Hi there,
So I realised there is a really easy way to bring the discussion on suffering into focus: bring God into the picture!
The question is typically "why does God allow suffering?", but the reality is that "why does God allow Himself to suffer?" is a deeper question.
If you can't ask the second question and get an answer, it's only more likely that you won't get an answer from the first.
My understanding, is that God endeavours to suffer in our place - but I don't have more insight than that, at this point in time (I was sort of hoping the discussion that follows would prove fruitful).
I suppose if you wanted to be technical you would say "the Devil causes suffering" but then you have the question "why does God allow the Devil to cause suffering?" when really the point I made that "God suffers" is more important ("God suffers more than the Devil").
Anyway, I'm interested to know what you think - does putting God in the picture help?
So I realised there is a really easy way to bring the discussion on suffering into focus: bring God into the picture!
The question is typically "why does God allow suffering?", but the reality is that "why does God allow Himself to suffer?" is a deeper question.
If you can't ask the second question and get an answer, it's only more likely that you won't get an answer from the first.
My understanding, is that God endeavours to suffer in our place - but I don't have more insight than that, at this point in time (I was sort of hoping the discussion that follows would prove fruitful).
I suppose if you wanted to be technical you would say "the Devil causes suffering" but then you have the question "why does God allow the Devil to cause suffering?" when really the point I made that "God suffers" is more important ("God suffers more than the Devil").
Anyway, I'm interested to know what you think - does putting God in the picture help?