that a voice from heaven said “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

That is not the same as God speaking on His own behalf.

 

[Trailblazer]

Okay. So by all means. Please do tell what the Spirit is saying to the churches..have you any clue or idea what the Spirit of God is saying..
Revelation 2:17--- "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches"
Please do tell what the Spirit is saying?

The Spirit is saying that the Spirit of Christ will return in another man with a new name, a name which only He will know.

 

[Trailblazer]

No, but by what I see, it really looks like most people want to know evil and also want to do evil.

I would not say “most people” but I would say “many people.”

I have no reason to believe there would have been any suffering in that case.

I guess you mean the generations to follow would not have suffered if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God? That is as much as saying that the material world is a paradise and the only reasons humans suffer is because of sin, but that simply is not the case. Good people who are not sinful have accidents and injuries and diseases because that is the nature of the material world.

One might say that if people were spiritual enough none of those would cause them to suffer, but that is a bit much to expect. And what about the death of loved ones, humans and animals? That has always caused undue suffering and there is no way that can be prevented in the world where people and animals die. The solution is not that nobody would ever have died physically if Adam and Eve had not sinned because that would soon lead to overpopulation unless nobody new was ever born.

I don’t think humans are making any good progress, only more advanced ways to kill others and make life more miserable. Today world is in brink of world war 3, if not already in it. People have polluted earth very badly and some people even think that climate is in change to worse, because of people and their modern inventions. “Science and education” and materialism seems to lead world only from bad to worse, especially when people don’t know love as it is in the Bible.

According to Baha’i beliefs all of this is the result of people turning away from Baha’u’llah. Had the kings and rulers of the late 19th century heeded the call of Baha’u’llah, we would have seen the Most Great Peace, but since they rejected Him wars continued. The Baha’i Faith has the solutions to the problems we face today but people are rejecting those solutions because they are rejecting the Faith.

Did most people ever love one another as it is taught in the Bible?It sure does not seem that way, and if they did not do so before, what makes you think that will suddenly change? Moreover, love is not the entire solution, justice is also necessary.

More important than love is that people become put others before themselves. It is no longer good enough to love one’s neighbor as oneself, because in that case people will always defer to self. One can love others and remain selfish if they are always considering themselves first and living for the material world and things of the flesh

Some of my favorite verses from the New Testament are these:

Matthew 16:23-26 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The way I interpret those verses is that Jesus was saying to deny our selfish desires, things we want that are not of God, and to follow in His Way. For whoever will live for self shall lose his eternal life, but whoever will sacrifice his life for the sake of Jesus and God shall gain eternal life. It is the soul that gets eternal life, not the body.

So if we live for self and the worldly things we gain the world but we lose our soul in the sense that we lose eternal life.

Eternal life refers to a “quality” of life, nearness to God, which according to Jesus comes from believing in Him, and following His example. One can have eternal life in this earth world as well as in the spiritual world (afterlife).

I have no reason to believe that people could not have learned many things, even if they would have remained in the Garden. And actually, if they would have, they could have asked anything directly from God and could have become very wise and knowing, much better than this current situation.

With all due respect, I consider the Garden of Eden an allegorical story that was written to convey spiritual truth, not a real place that ever existed. I do not think that anyone could have ever asked anything directly of God and got answers because I believe God only speaks to Manifestations of God such as Jesus and Baha’u’llah and others.

“Science” is leading people deeper into empty materialism. I think it is not good. Better would be to evolve spiritually, in love and truth. Without love, nothing really matters.

I agree that science has led to more materialism but it has also made great discoveries and advances in medicine that have improved life on earth. I do not think it has to be an either-or; I believe that both science and religion are necessary,like two wings of a bird, but if people were more spiritual science could be used to better purposes rather than for building weapons of war.I believe it is necessary for humanity to evolve spiritually before anything is really going to change.

 

[Trailblazer]

Who is the grand mastermind behind all of this intricate planning of who suffers what and who suffers when? If it is God, then is that God really All-loving? Is that God really doing all this to help us grow spiritually and gain "perfections"? I rarely agree with Trailblazer, but with this I really question how All-loving this God really is.

You rarely agree with me?

I agree with you on lots of things.

Sometimes I agree more with you than with the Baha’is.

How All-Loving is God? Thanks for pointing out the obvious that Baha’is and Christians do not want to see.

 

[1213]

…I guess you mean the generations to follow would not have suffered if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God? That is as much as saying that the material world is a paradise and the only reasons humans suffer is because of sin, but that simply is not the case. Good people who are not sinful have accidents and injuries and diseases because that is the nature of the material world.

