Is that we have learned much about the solar system and the endless amount of 'space' there is out in the great beyond.. Galaxies.. Universes... Yet, for some odd reason, we believe that this ONE planet is the "begining"... We are ignorant to think that there is NO life anywhere else and that ALL creation began with US? THIS ONE planet?...... Isn't that a bit blind to the fact that there are millions of star systems and galaxies out there? But of course this "god" had to pay so much attention to this one planet and only bother to make one group of humans in his image or whatever....
Also,
Why do people think that the only way to be and do things respectful is that you worship a "god"?
People without religions can do the MOST good as well as do the MOST bad.. Why you ask? Because take for instance.. These people that claim there god teaches racism, do you ever think they are capabale of ever treating all humans based on their personality? No.. They will hate and commit hateful acts in the name of their god therefore unable to do the most good for the simple fact of race..
When I help someone or do something for someone, I blame no one but myself for it.. I never need an answer from some godly image in thoughts and books.. I do it because I want to.. And if I want to destroy something or someone I also attribute that to my own thoughts... I assume this is why, people like to judge people based on their religion.. Parents do it all the time .. "I want you to settle down with a nice christian boy".. Because him being labeled a "christian" is SUPPOSED to make him unable to pose a threat?
Yeah.. I GUESS that works, until laci peterson ends up at the bottom of the stairway.....
I'm going to start by applauding Nasica and Cactusman, primarily because I love both their differences of opinion and ability to think for themselves.
I feel somewhere down the line most everyone lost sight of what religion is, and what it teaches. I am not religious, and in my own right my beliefs do not require me to be. I have no need to go to a church to praise or worship, and feel my own good deeds speak volumes instead of doing things to appease an omnipotent eye that sees all.
Ultimately I look at faith as having it's own pitfalls and rewards. Every die hard christian will swear up and down that Jesus is everyones savior, but the conflict arises when someone else believes in something else fanatically, oh lets say scientology. Beliefs become so deep rooted that not only do they feel defensive about what they believe but at times can become belligerant as well. Neither side wants to listen and understand, and both wouldn't even dream that they could very well be wrong.
I look at people like Cactusman and Nasica and I applaud them because they found a faith and lifestyle that works for them, and dared to believe something else. If a god is going to punish you for leading a good life, and the only thing you didn't do is worship "him", then thats a god not worth my time anyway.
I will outwardly stand against any person in a religion or organization that hasn't taken the time to research what other religions can offer. What other people believe. How other people live. To be educated on all thats out there, why and how its out there. If you still choose your same religion great. It takes courage and is a real achievement to think for yourself instead of blindly believe what others tell you.
I don't believe in aliens because Scripture is quite clear that aliens don't exist. Blessings,
An infinitely expaning universe, regions of space we can't possible imagine, wonders beyond the scope of our narrow world view, and you have the gall, the overwhelming pride that in all that, only humans are worthy of existence. Humans who are so stupid that after 100 million years, we still squabble and fight over the same stupid shit. Good sir, I think this is the article you want.
Oh, and can you post the scripture passage? I can't believe they included an alien clause..
No. If I'm not heavenly minded, then I'm no earthly good. There are loads of things for me to learn, but if it goes outside the bounderies of Scripture then I have no business learning or partaking in it.
a closed mind... is to me, a useless one... how can you "learn" with such a closed minded philosophy? If your book doesn't talk about it, then it is not worth thinking about??? Wow...
Now Now Vyeth perhaps GOD allows some minds to be closed to possibilites for a reason,truthfully if a alien exsistance was revealed to humans what would be the repucussions. GOD has his ways and means no one walks the same or has the same understanding and we all grow up in our own way. If someone lives a full life in happiness what does it matter if they miss some of the greater veiw.
In fact i think he's better off not knowing. Or even wanting to know.
In regards to Aliens, I think some of us are confused on what alien means. Don't think of little green men, or giant robot people with high powered weaponry. So many people think that contact with an alien will be spaceships and war.
An alien lifeform can be as simple as a bacteria, and more then likely we will find something of that sort, if not a remnant of something like that in the near future.
