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

[SalixIncendium]

I do not know what you mean by that.
Do you mean that love for others is really a love for self so loss of others is a loss of self?

Actually, in a manner of speaking, yes.

 

[Twilight Hue]

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

We cannot blame God for all the suffering in the world, because humans have free will so they are responsible for some of their own suffering, but clearly God set it up so we would suffer, and some people suffer so much more than others, often through no fault of their own. This happens because that was their fate, a fate determined by God. Some of that fate is impending and can be avoided but some of it is irrevocable so we are stuck with it no matter what we try to do to avoid it. I believe this because it is based upon my religious beliefs:

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

Note that it says it “can succeed” not that it “will succeed.”

What that amounts to is that we are completely at the mercy of God.

Evil consequences do not sound like they are coming from an All-Loving God… What’s up with that?

I am sorry, but I cannot believe that God is All-Loving because of what I see in the world. Why would an All-Loving God create a world like this where some people suffer a lot and some people suffer hardly at all? How just is that?

The usual religious apologetic is that “we will know more in the afterlife” and that “all our suffering will be over in the afterlife,” but even if that is true, what good does that do us now? Not only has very little been revealed by God about that afterlife, but it has to be believed solely on faith.

Another religious apologetic is that “suffering makes us grow stronger,” and that might be true for some people, but not for all people. Aside from that, an omnipotent/omniscient God could have come up with a better way for us to grow stronger, Imo. Putting us through this torture chamber is not what I consider Loving. Of course, I do not expect people who have not suffered much and have been happy most of their lives to understand what I am saying. It is probably very easy for them to see God as All-Loving.

I am sure there will be the people who say they have suffered a lot but they still believe God is All-Loving. I am waiting to hear from them. Please bear in mind that what they call suffering might not have been so bad, and they have no way of knowing the suffering that other people have endured. As far as I am concerned the worst suffering anyone can endure is loss of a loved one, human or animal, another great part of God’s design. This might be a test, as in the Story of Job, but I cannot consider a God who does this to people en masse “Loving.”

Some people might say that death of a loved one is no big deal but nobody can understand the suffering of anyone else unless they have walked a mile in their moccasins.

Maybe the thinking is skewed. Instead of thinking the world and universe is being made for us by some creator.....

We are actually here for the Earth and universe.

Native American quote: When the blood in your veins returns to the sea, and the earth in your bones returns to the ground, perhaps his then you will remember that this land does not belong to you, it is you who belongs to this land.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Isaiah 45:7 KJV

Well fine, then. But really, the only motive implied is that "I the Lord do these things" because it amuses him.

 

[osgart]

The suffering would have to have a goal or purpose to it. Most of the suffering caused naturally is senseless. It doesn't build anything.

Where would an all loving God reside but in a masterful existence. Our existence is not masterful, and we are not masterfully created. Thus suffering is inevitable.

If God is progressive then maybe God is challenged by the suffering of God's own plight. Therefore God would be learning along the way.

If evil exists then God is less than masterful. If error exists then God is less than masterful. God is obviously challenged if all loving.

I can imagine supreme existence would have everything meant for life purposes. God by definition lacks nothing. So why cause a lack in our existence?

If the problem is the free will to choose between good and evil, why not reward those whom choose well. If the goal is to redeem sinners, then why let sin run free and easy? Why leave everything for mankind to handle. The creation should never have to walk in the Creator's shoes.

Some say evil is the cause for the universe being as brute, and hostile to life as it is. But I have seen people of love struck down with intolerable tragedies. So I am satisfied that we live in an existence that is nothing to do with supreme love.

 

[Trailblazer]

In my longish life, I find that in the past I have tenaciously pursued \directions that. in retrospect, would ultimately have lead to disaster. I can remember increasingly strong nudges to divert.

Divert from what?

I guess I'm fairly strong willed, but eventually some pretty painful episode finally stopped me.

Stopped you from what?

It often hurt a lot, but looking back, I'm grateful.

Do you mean you are now grateful for all the suffering?
Sure, sometimes we are grateful looking back, but not at the time.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

The suffering would have to have a goal or purpose to it. Most of the suffering caused naturally is senseless. It doesn't build anything.

