I shall first highlight Atheas argument against the presence of God, explaining the structure and conclusion of the problem of evil argument, as this lays the foundation for the whole dialogue. Rather I sense that there are powerful forces loose in the world, forces like evil, disease and death. While it is uncertain that an easy answer will ever be found that there is an all-knowing and all-powerful God, then why would he or her allow for this to transpire? 1 of 13 Photos in Gallery Provided by Equipping Godly Women. God in Job. Natural evil and moral evil. Dr. Douglass M. Bailey Like so many people, I have struggled with this question as it pertains to my own life and the lives of others. Bea in this dialogue is considered the protagonist in the defense of theism, he role is to highlight the weakness in the problem of evil argument and furthermore suggesting alternative reasons for the presence of evil despite Gods existence. Leadership Will Allow Me To Continue To Grow As A Leader. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you will too prosper. Clearly, this is not what the Israelites wanted to hear, in verse 10 the Israelites were continued to be let down, God tells them after seventy years are completed in Babylon, is the time their suffering will end (Givens 2015). The very concept of God is so unfathomable that in order to relate with God religious people begin thinking of God as having human characteristics. We base what happens around our beliefs and values. It is his friends who try to come up with answers, but God condemns the friends.". Sin is a choice and it is a decision. Does suffering have a great unseen PURPOSEthat can be understood? Countless millions know little else. ! If logic does not apply to God, then there is nothing wrong with asserting the apparent contradiction that God is good and He permits evil to exist. Suffering is defined as the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. We participate in risky behavior, without thinking of the consequences. In the speech, Kushner references the story of Job. Rather, bad things happen in the freedom that comes with the gift of life. The ability to do something does not necessitate doing it. Keywords United States, God, Parents, Christianity, Bible. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR But we can find hope in God's promise that one day, evil will end. The 2. download word file, 23 pages, 4.3 1 reviews. The way they deal with this controversial question is through the concept of suffering and how they can use suffering to explain this question. Christianity is the only religion or worldview that has an answer to evil and suffering. Love exists in various types, including intimate love, friendship Homers epic poem, The Iliad, depicts the prominent conflict between the Achaeans and the Trojans. ! In both cases progress can be seen after suffering. I did not tell anyone what I was going through because I was embarrassed. In fact, God does not send them at all. That's why it's imperative that when we are going through a time of trial . Dr. Armand Nicholi extensively explores the worldviews of both Lewis and Freud in his novel, The Question of God. I was frustrated because I felt as though I was doing everything right, but I was not getting any response of what I should be doing or if I was making the right choices. If God is all powerful, He can defeat evil If God is all loving and good, He will defeat evil Therefore, evil will be defeated. This week Ps James begins our new series - Big Questions, by looking at "Why does God allow suffering?". They were concerned more with opening every door available and letting the reader decide which path they would like to take as far as investigation or their opinions with the topic. I felt like I was turning to God and giving him everything, but nothing seemed to be going the right way. in partial fulfillment of the requirement for completion of For non-believers, suffering and evil present an intimidating blockade to ever recognizing the reality of a God whom is both all-good and all-powerful. It is painful, but suffering can bring new levels of meaning and appreciation to happiness. Two dominant arguments for the existence of. The question of why God allows people to suffer is an age-old question for those who believe in him. People do stupid things like school shootings and innocent children suffer. Enormous numbers of people are suffering everywhere for every kind of reason. In the holocaust incident involving Hitler there's was no justice in the end. Some, in particular, include supervisors, managerial staff, and even coaches. Suddenly, he is captured, tried, tortured, and he is dying on the cross. Table of Contents Suffering can be the result of Gods discipline, which according to Hebrews 12:6-11, he does it out of love. But if we were to eliminate suffering then life would become meaningless, because real joy is not possible without the risk of pain, and those who find contentment after enduring some tribulations appreciate their joy much more. So, what is love? of the Requirements for the Course I was just about to enter a new season of life, and I was very frustrated. Does God Exist Starvation is so awful that death is actually a blessed relief. Only then can I be a witness to it in others. Job is a perfect example of universal suffering, why those are good suffer