As for believing in god, I believe in a form of god to say the least.
I normally don't tell people that I'm an atheist unless they ask about my beliefs. It's none of their business really, but I like to keep my RL polite.
Sorry guys, but I've been apart of three really intense religion debates over the last week and I'm mentally exhausted. If anyone wants to chat, please PM me This will be my last post here. Blessings,
one week of religious debate and you're exhausted?
Sorry guys, but I've been apart of three really intense religion debates over the last week and I'm mentally exhausted. If anyone wants to chat, please PM me This will be my last post here. Blessings,
one week of religious debate and you're exhausted?
No. If I'm not heavenly minded, then I'm no earthly good. There are loads of things for me to learn, but if it goes outside the bounderies of Scripture then I have no business learning or partaking in it. Blessings,
You still didn't answer my question about magdella and adonijah. You keep going on about scriptures but you have not mentioned what scripture. Many people think they know or have been taught warped versions of the scripture for the last 3-400 years.
Do you no who adonijah is ? how well do you really no christian history or are you a follower of false idols. Just by your description of yahshua/yehshsua it is clear to me you are pretending at being a christian or you have been reading the wrong book. Tell me about the roman a.d 66 war and a romans discription of a jew.
Sorry guys, but I've been apart of three really intense religion debates over the last week and I'm mentally exhausted. If anyone wants to chat, please PM me This will be my last post here. Blessings,
one week of religious debate and you're exhausted?
pfff, rookie.
OneMuslim would have pushed him off the edge.
OneMuslim would have pushed him off the edge and then pray for him
None what so ever, because i'm in no position to make any points based off of this question alone.. I've made points earlier in the conversation but that was after some detailed questioning...
Though I have another question and situation that I hope can be addressed...
It is in most "reigious" scriptures that life shall not be taken in the grips of "sin" right?... What is the procedure if say there was a mass genocide of say "crhistian" followers and the law did nothing about it..
Surely if you believed in this "god" would he not come to your aid, or would the slaughter of millions of "christians" go un-answered? Would you put your faith in a "god" to save your life and his/her influence on this planet or sacrifice "beliefs" for survival?
When I ask if you believe in a "god" I mean exactly that.. In any and every situation possible, are you unwavering to the fact that a god exists? If someone in your family is murdered, is it "gods" fault? Was it his plan to see your family member chopped into peices and stuffed into a chest hidden away in a storage cabin? If you know him so well and his "teachings" then why would this appear to be "acceptable" from him?
You are told to not harm anyone, yet you blame him for all the death that occurs?
Question, when Hitler and his army was slaughtering all the jewish people in WW-II, did faith come to their aid? Would it have ever?
Vyeth what you describe is one of the reason I don't believe in God.
Why people in Africa has to die of famine?
Why God allows things like genocide to happen?
Why an old lady have to freeze to death in her home cause she cannot afford to turn on the heating?
Where is God when is needed?
So if God cannot do anything in those situations, why would you want a God at all?
Because by principle a God is a superior being, fair, just and wiser than anything, I really can't match this description to the behaviour described above.
Therefore, in my view, God cannot possibly exists, and if it does, I certainly wouldn't like to be in its company, if he behaves in such an appalling way.
None what so ever, because i'm in no position to make any points based off of this question alone.. I've made points earlier in the conversation but that was after some detailed questioning...
Though I have another question and situation that I hope can be addressed...
It is in most "reigious" scriptures that life shall not be taken in the grips of "sin" right?... What is the procedure if say there was a mass genocide of say "crhistian" followers and the law did nothing about it..
Surely if you believed in this "god" would he not come to your aid, or would the slaughter of millions of "christians" go un-answered? Would you put your faith in a "god" to save your life and his/her influence on this planet or sacrifice "beliefs" for survival?
When I ask if you believe in a "god" I mean exactly that.. In any and every situation possible, are you unwavering to the fact that a god exists? If someone in your family is murdered, is it "gods" fault? Was it his plan to see your family member chopped into peices and stuffed into a chest hidden away in a storage cabin? If you know him so well and his "teachings" then why would this appear to be "acceptable" from him?