I think it is possible that the paradise was not material world like this. The story tells people were expelled from the paradise and we can’t go back to there on our own. So, we don’t really know what kind of place it was. Although, I believe I know where it is, if it is on earth. But anyway, I don’t think this material world where we are is paradise, this is the first death.

Probably all people are sinful, but, even if we would think not all are, I have understood that this was meant to be a lesson about good and evil, because people wanted to know evil. It may be that innocent also suffers here. It is for that we could learn what evil means, lack of good.

…More important than love is that people become put others before themselves. It is no longer good enough to love one’s neighbor as oneself, because in that case people will always defer to self. One can love others and remain selfish if they are always considering themselves first and living for the material world and things of the flesh

The love I know, is enough and best that can be.

…I agree that science has led to more materialism but it has also made great discoveries and advances in medicine that have improved life on earth.

If we accept the belief that science has really helped anyone, it could be quite even, if we would count also all the harm “it” has done. I believe most people would heal without science and many people would not have had disease in first place without “science” messing things up.

 

[Bird123]

I do not do the same things unless I want the same results; sometimes I do want them if they were results I liked.

You cannot know God’s actions, EVER. You just imagine you can. Not even Jesus could know God’s actions, and you think you do?

You do not know my actions and I do not know your actions; all we know is what is posted in words on this forum. You do not know me from the words I post, even if you think you do. You know nothing about my life, all you know are a few beliefs and opinions I hold.

You think you know me, but you don’t. If you knew me you would know that I do not try to control things in my life, I try to do God’s will, but I cannot always know what that is, nobody can.

You do not know what God’s reality is, you just imagine you do.

And you know this exactly how? How do you know what I am closed to? How arrogant to assume you know me.

I am not closed and I do not make rules for myself or limit my view, but I can say this over and over again and you will come back insisting that I do, as if you, a stranger on a forum, know me better than I know myself.

The Truth, how do you think you know the Truth? You have your own truth but it is not The Truth.

Why not talk to me directly instead of beating around the bush?

You call me stubborn and closed-minded because I do not agree with your made up beliefs about God and Discovery. That is drop dead obvious to anyone who has even taken psych 101. You have a right to believe that way if you want to just as I have a right to believe in a religion. The question is why you have a need to control me. Maybe that worked on some lost souls who had no self-awareness and no religion, but it won’t work on me. You are as transparent as glass right after the window washer has come.

What you mean is that if I only did it “your way” I would see, but as long as I choose to do it my own way I will never see. That is arrogant.

I see what I need to see, and the Truth about God, as much as I can know, is contained in the scriptures of my religion and other religions. That guides my way but I make my own choices.

If it is in my hands, why do you keep telling me what I need to do? It seems to me that this is about you, you wanting me to do it your way, but I have my own way and you cannot accept it.

You cannot compete with the Messengers of God who revealed all the great world religions-so I suggest you stop trying.

Actions speak to who we are. I realize you do not understand. Actions speak to who God is too. Nothing is being hidden.

Assumptions, Assumptions, Assumptions. You will find a way to see what you want to see. I realize it's what you want.

You have been taught so many of the petty things mankind holds so dear that you see them in everything and everyone.

Unlike religion, I make no demands of you. I have no need to control you. Be who you must! It's a part of the plan! I will not limit your view or box your thinking to any set of rules or assumptions like religion does. Be Free!!

You see evil in so many things that are not evil at all. I know you have been taught to do this, however it is your choice to accept these things without discovering the Truth for yourself.

Truth can be unsettling especially when it conflicts with long held beliefs. That is what it is supposed to do.

I merely point. It's all up to you from here.

Finally, you speak of Psych 101. Do you depend on all your knowledge coming from others? Do you work at Discovering anything on your own? Do you think the Psych people or the religions really carry all the answers? What have they yet to learn?

That's what I see. It's very clear.

Pick a week. Focus only on the goodness you see. Make goodness more important. Focus only on the Happiness. See what you can Discover. See what happens after a week. Nurture only Goodness. Act only toward goodness. Is there anything you can learn?

If you go a week and find no goodness or happiness, that will show you the limits you place on yourself.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

we do not know how much suffering is going on by each...

No one is tempted beyond what they can bear.
Job proved that even under 'adverse conditions' one can remain faithful to God.
Thus, both Job and Jesus proved Satan a liar - Job 2:4-5
Satan challenges: touch our ' flesh ' ( loose physical health ) and we would Not serve God.
Like Job and Jesus we can meet that challenge.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I think it is possible that the paradise was not material world like this. The story tells people were expelled from the paradise and we can’t go back to there on our own. So, we don’t really know what kind of place it was. Although, I believe I know where it is, if it is on earth. But anyway, I don’t think this material world where we are is paradise, this is the first death..........