along with the individuals who are called bad. Although sometimes miraculous healings do occur which suggest the presence of the Divine, in my experience there generally is not much physical intervention. A loving parent stops a child from putting his hand on a hot stove. We are all headed for judgment, condemnation, and eternal death unless God himself intervened (Solomon 2019). History and Beliefs..4 Why do bad things happen to good people? Satan, a rebel angel, called God a liar. Introduction All of these things are so hard to understand, but God allows these things to happen for a purpose. We may not know the reason for suffering in any individual situation. Philippians 1:21 reminds us that we are not our own because if we are to live on earth even in suffering we do so to the glory of Christ and being with his spirit and if we die it is only to the glory of being with him in heaven. What kind of God is this? Along the manner, Siddhartha encounters many who try to learn him enlightenment, doubtless the most of import being the celebrated Buddha himself. Should you have any questions regarding our If we are capable of Northern Baptist Seminary These questions have not gone unexplored in the cannon of Christian philosophy. Theorists have attempted to answer this question, some arguing for the existence of God and some arguing against it, but there's no real way to answer this question. Theorists have attempted to answer this question, some arguing for the existence of God and some arguing against it, but theres no real way to answer this question. ! It is not love to be able to get away with anything and everything. It is a stumbling block for some of us, and for many more at given moments of tragedy. If He can prevent. Christ died for us so that we could live eternity with him in heaven. Why Does Mozarts Talents and Lifestyle Cause Salieri to Take Revenge on God? The me is really we here, but first I have to know the unlimited and unconditional nature of God for myself. ! He sees the people in Africa struggling to find food, He sees the disagreements that turn into wars, and He sees crimes occur infront of his eyes. This essay could be plagiarized. Communication Guidelines A. Introduction 3. We see that things which lack knowledge, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Kushner says that the best way to deal with tragedy is to understand that God did not cause the tragedy and that he is weeping with us. When Job is suffering, he is never told why. The City Dionysia, which is also called the Great Dionysia, is a traditional ancient drama festival held in Athens. He is the son of Jupiter and Latona and has a twin sister called Diana. If you're going through a tough time, take heart. However, this was not always the case. reader may think, God is ultimately in control. ------------------------------------------------- The greatest story of suffering is when Jesus died on the cross. Who and what are the intended Why Does God Allow Suffering? The existence of God gives an explanation of why the world is the way it is and is a reassurance for life after death. Submitted to Dr. Albert Letting, There can be such a thing only if there is a way that rational creatures are supposed to live, obliged to live. These sorts of people exist, have existed, and will continue to so long as. We are told that the persecution of the church led to Christians being scattered. If God sees others struggling and dying every day we should do something about it. of retribution: that trouble in life must be a persons own fault.1 Christian Responses Christians should learn to state the free-will defense against the problem of evil quickly and clearly. Why doesnt God stop this? Using the fact that God hasnt visited us again, Ehrman asks if God wants people to suffer. For me, this is a harder question. Both of these evils can work together though and make each other worse (Moral evil and natural suffering). The more I separate myself from Him, the more likely I am to cause someone else harm or pain. Suffering for Christians is not only for eternitys sake, but it is purifying in this life as well. Only Christianity provides an answerthat we are living in an abnormal world which God will restore. Is there a REASON God has not intervened? Many have read this book, especially when seeking answers to There may be several reasons for suffering. It is a question asked by many, with few satisfactory answers. I have drawn much comfort, reassurance and a growing sense of peace from these two thoughts. And now I do hear it-and it says only one name: MOZART!. I now know, without a doubt, that my God never wishes bad in the world. The Old and New Testaments make it clear that suffering can be a result of Gods discipline in our livessimilar to the discipline a loving parent has for his child. ! We experience illness, disease, natural disasters, hunger, and all types of suffering. A Satan questioned the followings of God's people. If God were all-powerful, God would be able to do something about all of the . Get Professional Writing Services Today! Job had previously received bad guidance from his friends, but God declared to Job that humans do not know everything. This Sphinx had the head of a woman, the haunches of a lion, and the Apollo is considered one of the most important and complex gods in both Roman and Greek mythology as he is usually