You are told to not harm anyone, yet you blame him for all the death that occurs?
Question, when Hitler and his army was slaughtering all the jewish people in WW-II, did faith come to their aid? Would it have ever?
look, none of that stuff is actually all that bad, an eternity without gods grace, now thats bad.
If God had not given Adam and Eve the choice, they would have essentially been robots, simply doing what they were programmed to do. God created Adam and Eve to be “free” beings, able to make decisions, able to choose between good and evil. In order for Adam and Eve to truly be “free” – they had to have a choice.
If u have children do u not put boundries on them...limits.Why cause u love them.
Thats why the tree was placed .
There was nothing essentially evil about the tree or the fruit of the tree. It is unlikely that eating the fruit truly gave Adam and Eve any further knowledge. It was the act of disobedience that opened Adam and Eve’s eyes to evil. Their sin of disobeying God brought sin and evil into the world and into their lives. Eating the fruit, as an act of disobedience against God.
God was truly lonely.
Trade in material assumptions for spiritual facts and make permanent progress.
Vyeth what you describe is one of the reason I don't believe in God.
Why people in Africa has to die of famine?
Why God allows things like genocide to happen?
Why an old lady have to freeze to death in her home cause she cannot afford to turn on the heating?
Where is God when is needed?
So if God cannot do anything in those situations, why would you want a God at all?
Because by principle a God is a superior being, fair, just and wiser than anything, I really can't match this description to the behaviour described above.
Therefore, in my view, God cannot possibly exists, and if it does, I certainly wouldn't like to be in its company, if he behaves in such an appalling way.
I want to post this in response to your questions, The world isnt perfect therefore imperfect things happen to us all weather i'm a preacher or a old lady or a young child who was born with Aids.....my personal believe is without bad things happening to us we will never learn, we will never change or be someone better than what we are....fire and forging makes the blade....it molds our charcter. I'm posting this from http://www.carm.org someone just like you ask the same question and here is there response.
Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
The curious as well as the critics of Christianity ask this question. If God is all-powerful and all loving, then why does He permit evil and suffering in the world? Various answers have been given but permanently settling the issue is impossible because so many of our answers raise further questions. Nevertheless, our lack of ability to answer the question perfectly does not mean that we cannot offer solutions. Of course, I do not assume to be able to answer these questions definitively, but I can offer some solutions.
First of all, it is possible that God has reasons for allowing evil to exist that we simply cannot understand. In this the Christian can have confidence in God knowing that His ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). As the Bible says, the just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4).
Second, God may be letting evil run its course in order to prove that evil is evil and that suffering, which is the unfortunate product of evil, is further proof that anything contrary to God’s will is bad, harmful, painful, and leads to death.
God gave Adam dominion over the world (Gen. 1:28). When he rebelled against God, he set in motion an entire series of events and changed the very nature of man and creation. Both were affected by sin. Creation was no longer a paradise, but bore thorns and thistles (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:22). People became sinful (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3), who were haters of God (Rom. 3:19-12), etc. The only conclusion to such a situation is death. Jesus said, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt. 24:22).
Sin is rebellion against God and His created order. But God has not left us alone in this fallen world. He continued to enter this world, pointing us to Himself, to truth, to morality, purity, and love. He used the evil of the world (liars, perjurers, the envious, etc), to bring His Son to the cross so that we might have the opportunity of eternal life. In this, God has not stepped away from fallen creation, but has stepped into it by becoming Jesus. God works within the fallen world to affect change and He uses fallen people to accomplish His will. In this, He is proving His sovereignty over evil, suffering, and rebellious people, proving that sin and evil are utterly futile, and that He is worthy of honor and glory.