Jesus promised Not heaven, but a future paradise to one thief who died next to him.
We are introduced to the paradisical ' tree of life ' in Genesis.
Please notice at Revelation 22:2 the return of the Genesis ' tree of life ' for the ' healing ' of earth's nations.
' Healing ' on Earth to the point that even ' enemy death ' will be No more on Earth - 1 Corinthians 15:26; Isaiah 25:8.

 

[Trailblazer]

I think it is possible that the paradise was not material world like this. The story tells people were expelled from the paradise and we can’t go back to there on our own. So, we don’t really know what kind of place it was. Although, I believe I know where it is, if it is on earth.

Maybe there was a time when people were different than they are now, more innocent, I don’t know. If you are interested, one Baha’i interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve is given in this chapter, and it also explains that there are other possible interpretations: 30: Adam and Eve

But anyway, I don’t think this material world where we are is paradise, this is the first death.

What do you mean by first death and what do you believe the second death is?

Probably all people are sinful, but, even if we would think not all are, I have understood that this was meant to be a lesson about good and evil, because people wanted to know evil. It may be that innocent also suffers here.

I believe that all people have a sinful nature, what Baha’is call the lower material nature, our selfish nature, but we also have a higher spiritual nature which is noble. This chapter explains how Jesus saved us from our sinful nature and helped us to live according to our spiritual nature: 29: Explanation of verse twenty-two, Chapter 15, of the first epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians

It is for that we could learn what evil means, lack of good.

Evil does not really exist; it is merely the absence of good. 74: The nonexistence of evil

The love I know, is enough and best that can be.

I am glad to hear that. We can only know about ourselves, not other people.

If we accept the belief that science has really helped anyone, it could be quite even, if we would count also all the harm “it” has done. I believe most people would heal without science and many people would not have had disease in first place without “science” messing things up.

Do you believe that science is responsible for diseases? If you mean modern medicine I tend to agree that it has made people sicker in general even though it has saved lives. I am a strong proponent for homeopathic medicine which helps the body heal itself through the vital force.

 

[Trailblazer]

Actions speak to who we are. I realize you do not understand. Actions speak to who God is too. Nothing is being hidden.

Assumptions, Assumptions, Assumptions. You will find a way to see what you want to see. I realize it's what you want.

You have been taught so many of the petty things mankind holds so dear that you see them in everything and everyone.

Unlike religion, I make no demands of you. I have no need to control you. Be who you must! It's a part of the plan! I will not limit your view or box your thinking to any set of rules or assumptions like religion does. Be Free!!

You see evil in so many things that are not evil at all. I know you have been taught to do this, however it is your choice to accept these things without discovering the Truth for yourself.

Truth can be unsettling especially when it conflicts with long held beliefs. That is what it is supposed to do.

I merely point. It's all up to you from here.

Finally, you speak of Psych 101. Do you depend on all your knowledge coming from others? Do you work at Discovering anything on your own? Do you think the Psych people or the religions really carry all the answers? What have they yet to learn?

That's what I see. It's very clear.

Pick a week. Focus only on the goodness you see. Make goodness more important. Focus only on the Happiness. See what you can Discover. See what happens after a week. Nurture only Goodness. Act only toward goodness. Is there anything you can learn?

If you go a week and find no goodness or happiness, that will show you the limits you place on yourself.

As usual, you think you know all these things about me, but you don't know me.

People who try to define other people and tell them what they "need to do" are people with issues of their own.

Happy trails.

 

[1213]

What do you mean by first death and what do you believe the second death is?

I have understood this “life” is the first death. Reason why I think so is, it was said to Adam and Eve that with death they shall die. This is the first death by which they die.

…dying thou dost die..
Gen. 2:17 (Young’s literal translation)

Other reasons are:

Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24

The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, To those who sat in the region and shadow of death, To them light has dawned."
Matt. 4:16

Evil does not really exist; it is merely the absence of good.

That is what I also said, perhaps not as clearly as you.

Do you believe that science is responsible for diseases?

I think it is possible. Or, I would rather say, people are responsible, they have polluted earth and possible also invented new diseases. Many scientific innovations are apparently not good for health. For example, ingredients in plastics. It is possible that many cancers for example are because of products that are results of scientific study. And certainly, nature is cleaner where “science” has not messed things up. And clean nature seems to be more beneficial for human health than many scientific innovations. But maybe this is not that simple. It could be also that people are spiritually so weak and polluted that it also increases physical sickness. Maybe science is not the reason for diseases, but that humans have rejected God.