associated with healing properties but is also blamed for sickness. suffering. The prices are based on the requirements of the placed order like word count, the number of pages, type of academic content, and many more. Why Does God allow suffering? . Why Does God Allow Suffering? Fires break out and kill an innocent family in the middle of the night. There are so many questions people have when it comes to faith. In the book of Job, God allowed Satan to test Job by taking everything from him but his life. You could be just like Job, almost a perfect worshiper. Table of Contents2 But the parent sees the big picture and disciplines the child. Mr. Dimmesdale feared that his soul could not bear the shame of such a disclosure because of his status as an important moral figure in society. It showed her that this is a God who understands suffering and a God to whom she can go to. I think there would be several schools of thoughts on this particularly controversial issue. Pain is inevitable for anyone who cares about the people or things in his/her life. 2 that will continue to haunt readers after reading the story of Job. It should be sufficient for us to know that our God knows us, listens to us, loves us, and is with us. to help you write a unique paper. Conclusion9 To have a view, or way of thinking, about something, you must first have a combination of information and experiences. Indeed an emphasis on suffering pervades the Gospel of Mark where, it can be argued, we are shown how to "journey through suffering" (Ditzel 2001) in the image of the "Suffering Son of Man" (Mark 8:32), Jesus Christ. Essay. As a person ages, most of his body organs start to lose their normal function. ! ! The God of Job is inscrutable, but yet he is in control. All of his possessions and loved ones were gone without a reason known to him. Along with an individual causing suffering to produce, similarly the larger universe can have suffering to cause change. We try our best to keep the prices for my essay writing as low as possible so that it does not end up burning a hole in your pocket. Four thousand years ago, a victim of personal, family, and financial reversals spoke to the silent heavens and pleaded, "Show me why You contend with me. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. The Apostle Paul took this a little bit further and said, Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. The New Testament repeatedly calls Christians to stand up under unjust suffering, and even to rejoice in it in light of Gods redemptive purposes (Ortlund). His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I can do no good thing apart from God. But from these experiences and some additional contemplation, I believe the . ;[5];God's love leads to righteous correction. 2023 EduBirdie.com. One understanding is that yes. Establish access to civil and human rights of victims of sex trafficking as a legal obligation of states under the International Human Rights Law and moral obligation of non-state actors (Obokata, 2005). In the dialogue between Athea, Bea and Agnos, Bruce Russell uses the characters to tackle that exact question by focusing on the argument of the problem of Evil. In all reality, facts are facts and unless people are able to support their reasons then the facts will always override the opinions. The problem of evil is a touchstone of any religion. He never wishes any harm to visit me. Therefore, these kinds of evils count against the existence of God. When bad things happen to any of Gods children, God is grieved and suffers with us, experienced most vividly in the hurt and suffering of Jesus the Christ for all humanity. Two of the biggest consequences we re suffering and death. Otherwise the universe, composed as it is of good and evil, could not continue to develop (www.comparativreligion.com/evil.html). The Panathenaia Games were held every four years and were games that included religion, ceremony, physical God. Indeed, suffering can mold us. Third Formulation God made everything perfect. Essay by Kendab, April 2004 . The reason God permitted sin to enter the world was so that each human was able to have freewill and choose God on our accord; in doing this he shows his love for us. As human beings we flee suffering, God transforms it. Although the Job story is frequently discussed, Countless millions know little else. . Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Why do we suffer? And as Tim Keller comforts the believer, The Biblical view of things is resurrectionnot a future that is just a consolation for the life we never had but a restoration of the life you always wanted. If you had the choice to end all human suffering, would you? The simple fact that billions of people consider themselves to have some allegiance to a deity means that this question deserves to be seriously considered. 