Where would an all loving God reside but in a masterful existence. Our existence is not masterful, and we are not masterfully created. Thus suffering is inevitable.

If God is progressive then maybe God is challenged by the suffering of God's own plight. Therefore God would be learning along the way.

If evil exists then God is less than masterful. If error exists then God is less than masterful. God is obviously challenged if all loving.

I can imagine supreme existence would have everything meant for life purposes. God by definition lacks nothing. So why cause a lack in our existence?

If the problem is the free will to choose between good and evil, why not reward those whom choose well. If the goal is to redeem sinners, then why let sin run free and easy? Why leave everything for mankind to handle. The creation should never have to walk in the Creator's shoes.

Some say evil is the cause for the universe being as brute, and hostile to life as it is. But I have seen people of love struck down with intolerable tragedies. So I am satisfied that we live in an existence that is nothing to do with supreme love.

That's pretty brutal. And pretty much true...

 

[Trailblazer]

Because men create gods and they create gods which reflect their own characters including the flaws. One flaw being passing the buck instead of taking responsibility for their own paths and attachments. So they blame god for their own self imposed suffering. Some people actual believe God causes suffering in order to test his most cherished prizes. Sick really.

God didn't create suffering in the world because that God doesn't exist and if it did, it would not be worth the veneration people give it.

You are better off being an atheist because it makes life a lot simpler.

But if God does exist, God is responsible for creating a world in which God knew many people would suffer.
That does not bode well for an All-Loving God.

Yes, that is another religious apologetic, that God causes suffering in order to test his most cherished prizes. I have to admit a God that does that is not one I want to worship., even though I believe He exists.

But even if there is no God, suffering is not usually self-imposed because that implies that we could avoid all suffering but instead we choose it. That would only be true if we had unrestricted free will and we could control everything in our lives, including controlling our minds thus our reactions to suffering. Clearly that is not the case, and this has nothing to do with God. I think the response we should have to the suffering of others is compassion, not blame.

 

[Trailblazer]

Actually, in a manner of speaking, yes.

I understand your point, and sometimes that might be true, but I do not think it is true across the board.

I think people can love others more than self, so the loss of others is sometimes a loss too great to bear.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Why would an All-Loving God create a world that has so much suffering in it?
This might be a test, as in the Story of Job, but I cannot consider a God who does this to people en masse “Loving.”

In Scripture God created a clean Earth without suffering and with everlasting life in it for us.
I do wonder if you have read the book of Job _______
Otherwise, why are you saying God does this.....
Please notice who challenges God at Job 2:4-5
It is Not God challenging God but God's enemy challenging God.
Satan ( the god of this world of badness 2 Corinthians 4:4) challenged Job, and by way of extension: us.
Touch our 'flesh' (loose physical health) and we would Not serve God.
Both Job and Jesus under adverse conditions proved Satan a liar and so can we.
Suffering is only temporary: Either to death or the end of this worldly system of badness ends.
For the dead, they will have a happy-and-healthy resurrection.
For the living people at the soon coming ' time of separation' found at Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 can remain alive on Earth and continue to live on earth right into calendar Day One of Jesus coming 1,000-year reign over Earth.
Under Christ there will be No more suffering on Earth. There will be ' healing' for for earth's nations - Revelation 22:2
Earth will be as described in Isaiah 35th chapter when No one will say, "I am sick......" - Isaiah 33:24
Even ' enemy death ' will be No more on Earth as per 1 Corinthians 15:24-26; Isaiah 25:8

Also, I find it is the lack of applying the Golden Rule (Leviticus 19:18) that contributes to suffering.
People ignore Jesus' NEW commandment found at John 13:34-35.
Jesus wants us to have the same self-sacrificing love for others as he has.
In other words, we are NOW to love neighbor ' more ' than self.

 

[Trailblazer]

The suffering would have to have a goal or purpose to it. Most of the suffering caused naturally is senseless. It doesn't build anything.

Where would an all loving God reside but in a masterful existence. Our existence is not masterful, and we are not masterfully created. Thus suffering is inevitable.