A third possible reason that God is letting evil occur is so that on the day of judgment, the condemned will have no right to say that their sentence is unjust. God is not stopping people from exercising their free will. Think about this: If someone said that God should stop evil and suffering, then should God then stop all evil and suffering? If God only stopped some of it, then we would still be asking the same question of why it exists. So, if we want God to stop evil and suffering, then He must stop all of it. We have no problem with this when it means stopping a catastrophe, or a murder, or a rape. But what about when someone thinks of something evil? Evil is evil whether it is acted out or not. Hatred and bigotry in someone’s heart is wrong. If it is wrong, and if God is to stop all evil, then He must stop that person from thinking his own thoughts. To do that, God must remove his freedom of thought. Furthermore, which person on the earth has not thought something evil? God would be required, then, to stop all people from exercising their free will. This is something God has chosen not to do. Therefore, we could say that one of the reasons that God permits evil and suffering is because of man’s free will.
Fourth, it is quite possible that God uses the suffering to do good. In other words, He produces patience through tribulation (Rom. 5:3). Or He may desire to save someone through it. Take for example, the account of Joseph who was sold into slavery by His brothers. What they did was wrong and Joseph suffered greatly for it. But, later, God raised up Joseph in Egypt to make provisions for the people of that land during the coming drought of seven years. But not only was Egypt saved, but also so was his family and brothers who originally sold him into slavery. Joseph finally says to them, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:15-21). Of course, the greatest example of God using evil for good is the death of Christ. Evil people brought him to the cross, but God used that cross as the means to save the world.
But then we must ask, if this is true, are we working against God by working against evil and suffering? No, we are not. God says he does not want us to sin and suffer. But it is simply true that God can use evil despite of its apparent despicable nature.
God is in the world using the world and its failures for His glory and the benefit of those who listen to Him.
But then, what about those who seem to innocently suffer with no benefit resulting? What about the woman who is raped, or the innocent by stander who is killed by a stray bullet. In both cases, the victims and families suffer nothing but pain and loss. What good can this possibly be?
I think that the answer is two-fold. One, ultimately, no one is innocent. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). There is none innocent. Though this is biblically accurate, it does not satisfy the question emotionally. Why do little babies suffer for things they have not done? I must acknowledge that I do not know. Ultimately, we must trust God who knows the beginning from the end and sees the grand picture. He will have the final word and He will be vindicated.
Conclusion
Suffering is the result of human sin. The world is not the way that God created it and because of that, all are vulnerable to the affects of sin in the world. Why does one person suffer and another does not? Why do catastrophes happen to some and no others? It is because sin is in the world. But there will come a day when the Lord will return and cleanse this world of all sin and all suffering.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:4).
Comments
You know what gets me the most?
Is that we have learned much about the solar system and the endless amount of 'space' there is out in the great beyond.. Galaxies.. Universes... Yet, for some odd reason, we believe that this ONE planet is the "begining"... We are ignorant to think that there is NO life anywhere else and that ALL creation began with US? THIS ONE planet?...... Isn't that a bit blind to the fact that there are millions of star systems and galaxies out there? But of course this "god" had to pay so much attention to this one planet and only bother to make one group of humans in his image or whatever....
Also,
Why do people think that the only way to be and do things respectful is that you worship a "god"?
People without religions can do the MOST good as well as do the MOST bad.. Why you ask? Because take for instance.. These people that claim there god teaches racism, do you ever think they are capabale of ever treating all humans based on their personality? No.. They will hate and commit hateful acts in the name of their god therefore unable to do the most good for the simple fact of race..
When I help someone or do something for someone, I blame no one but myself for it.. I never need an answer from some godly image in thoughts and books.. I do it because I want to.. And if I want to destroy something or someone I also attribute that to my own thoughts... I assume this is why, people like to judge people based on their religion.. Parents do it all the time .. "I want you to settle down with a nice christian boy".. Because him being labeled a "christian" is SUPPOSED to make him unable to pose a threat?
Yeah.. I GUESS that works, until laci peterson ends up at the bottom of the stairway.....
I don't believe in aliens because Scripture is quite clear that aliens don't exist.
Blessings,
MMO migrant.
I'm going to start by applauding Nasica and Cactusman, primarily because I love both their differences of opinion and ability to think for themselves.