 

[CG Didymus]

I believe most people would heal without science and many people would not have had disease in first place without “science” messing things up.

I've heard that some Christian groups don't believe in taking medications. Do most get well? Or, do most stay sick and even die from the disease? Then, I knew some people that only used herbs and other "natural" healing remedies. Many were healthier, because they changed their lifestyles and ate healthier food and exercised, and still some got sick and died.

 

[Trailblazer]

I have understood this “life” is the first death. Reason why I think so is, it was said to Adam and Eve that with death they shall die. This is the first death by which they die.

…dying thou dost die..
Gen. 2:17 (Young’s literal translation)

Other reasons are:

Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24

The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, To those who sat in the region and shadow of death, To them light has dawned."
Matt. 4:16

I believe that the soul (spirit) of man is immortal so it can never be extinguished. When we die physically, our souls leave the body and rise to the spiritual world and take on a spiritual body comprised of heavenly elements in the spiritual realm of existence. All souls will continue to exist for eternity in the spiritual world. The souls who are spiritually alive will have eternal life so they go to what is termed heaven the souls who are spiritually dead will not have eternal life and they will be in hell, which is no more than a state of the soul that is distant from God, not an actual place.

“The meaning is that the life of the Kingdom is the life of the spirit, the eternal life, and that it is purified from place, like the spirit of man which has no place. For if you examine the human body, you will not find a special spot or locality for the spirit, for it has never had a place; it is immaterial. It has a connection with the body like that of the sun with this mirror. The sun is not within the mirror, but it has a connection with the mirror.” Some Answered Questions, p. 242

I believe that when Jesus referred to eternal life, but He was not referring to physical life of the body. He was referring a quality of life, spiritual life, loving God and being close to God, and we can have eternal life both in this world and in the next world (the spiritual world).

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Since I was nor raised as a Christian and for many years I was not very interested in religion, I do not know the Bible very well. Most of what I know I have learned on forums during the last seven years, while posting to Christians, and that has precipitated my looking up many verses myself.

Since I believe that we can have eternal life both in this world and in the next world (the spiritual world), the first death could mean the death of the body and/or the loss of eternal life in this world and the second death could refer to loss of eternal life in the next world (the spiritual world).

“The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds: first, the rewards and punishments of this life; second, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, “Act in such a way that you may find eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom.” 2” Some Answered Questions, p. 223

“Likewise, the rewards of the other world are the eternal life which is clearly mentioned in all the Holy Books, the divine perfections, the eternal bounties and everlasting felicity….The rewards of the other world are peace, the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity.” Some Answered Questions, pp. 224-225

Those people who are distant from God do not have eternal life, although their soul continues to exist in the spiritual world after their physical body dies.

“In the same way, the souls who are veiled from God, although they exist in this world and in the world after death, are, in comparison with the holy existence of the children of the Kingdom of God, nonexisting and separated from God.” Some Answered Questions, p. 243

I think it is possible. Or, I would rather say, people are responsible, they have polluted earth and possible also invented new diseases. Many scientific innovations are apparently not good for health. For example, ingredients in plastics. It is possible that many cancers for example are because of products that are results of scientific study. And certainly, nature is cleaner where “science” has not messed things up. And clean nature seems to be more beneficial for human health than many scientific innovations. But maybe this is not that simple. It could be also that people are spiritually so weak and polluted that it also increases physical sickness. Maybe science is not the reason for diseases, but that humans have rejected God.

I think you are right that many diseases could be the result of the polluted earth and some scientific innovations that are not good for health, but I do not blame science for inventing them, I blame humans for being materialistic and wanting what we now have the technology to produce. If there was no demand we would not have all these gadgets. I think that most people are grossly materialistic and thinking of either what they can do by way of enjoyments related to the physical body or they are thinking of what they can purchase, where they want to go on vacation, etc. Where in all that is there room for loving God or even other loving other people?

According to my beliefs, God wants only our hearts, but how can love for God and love for worldly things abide in the same heart?

“Cleanse from your hearts the love of worldly things, from your tongues every remembrance except His remembrance, from your entire being whatsoever may deter you from beholding His face, or may tempt you to follow the promptings of your evil and corrupt inclinations. Let God be your fear, O people, and be ye of them that tread the path of righteousness.......

Dispute not with any one concerning the things of this world and its affairs, for God hath abandoned them to such as have set their affection upon them. Out of the whole world He hath chosen for Himself the hearts of men—hearts which the hosts of revelation and of utterance can subdue.” Gleanings, pp. 275, 279

What Baha’u’llah wrote above about our hearts agrees with the New Testament:

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 16:15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

 

[rational experiences]

I never believed in God.