If God is progressive then maybe God is challenged by the suffering of God's own plight. Therefore God would be learning along the way.

If evil exists then God is less than masterful. If error exists then God is less than masterful. God is obviously challenged if all loving.

I can imagine supreme existence would have everything meant for life purposes. God by definition lacks nothing. So why cause a lack in our existence?

If the problem is the free will to choose between good and evil, why not reward those whom choose well. If the goal is to redeem sinners, then why let sin run free and easy? Why leave everything for mankind to handle. The creation should never have to walk in the Creator's shoes.

Some say evil is the cause for the universe being as brute, and hostile to life as it is. But I have seen people of love struck down with intolerable tragedies. So I am satisfied that we live in an existence that is nothing to do with supreme love.

I completely agree with your sentiments, but I am stuck believing in God because I do, so I am just trying to make sense out of this whole mess.

 

[wandering peacefully]

we could control everything in our lives, including controlling our minds thus our reactions to suffering.

That is the case for most people who come to the realization through training their minds and understanding attachment that they can in fact control their suffering. I suppose some might not be able to, but that still isn't an excuse to place blame outside of themselves for the way they choose to view suffering. Everyone suffers at some or many times in their lives. It is what a person does with that suffering which either eliminates or amplifys it. Or at least allows a much more positive life whIle living with suffering.
The God you believe in did not cause the suffering in the world. Nature and humans cause it.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The question is, why did God have to make it this tough, and tougher for some than for others.
I do not expect that I will have the answer to that question until I die, but that doesn't stop me from asking.

King Solomon observed that time and what is unforeseen befalls all of us - Ecclesiastes 9:11
People ignoring Bible principles have made it tough for themselves and others.
God did Not teach us to break His Golden Rule (Leviticus 19:18) but men chose to break it.
Jesus did Not teach us to break his NEW commandment of John 13:34-35, but men break it.
By breaking God's Golden Rule and Jesus' NEW commandment to have self-sacrificing love for others has contributed to mankind's suffering.

Since the dead know nothing ( Nothing but unconscious sleep -> John 11:11-14; Ecclesiastes 9:5; Psalms 115:17 )
then you will Not have any answers when you die.
Answers are found now, and as for the dead answers when they are resurrected from death's sleep under Christ's millennial reign over Earth.

 

[Trailblazer]

That is the case for most people who come to the realization through training their minds and understanding attachment that they can in fact control their suffering. I suppose some might not be able to, but that still isn't an excuse to place blame outside of themselves for the way they choose to view suffering.

I suppose with the proper help and motivation most people could learn these skills.

I do not think people should blame others for their suffering, but if someone else is truly responsible that should be acknowledged. Still, we have to take responsibility and decide what to do to deal with what the problem is that is causing the suffering.

Everyone suffers at some or many times in their lives. It is what a person does with that suffering which either eliminates or amplifys it. Or at least allows a much more positive life whIle living with suffering.

Yes, I agree, and I know that only too well from experience.

The God you believe in did not cause the suffering in the world. Nature and humans cause it.

That is true, even if God does exist, God does not directly cause any suffering.
My point was that God created a world in which He knew there would be suffering and I do not consider that All-Loving

 

[Trailblazer]

King Solomon observed that time and what is unforeseen befalls all of us - Ecclesiastes 9:11
People ignoring Bible principles have made it tough for themselves and others.
God did Not teach us to break His Golden Rule (Leviticus 19:18) but men chose to break it.
Jesus did Not teach us to break his NEW commandment of John 13:34-35, but men break it.
By breaking God's Golden Rule and Jesus' NEW commandment to have self-sacrificing love for others has contributed to mankind's suffering.

I agree that breaking the Golden Rule and Jesus' new commandment causes some of our suffering, but there is other suffering not caused by that so it is no guarantee that if you follow the Golden Rule and Jesus' new commandment you will not suffer.

Since the dead know nothing ( Nothing but unconscious sleep -> John 11:11-14; Ecclesiastes 9:5; Psalms 115:17 )
then you will Not have any answers when you die.
Answers are found now, and as for the dead answers when they are resurrected from death's sleep under Christ's millennial reign over Earth.