I feel somewhere down the line most everyone lost sight of what religion is, and what it teaches. I am not religious, and in my own right my beliefs do not require me to be. I have no need to go to a church to praise or worship, and feel my own good deeds speak volumes instead of doing things to appease an omnipotent eye that sees all.
Ultimately I look at faith as having it's own pitfalls and rewards. Every die hard christian will swear up and down that Jesus is everyones savior, but the conflict arises when someone else believes in something else fanatically, oh lets say scientology. Beliefs become so deep rooted that not only do they feel defensive about what they believe but at times can become belligerant as well. Neither side wants to listen and understand, and both wouldn't even dream that they could very well be wrong.
I look at people like Cactusman and Nasica and I applaud them because they found a faith and lifestyle that works for them, and dared to believe something else. If a god is going to punish you for leading a good life, and the only thing you didn't do is worship "him", then thats a god not worth my time anyway.
I will outwardly stand against any person in a religion or organization that hasn't taken the time to research what other religions can offer. What other people believe. How other people live. To be educated on all thats out there, why and how its out there. If you still choose your same religion great. It takes courage and is a real achievement to think for yourself instead of blindly believe what others tell you.
Does having an ego big enough that I believe I am a god count?
member of imminst.org
Oh, and can you post the scripture passage? I can't believe they included an alien clause..
And yes, Philly, that does make you a god.
There is no Scripture that talks about aliens, therefore, I find it silly to think about such things.
Plus, with the scope of Scripture, aliens just do not make sense.
Blessings,
MMO migrant.
a closed mind... is to me, a useless one...
how can you "learn" with such a closed minded philosophy? If your book doesn't talk about it, then it is not worth thinking about???
Wow...
No. If I'm not heavenly minded, then I'm no earthly good. There are loads of things for me to learn, but if it goes outside the bounderies of Scripture then I have no business learning or partaking in it.
Blessings,
MMO migrant.
Now Now Vyeth perhaps GOD allows some minds to be closed to possibilites for a reason,truthfully if a alien exsistance was revealed to humans what would be the repucussions. GOD has his ways and means no one walks the same or has the same understanding and we all grow up in our own way. If someone lives a full life in happiness what does it matter if they miss some of the greater veiw.
In fact i think he's better off not knowing. Or even wanting to know.
Sorry guys, but I've been apart of three really intense religion debates over the last week and I'm mentally exhausted.
If anyone wants to chat, please PM me
This will be my last post here.
Blessings,
MMO migrant.
In regards to Aliens, I think some of us are confused on what alien means. Don't think of little green men, or giant robot people with high powered weaponry. So many people think that contact with an alien will be spaceships and war.
An alien lifeform can be as simple as a bacteria, and more then likely we will find something of that sort, if not a remnant of something like that in the near future.
As for believing in god, I believe in a form of god to say the least.
Nope. I also don't say that I believe in a god.
I normally don't tell people that I'm an atheist unless they ask about my beliefs. It's none of their business really, but I like to keep my RL polite.
pfff, rookie.
pfff, rookie.
OneMuslim would have pushed him off the edge.
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Do you no who adonijah is ? how well do you really no christian history or are you a follower of false idols. Just by your description of yahshua/yehshsua it is clear to me you are pretending at being a christian or you have been reading the wrong book. Tell me about the roman a.d 66 war and a romans discription of a jew.
For a start ..who is jesus?
pfff, rookie.
OneMuslim would have pushed him off the edge.
OneMuslim would have pushed him off the edge and then pray for him
No cause God is just a fictional character made up in a fictional book called The Bible.
Absolutely no.
What s the point?
If there is a God, I'm sure he washed his hands of this failed experiment long ago. He probably took this planet off of his resume.
I bet the other Gods snicker at him behind his back and call him "The Almighty Noob".
----------------------------------------------
"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb." -- Batman
Absolutely no.
What s the point?
None what so ever, because i'm in no position to make any points based off of this question alone.. I've made points earlier in the conversation but that was after some detailed questioning...
Though I have another question and situation that I hope can be addressed...