I believed in my human self, my human family, religious indoctrinated lying, and abuse, and questioned if we owned a spiritual reality, and so challenged it, and said actually in my mind, where humans say we spiritually speak to spirit....prove it or else I will not believe.

And a voice said back in my mind...you have to live the spiritual life to have it proven.

So I chose to live spiritually as chosen by any human who said I live spiritually. Which was to love everyone, no matter who they were, what country they came from, or what religion they believed in.

And spiritually I was told that science, in the religious past, was contradicted spiritually by those who realized that science was wrong.

Spirit was correct....and yet science denies that spirituality exists as any sort of information for science, just because factually it is not of science.

For in the theme science, all first information is just thought about...and spiritually you cannot use spirit in science, why science denies it...and then claims that anyone who believes in it is mentally deficient.

Yet in factual human observation any mind who knows how to separate and then attack/transform, convert and destroy natural history and natural laws is self provided evidence, that you are mentally deficient in your spirituality.

For science studying the occult and phenomena was applied for one owned human chosen historic reference, to prove to self that the conditions history of the fact of a creation from a higher state, came from a spiritual place....due to the presence of a machine held constant that manifested by holding that constant the presence of evil spirits.

Proving that where the pre existing higher form that changed to have created creation, was from a spiritual body...to enable its change, to own its conversion, to knowingly in our life state it was burnt and converted, to then enable evil spirits to be made manifest out of it...for previously it was an applied language and communication system for real higher eternal spirit.....who forced it to be lost from their natural presence.

And then after all of creation was created and evolved by cooling in the emptiness from which it formed emptiness...….via cold gases our spiritual Nature came out as pre formed and pre owned multi mass diverse spiritual bodies, to inherit a spiritual lower life Nature on Earth knowing that we came from a body that we explained, that still communicated to our minds to allow us to know it still existed, and named it eternal.

Where a mind would rationally state if the created body was eternal, then it could never be changed.

If a human says the eternal spirit changed their eternal body, then we could claim, so eternal was changed...but still owns a part of its owned eternal form that was never changed, that enables our life to know about it.

As a rational discussion about a teaching of the word usage eternal....that meant was never changed and cannot be changed....yet in factual natural history a portion of it was changed.

 

[sciatica]

Suffering is often the collateral damage for allowing free will. As people choose evil over good.
But who can explain severe disability or child cancer? The Book of Job teaches us that Suffering is a mystery . We should not put our ourselves on the same level as God. He has a game plan that is beyond our understanding. Divine intelligence is way superior to ours.

 

[Trailblazer]

The Book of Job teaches us that Suffering is a mystery.

I agree, but I guess I do not think it is fair of God to make us suffer and keep it a mystery as to why.

We should not put our ourselves on the same level as God. He has a game plan that is beyond our understanding. Divine intelligence is way superior to ours.

That's true, but sometimes it is easier said than done to accept that.

I am glad you found my thread. Christians have such wisdom to offer.

 

[CG Didymus]

Suffering is often the collateral damage for allowing free will. As people choose evil over good.
But who can explain severe disability or child cancer? The Book of Job teaches us that Suffering is a mystery . We should not put our ourselves on the same level as God. He has a game plan that is beyond our understanding. Divine intelligence is way superior to ours.

But most Christian keep saying that prior to the Fall, that everything was perfect. So there is no mystery. God cursed Adam and Eve, the serpent and the whole Earth. And a big problem is the collateral damage. So God allows Satan to "test" Job. So Satan kills Job's kids? All works out well for Job. God rewards him... and gives him new kids? But what about the ones that God let Satan kill?

Then disabilities and child cancer and every other disease, what is God doing? It's like it strikes randomly. Kind of like "survival of the fittest" or the lucky or the ones that have access to modern medicine. It's almost better explained by atheists, that there is no God. We are here on a planet that has things, big and so small they are invisible to the naked eye, fighting and killing each other in order to survive. Would a loving God really make a world like this? And, prior to the Fall, these things like viruses and bacteria that can kill people didn't exist? And God created them as part of his curse on humanity? Yeah, that is a mystery.

 

[CG Didymus]

He has a game plan that is beyond our understanding. Divine intelligence is way superior to ours.

To both Baha'is and Christians... The "game plan", as explained in the Hindu concept of reincarnation, at least gives kids that suffer and die young, and all others that suffer through a lifetime of pain and misfortune, a chance to come back. It makes the pain and suffering a true test. If they do well and learn from the suffering, they come back in a better situation. If not, maybe they go through even a more severe test. Christians and Baha'is only give people one life. Some die young some die old. Some suffer a lot. Some have it relatively easy. And how is that fair?