According to my beliefs, when the body dies it remains dead and the soul leaves the body and goes to the spiritual world where it takes on a new form, a spiritual body. In the spiritual world we will have the answers to many questions we had in this world.

 

[Bird123]

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

We cannot blame God for all the suffering in the world, because humans have free will so they are responsible for some of their own suffering, but clearly God set it up so we would suffer, and some people suffer so much more than others, often through no fault of their own. This happens because that was their fate, a fate determined by God. Some of that fate is impending and can be avoided but some of it is irrevocable so we are stuck with it no matter what we try to do to avoid it. I believe this because it is based upon my religious beliefs:

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

Note that it says it “can succeed” not that it “will succeed.”

What that amounts to is that we are completely at the mercy of God.

Evil consequences do not sound like they are coming from an All-Loving God… What’s up with that?

I am sorry, but I cannot believe that God is All-Loving because of what I see in the world. Why would an All-Loving God create a world like this where some people suffer a lot and some people suffer hardly at all? How just is that?

The usual religious apologetic is that “we will know more in the afterlife” and that “all our suffering will be over in the afterlife,” but even if that is true, what good does that do us now? Not only has very little been revealed by God about that afterlife, but it has to be believed solely on faith.

Another religious apologetic is that “suffering makes us grow stronger,” and that might be true for some people, but not for all people. Aside from that, an omnipotent/omniscient God could have come up with a better way for us to grow stronger, Imo. Putting us through this torture chamber is not what I consider Loving. Of course, I do not expect people who have not suffered much and have been happy most of their lives to understand what I am saying. It is probably very easy for them to see God as All-Loving.

I am sure there will be the people who say they have suffered a lot but they still believe God is All-Loving. I am waiting to hear from them. Please bear in mind that what they call suffering might not have been so bad, and they have no way of knowing the suffering that other people have endured. As far as I am concerned the worst suffering anyone can endure is loss of a loved one, human or animal, another great part of God’s design. This might be a test, as in the Story of Job, but I cannot consider a God who does this to people en masse “Loving.”

Some people might say that death of a loved one is no big deal but nobody can understand the suffering of anyone else unless they have walked a mile in their moccasins.

We have all experienced God's Unconditional Love. It is a Love that heals all hurt. It is a Love that feels so good, so complete, we would do anything for it. Perhaps, God's children are a bit spoiled and never want a challenge.

Existence or physical life does not come down to one mere lifetime. There is far too much to learn and Discover.

Judgment calls based on the limited view of one lifetime could never bring you true Understanding. Judgment calls without the entire view are often wrong.

Everything we do in life will return at some point. It might not return in the same lifetime. This is done to teach us what our actions really mean. When one Discovers all sides, intelligence will make the best choices.

Adversity breeds invention. When times are good, we sit back and enjoy the ride. When adversity hits, we do something about it. WE learn so very much on the road to resolution. Look how much mankind has learned through, medicine, weather, psychology of human nature, geography, geology, and even disasters. WE are learning what it all means because we have to in order to find resolution.

People do die, Why?? People tend to take adversity personally. After enough, learning becomes impossible. This fact along with the different scenarios of lessons, an exit strategy is necessary. Learning and Growing means moving forward.

God places a limit on pain. When the physical body encounters too much pain it goes into shock. Suddenly it doesn't hurt so bad. If a person gets too much mental stress, they start blocking it out mentally.

Does it hurt when the ones we love die and move on? You bet. No one knows this more than I. The True Love of my life died of lung cancer and she never smoked in her life. Is there something to Learn?

If I make it about me, I'll go down kicking and screaming. If I make it about her, how could I be so selfish to want to keep her from moving forward on her journey to perfection? Even though she is not around, she will always be with me and I know that throughout all eternity, our paths will cross again.

A lady at work's husband died. She had all but given up on life. I had several talks with her. I finally got through when I asked: Do you think your true love would really want you giving up like this? If you had died first, would you want him giving up and living like that?

There are many views one can choose. I do not cry that my True Love is gone. I cherish the wonderful times we did have together. It was Glorious. I would not be who I am today without that experience.