It is in most "reigious" scriptures that life shall not be taken in the grips of "sin" right?... What is the procedure if say there was a mass genocide of say "crhistian" followers and the law did nothing about it..
Surely if you believed in this "god" would he not come to your aid, or would the slaughter of millions of "christians" go un-answered? Would you put your faith in a "god" to save your life and his/her influence on this planet or sacrifice "beliefs" for survival?
When I ask if you believe in a "god" I mean exactly that.. In any and every situation possible, are you unwavering to the fact that a god exists? If someone in your family is murdered, is it "gods" fault? Was it his plan to see your family member chopped into peices and stuffed into a chest hidden away in a storage cabin? If you know him so well and his "teachings" then why would this appear to be "acceptable" from him?
You are told to not harm anyone, yet you blame him for all the death that occurs?
Question, when Hitler and his army was slaughtering all the jewish people in WW-II, did faith come to their aid? Would it have ever?
Vyeth what you describe is one of the reason I don't believe in God.
Why people in Africa has to die of famine?
Why God allows things like genocide to happen?
Why an old lady have to freeze to death in her home cause she cannot afford to turn on the heating?
Where is God when is needed?
So if God cannot do anything in those situations, why would you want a God at all?
Because by principle a God is a superior being, fair, just and wiser than anything, I really can't match this description to the behaviour described above.
Therefore, in my view, God cannot possibly exists, and if it does, I certainly wouldn't like to be in its company, if he behaves in such an appalling way.
Absolutely no.
What s the point?
None what so ever, because i'm in no position to make any points based off of this question alone.. I've made points earlier in the conversation but that was after some detailed questioning...
Though I have another question and situation that I hope can be addressed...
It is in most "reigious" scriptures that life shall not be taken in the grips of "sin" right?... What is the procedure if say there was a mass genocide of say "crhistian" followers and the law did nothing about it..
Surely if you believed in this "god" would he not come to your aid, or would the slaughter of millions of "christians" go un-answered? Would you put your faith in a "god" to save your life and his/her influence on this planet or sacrifice "beliefs" for survival?
When I ask if you believe in a "god" I mean exactly that.. In any and every situation possible, are you unwavering to the fact that a god exists? If someone in your family is murdered, is it "gods" fault? Was it his plan to see your family member chopped into peices and stuffed into a chest hidden away in a storage cabin? If you know him so well and his "teachings" then why would this appear to be "acceptable" from him?
You are told to not harm anyone, yet you blame him for all the death that occurs?
Question, when Hitler and his army was slaughtering all the jewish people in WW-II, did faith come to their aid? Would it have ever?
look, none of that stuff is actually all that bad, an eternity without gods grace, now thats bad.
If God had not given Adam and Eve the choice, they would have essentially been robots, simply doing what they were programmed to do. God created Adam and Eve to be “free” beings, able to make decisions, able to choose between good and evil. In order for Adam and Eve to truly be “free” – they had to have a choice.
If u have children do u not put boundries on them...limits.Why cause u love them.
Thats why the tree was placed .
There was nothing essentially evil about the tree or the fruit of the tree. It is unlikely that eating the fruit truly gave Adam and Eve any further knowledge. It was the act of disobedience that opened Adam and Eve’s eyes to evil. Their sin of disobeying God brought sin and evil into the world and into their lives. Eating the fruit, as an act of disobedience against God.
God was truly lonely.
Trade in material assumptions for spiritual facts and make permanent progress.
I want to post this in response to your questions, The world isnt perfect therefore imperfect things happen to us all weather i'm a preacher or a old lady or a young child who was born with Aids.....my personal believe is without bad things happening to us we will never learn, we will never change or be someone better than what we are....fire and forging makes the blade....it molds our charcter. I'm posting this from http://www.carm.org someone just like you ask the same question and here is there response.
Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
The curious as well as the critics of Christianity ask this question. If God is all-powerful and all loving, then why does He permit evil and suffering in the world? Various answers have been given but permanently settling the issue is impossible because so many of our answers raise further questions. Nevertheless, our lack of ability to answer the question perfectly does not mean that we cannot offer solutions. Of course, I do not assume to be able to answer these questions definitively, but I can offer some solutions.