2022 Feb 17 [cited 2023 Jul 14]. Diploma verification. There are as many answers to this question as there are people who care to engage in theological dialogue. In our pain and suffering, God wants us to draw near to him. We are here 24/7 to write your paper in as fast as 3 hours. According to the Bible, those who reject this salvation and persist in rebellion against God will be banished from Gods presence and experience eternal death and suffering. ! Numerous philosophies and theologies have attempted to explain the reality of suffering in the world. Only by coming to terms over time with something terribly sad in my life have I come to understand the role God plays when human tragedies occur. Each day I find myself doing things that move me away from Him. Job was a man who God had allowed to obtain riches and fame. The reason for his suffering was never revealed. Of all the planets of the solar system, only the Earth is not only inhabited, but also inhabited by highly developed intelligent beings. Suffering carries a message of mystery. story of Job, although it may be rather simple to read, is complex in theological understanding. I will include many of the arguments found in our philosophy book and those covered in class as well as other subjects such as human suffering and the reasons God chose to make the world as it is today, also including examples from life and the movies we watched in class. In this life, we are separated from Him, so there will be suffering. This led to God testing his best subject, Job. Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. Therefore, an all powerful, loving God does not exist. Any bad thing which happens is never the last word. Get your custom essay, Dirty Pretty Things Acts of Desperation: The State of Being Desperate, Remember! But evil is not destroyed. Suffering is adventitious and not, Everyone goes through suffering at some point in their lives, but many of them never really understand why a good, loving God allows them to go through this pain. Second, it is okay to ask God questions, but it is not okay for us to blame God for the evil or suffering we are going through, nor question his love. The Bible makes no promise to take away our suffering in this lifetime, but it does give some hope that suffering will one day be ended forever. The actual trials of faith are worthwhile and precious as is faith itself! Although theologians have suggested that Mark was written to strengthen the resolve of the early Christian community (Halpern 2002, Mayerfeld 2005), the underlying moral is not lost on a modern reader grappling with multifarious challenges regarding faith in the face of suffering. The book of John 3:16 is controversial in Christian teachings on suffering. (Romans 5:3-5). Athea in this dialogue is used as the protagonist in the attack of theism, he lays the foundation of the dialogue by providing the premises on which he believes that God must not exist due to the presence of evil. Have no time to work on your essay? Or, to borrow the essence of another of Dougs teachings, God loves me as though I am the only child in the world for God to love. We are the reason that Christ died. Most bad things which happen do so because God gives a radical freedom to Gods people; we are free people, not puppets on a string. However, even believers of a deity find themselves questioning their own god, asking themselves, If there is so much suffering in the world, how can God exist? and this is understandable. In this essay I shall summarize the setting of the dialogue between the two main characters, then delve into the arguments that are presented. Gods role, I have felt, is to be by my side, to understand me, to comfort me, to lead me beside still waters and] restore my soul (from Psalm 23) in the metaphorical Valley of Death which I face, as does every other person in the world. Regardless of the reason we are suffering and God is accused of not being all good and not having the power to prevent it because we do. Revival is held back when Gods people refuse to get right with him though. LIBERTY UNIVERSITY If God is all-powerful, He could destroy evil. For Christians, the issue of pain and evil has great prospective ability to upset the faith of the most proven saint, particularly when pain lands directly on them or their loved ones. ), then why do people still go through these tragedies? and anything could be the case! ] Second Formulation God is the author of everything. However, suffering is not necessarily a bad thing. Pain and suffering are controversial subjects encompassing all aspects of their meaning from whether God allows it?1 Does God bring it about? It is a stumbling block for some of us, and for many more at given moments of tragedy. I dont see how. Until recently, I believed, on some level, that when something bad happened to me (or to anyone) somehow I had done something wrong, and I was being punished. God will not force people into having a relationship with him. Gods original plan was for humans to have authority over the earth, the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth (Prijs 2019). The Bible shows us very clearly that God is good and ultimately does not want people to suffer but that suffering is nevertheless a reality in this life. Open Document Why Does God allow suffering? Thus, our own choices sometimes produce evil over good. Whether it be a global pandemic, war, a tsunami, or even a mass shooting, all of these events can spark a revival. The following are several of the main responses to the presence of evil in the world and its impact on the existence of the God of the Bible. match. Does suffering have a great unseenPURPOSEthat can be understood? Pain and Suffering in the Christian Experience Everything starts with God, but why do some people not believe in God even though there is proof?
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