Life is full of experiences. There is always more to come. Let's look forward for regardless of what happens, that is the direction we will end up going.

Look around you and you might spot one. There are wonderful souls all around the world who Volunteer to go through great adversity in order that someone else learns and understands. They volunteer before they are born into this world. You Discovering is more important to them than any pain that will be fleeting with time.

Finally, we all have the power to choose what we value in life. If we choose to value the goodness and the Great things people do, we can nurture that into so much happiness, the bad will not matter. WE can join together and work at doing what God wants by working at Solving the world's problems, learning and growing in the process. Complaining might point a direction of a problem, however one must take the next step and work toward resolution.

WE are meant to solve the problems rather than expect God to fix it all for us.

That's what I see. It's very clear, Yes, it is a Masterpiece!!!

 

[Fool]

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

We cannot blame God for all the suffering in the world, because humans have free will so they are responsible for some of their own suffering, but clearly God set it up so we would suffer, and some people suffer so much more than others, often through no fault of their own. This happens because that was their fate, a fate determined by God. Some of that fate is impending and can be avoided but some of it is irrevocable so we are stuck with it no matter what we try to do to avoid it. I believe this because it is based upon my religious beliefs:

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

Note that it says it “can succeed” not that it “will succeed.”

What that amounts to is that we are completely at the mercy of God.

Evil consequences do not sound like they are coming from an All-Loving God… What’s up with that?

I am sorry, but I cannot believe that God is All-Loving because of what I see in the world. Why would an All-Loving God create a world like this where some people suffer a lot and some people suffer hardly at all? How just is that?

The usual religious apologetic is that “we will know more in the afterlife” and that “all our suffering will be over in the afterlife,” but even if that is true, what good does that do us now? Not only has very little been revealed by God about that afterlife, but it has to be believed solely on faith.

Another religious apologetic is that “suffering makes us grow stronger,” and that might be true for some people, but not for all people. Aside from that, an omnipotent/omniscient God could have come up with a better way for us to grow stronger, Imo. Putting us through this torture chamber is not what I consider Loving. Of course, I do not expect people who have not suffered much and have been happy most of their lives to understand what I am saying. It is probably very easy for them to see God as All-Loving.

I am sure there will be the people who say they have suffered a lot but they still believe God is All-Loving. I am waiting to hear from them. Please bear in mind that what they call suffering might not have been so bad, and they have no way of knowing the suffering that other people have endured. As far as I am concerned the worst suffering anyone can endure is loss of a loved one, human or animal, another great part of God’s design. This might be a test, as in the Story of Job, but I cannot consider a God who does this to people en masse “Loving.”

Some people might say that death of a loved one is no big deal but nobody can understand the suffering of anyone else unless they have walked a mile in their moccasins.

Free Will is not just fun and games. Besides for every action there is an opposite but equal reaction and tempering builds strength. You can't grow if you can't change.

 

[rational experiences]

If any human today used human rationale, they would say I am just a human being a human. My parents have sex, they create from sperm and an ovary a human baby.

Before my life is an animal...yet they live with me at the same time.

Before the life of an animal is the tree nature....yet the Nature lives with me at the same time.

So we are all here together, right now, together in the exact same living conditions and we called that state natural.

We all live due to a stone planet existing that owns an atmospheric body that allows us to live, and we named that status God the stone philosophy, a discussion.

Natural humans.

Then males wanted to be scientists and create the artificial condition called invention and reactions. To take what naturally owned and formed bodies that could be in space billions and billions years old.....take it and destroy it for a machine.

And by making that choice the radiation that was natural changed into unnatural amounts that affected their minds and they now own irradiated depraved behaviours.

So when you say I am a self, a loving, self, a caring self, and I live to love and be kind and caring....to my family and then extended human family...then you do in natural self ownership.

Then you question why a group of lying male brothers invented science to attack us....for they were also loving, kind, natural, caring and spiritual selves.

The ownership only in self presence, a human.

And they attacked us and irradiated us and some of us never have been enabled to heal and own attacked DNA inheritance that forms our babies with a living inability to be loving, kind and caring. And we all know, we all realize.