First of all, it is possible that God has reasons for allowing evil to exist that we simply cannot understand. In this the Christian can have confidence in God knowing that His ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). As the Bible says, the just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4).
Second, God may be letting evil run its course in order to prove that evil is evil and that suffering, which is the unfortunate product of evil, is further proof that anything contrary to God’s will is bad, harmful, painful, and leads to death.
God gave Adam dominion over the world (Gen. 1:28). When he rebelled against God, he set in motion an entire series of events and changed the very nature of man and creation. Both were affected by sin. Creation was no longer a paradise, but bore thorns and thistles (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:22). People became sinful (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3), who were haters of God (Rom. 3:19-12), etc. The only conclusion to such a situation is death. Jesus said, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt. 24:22).
Sin is rebellion against God and His created order. But God has not left us alone in this fallen world. He continued to enter this world, pointing us to Himself, to truth, to morality, purity, and love. He used the evil of the world (liars, perjurers, the envious, etc), to bring His Son to the cross so that we might have the opportunity of eternal life. In this, God has not stepped away from fallen creation, but has stepped into it by becoming Jesus. God works within the fallen world to affect change and He uses fallen people to accomplish His will. In this, He is proving His sovereignty over evil, suffering, and rebellious people, proving that sin and evil are utterly futile, and that He is worthy of honor and glory.
A third possible reason that God is letting evil occur is so that on the day of judgment, the condemned will have no right to say that their sentence is unjust. God is not stopping people from exercising their free will. Think about this: If someone said that God should stop evil and suffering, then should God then stop all evil and suffering? If God only stopped some of it, then we would still be asking the same question of why it exists. So, if we want God to stop evil and suffering, then He must stop all of it. We have no problem with this when it means stopping a catastrophe, or a murder, or a rape. But what about when someone thinks of something evil? Evil is evil whether it is acted out or not. Hatred and bigotry in someone’s heart is wrong. If it is wrong, and if God is to stop all evil, then He must stop that person from thinking his own thoughts. To do that, God must remove his freedom of thought. Furthermore, which person on the earth has not thought something evil? God would be required, then, to stop all people from exercising their free will. This is something God has chosen not to do. Therefore, we could say that one of the reasons that God permits evil and suffering is because of man’s free will.
Fourth, it is quite possible that God uses the suffering to do good. In other words, He produces patience through tribulation (Rom. 5:3). Or He may desire to save someone through it. Take for example, the account of Joseph who was sold into slavery by His brothers. What they did was wrong and Joseph suffered greatly for it. But, later, God raised up Joseph in Egypt to make provisions for the people of that land during the coming drought of seven years. But not only was Egypt saved, but also so was his family and brothers who originally sold him into slavery. Joseph finally says to them, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:15-21). Of course, the greatest example of God using evil for good is the death of Christ. Evil people brought him to the cross, but God used that cross as the means to save the world.
But then we must ask, if this is true, are we working against God by working against evil and suffering? No, we are not. God says he does not want us to sin and suffer. But it is simply true that God can use evil despite of its apparent despicable nature.
God is in the world using the world and its failures for His glory and the benefit of those who listen to Him.
But then, what about those who seem to innocently suffer with no benefit resulting? What about the woman who is raped, or the innocent by stander who is killed by a stray bullet. In both cases, the victims and families suffer nothing but pain and loss. What good can this possibly be?
I think that the answer is two-fold. One, ultimately, no one is innocent. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). There is none innocent. Though this is biblically accurate, it does not satisfy the question emotionally. Why do little babies suffer for things they have not done? I must acknowledge that I do not know. Ultimately, we must trust God who knows the beginning from the end and sees the grand picture. He will have the final word and He will be vindicated.
Conclusion
Suffering is the result of human sin. The world is not the way that God created it and because of that, all are vulnerable to the affects of sin in the world. Why does one person suffer and another does not? Why do catastrophes happen to some and no others? It is because sin is in the world. But there will come a day when the Lord will return and cleanse this world of all sin and all suffering.