The Problem of Suffering

dickyh995 said:

Even if there was any evidence that this were true, which clearly there isn't,

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Let me ask you this: Why does humanity think the suffering of children is wrong? Where did we get this knowledge of right and wrong? Remember, God's first command to us was "Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or you will surely die". Why would this be his first command to humanity?

He commanded it because He knew if we ate of it, we'd cause suffering and death. He hoped for our obedience, but didn't force it. Now, since that sin has already been committed, God Himself suffers and dies with us in order to redeem us and rid his creation of death and suffering. That's what the love of God does.

Ignorance either blames God for things caused by others, like suffering and death, or attributes the cause of suffering to the mindless universe that created sentient beings who can somehow make choices, go figure.

In either case, those who cause suffering should be held accountable for it, even if they've died.

Now, you can't say that God is to blame for suffering when He clearly commanded us to not cause suffering and death by eating of tree of knowledge of good and evil.

dickyh995 said:

could an omnipotent god not be more considerate about who bears the brunt of the suffering?

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According to Christian theology, Jesus(God in the flesh) bared the brunt of suffering in order to free us from suffering and death, this includes children, everyone!! However, it takes time to restore things, just like it took time for humanity to destroy things and people are still being disobedient.

dickyh995 said:

Where's the logic and morality in allowing innocent children to suffer because John from Alabama rejects god?

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Again, all suffering is caused by disobedience to God.

This is, at least, an explanation that does answers the problem of suffering in a way that can be considered objective, assuming God exists and that His word is true. If you reject it, then what other answers are there?

If you assume the mindless, meaningless universe caused us to exist, then you can't explain suffering to have any real objective meaning.

So when someone rapes and kills a child and then dies in a car crash shortly after, there's no justice for their wrong actions, they can't be held accountable if they're dead and will never exist again(think resurrection and judgment in the God explanation).

Is suffering a result of the universe mindlessly causing sentient beings to exist? If so, why do we have a sense of right and wrong and how do we know that sense is real and not just a product of our imaginations in an existence that's actually meaningless?

This is one reason, of many, why I accept the love of God and put my faith in His promise of a restored creation where death and suffering are no more.

I'd greatly appreciate it if you at least attempt to answer some of the questions I've posed. I accept "I don't know"

The 'rebellion' of Adam and Eve was a human reenactment of the 'rebellion' of Lucifer and the angels. Neither 'knew' they were doing wrong until God pronounced it wrong. God pronounced it wrong because of the damage it did, especially in Lucifer's case, which destroyed the order of God's spiritual kingdom. God allowed Adam and Eve to be tempted and sin to begin the process of restoration of his spiritual kingdom, replacing the sinning angels with spiritually better beings through the process of redemption, conversion, and finally resurrection to eternal spirit life, which will restore God's sole authority over that kingdom.

Cearbhall said:

I'm curious, how "must" one know this? How does this wind up being in the premise? This sounds like a conclusion to me.

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God is perfect, I trust that pursuant to the Word of God, He is in control, nothing to discuss regarding his sovereignty and perfection.

A Christian should be mindful of this when going through trials, and know the purpose of everything is to conform one to the image of Christ.

PrettyboyAndy said:

God is perfect, I trust that pursuant to the Word of God, He is in control, nothing to discuss regarding his sovereignty and perfection.

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But what causes you to trust that? This still sounds like a conclusion, not a premise that can be used to draw conclusions.

Cearbhall said:

But what causes you to trust that? This still sounds like a conclusion, not a premise that can be used to draw conclusions.

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I would say I trust God because He tells us to do so in His word.

PrettyboyAndy said:

I would say I trust God because He tells us to do so in His word.

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Why do you trust that it's his word? You would have to already trust him for another reason in order to think that.

I hope I don't come across as attacking. I'm just trying to understand.

Cearbhall said:

Why do you trust that it's his word? You would have to already trust him for another reason in order to think that.

I hope I don't come across as attacking. I'm just trying to understand.

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I appreciate that, and I don't take it as if your attacking me.

God is a our creator, and because he is our creator, he gave us laws to govern his creation, and because he gave laws, he will judge us on the laws he gave.

Consider the following verses:

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Allandavid said:

Too late. By that stage they had already 'eaten of the tree', an act they performed as complete innocents. And yet, they were harshly punished. Very, very unfair.

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You're confusing punishment with consequence of realizing wrong from right. God didn't say if you eat of that tree I'll punish you, no, he said what he said to help them realize who's right and who's wrong after they ate of it. The serpent, which is just a personification of evil/sin, was wrong and God was right and they realized this after they ate of the tree.

If anything, the fact that God told them what not to do, at least gave them knowledge of what not to do. They disregarded that knowledge and fell victim to temptation and deception, causing suffering and death because they separated themselves from God's command.

According to Christianity, God deals with sin by taking our sins upon himself and freeing us from them. Freeing us from their deceptive, destructive, suffering causing power. Whether or not you accept this about Christianity is irrelevant to the fact that this is what Christianity teaches, this is the gospel, the real good news.