So the only GOD in natural human life, was only a title given to males who think as a large group. As the same life minds, beliefs and teachings, in that group and we named that group thinking as if it is owner of a huge large unnatural human body.

By the amount of male natural lives, believing, thinking and agreeing. So it gives their psyche mind a fake belief about their own GROUP mentality. As if they are a big huge self, a big body as if they are a giant human being male. As one self in total male amassed agreement.

How the God fake belief of a living natural and spiritual human being male natural living condition chose the acts of evil against our life their own self.

How the TITLE CULT was given to that human mentality. Single aware spiritual selves therefore throughout humanity had to then form their own group aware spiritual teachings...against our life destruction by males claiming that they know what love is.....yet totally contradict it by their choices.

For no loving being in reality chooses or wants to cause harm, attack or destroy any natural living presence, and so taught self that teaching. Relate to it.....but is involved in the taking of the life of Nature for self human existence. But struggles in that natural status, against the harm of other life.

The true spiritual self who owns all story telling and human belief is a self....who in group mentality forces their belief by a use of tactics known to everyone to be bullying and coercion...as that group tactic.

Why teaching spirituality was implemented so that lying males will no longer be supported in that use of CULT abuse, as they have for a very long time on Planet Earth.

 

[Kenny]

We cannot blame God for all the suffering in the world, because humans have free will so they are responsible for some of their own suffering, but clearly God set it up so we would suffer, and some people suffer so much more than others, often through no fault of their own. This happens because that was their fate, a fate determined by God. Some of that fate is impending and can be avoided but some of it is irrevocable so we are stuck with it no matter what we try to do to avoid it. I believe this because it is based upon my religious beliefs:

Many statements but no supporting documentation. (Some truth - but mostly false)

 

[leov]

I think about how a great fire destroys big forests, just as great suffering destroys some people.[/QUOT]
God sees souls, immortal souls, there us no destruction in God's world, just physical or spiritual bodies.

 

[nPeace]

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

We cannot blame God for all the suffering in the world, because humans have free will so they are responsible for some of their own suffering, but clearly God set it up so we would suffer, and some people suffer so much more than others, often through no fault of their own. This happens because that was their fate, a fate determined by God. Some of that fate is impending and can be avoided but some of it is irrevocable so we are stuck with it no matter what we try to do to avoid it. I believe this because it is based upon my religious beliefs:

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

Note that it says it “can succeed” not that it “will succeed.”

What that amounts to is that we are completely at the mercy of God.

Evil consequences do not sound like they are coming from an All-Loving God… What’s up with that?

I am sorry, but I cannot believe that God is All-Loving because of what I see in the world. Why would an All-Loving God create a world like this where some people suffer a lot and some people suffer hardly at all? How just is that?

The usual religious apologetic is that “we will know more in the afterlife” and that “all our suffering will be over in the afterlife,” but even if that is true, what good does that do us now? Not only has very little been revealed by God about that afterlife, but it has to be believed solely on faith.

Another religious apologetic is that “suffering makes us grow stronger,” and that might be true for some people, but not for all people. Aside from that, an omnipotent/omniscient God could have come up with a better way for us to grow stronger, Imo. Putting us through this torture chamber is not what I consider Loving. Of course, I do not expect people who have not suffered much and have been happy most of their lives to understand what I am saying. It is probably very easy for them to see God as All-Loving.

I am sure there will be the people who say they have suffered a lot but they still believe God is All-Loving. I am waiting to hear from them. Please bear in mind that what they call suffering might not have been so bad, and they have no way of knowing the suffering that other people have endured. As far as I am concerned the worst suffering anyone can endure is loss of a loved one, human or animal, another great part of God’s design. This might be a test, as in the Story of Job, but I cannot consider a God who does this to people en masse “Loving.”

Some people might say that death of a loved one is no big deal but nobody can understand the suffering of anyone else unless they have walked a mile in their moccasins.

Because some people believe God knows everything, they believe God created humans, knowing there would suffer.
While it is true, from what the Bible says, God allowed Adam and Eve to reproduce, knowing that their offspring would suffer as a consequence of sin, on the part of their fore parents, the Bible shows that God did not know that humans would turn out the way they did.