Why does God allow suffering, troubles, afflictions, hardship?

1. 73

   ptosisposted 7 years ago

   Why does God allow suffering, troubles, afflictions, hardship?
   
   Why doesn't God solve all our problems? How can I learn to trust that God is in control of the problems in my life? How could a good God allow so much evil? Why doesn't He do something about it? Couldn't God have created a world without evil? Does God tempt us to sin? It's seems to be that way. Why else have the Tree of Good & Evil in the middle of Eden without a fence around it? Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man. (woman wasn't around yet) "you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Therefore Eve never sinned - since she was never told not to!
   
   

   replyreport
2. 94

   Jeremy Gillposted 7 years ago

   Hi ptosis. I'm not an expert, but hopefully I have enough background to help answer.
   
   As far as my experience and research can tell, the best answer to why God "allows" evil is that God chose to give us free will, which by definition means the capacity for us to commit evil. However, that would be by our choice, not God's, meaning the fault lies with us.
   
   Who is responsible for a serial killer's crimes, the killer or their parents who enabled them to exist? You'd probably say the killer, because he/she made the choice. Same concept.
   
   It's been a few years since I've read Genesis, so forgive me if I'm a bit foggy on the details. Was Eve not simply told by Adam that they were forbidden to eat from the tree?

   replyreport
   1. 73

      ptosisposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Yup you're right, she did know "God told us not to touch the tree."

      replyreport
3. 74

   cheaptrickposted 7 years ago

   The free will argument is a bit weak when you consider that God is all knowing which means he knew which choices you would make when he created you which means he knew when he created you that you would screw up and end up in hell...why would he create someone knowing they would make the wrong choices and finish in hell?
   Then you have the question of natural disasters that kill millions of innocent god fearing people during a moment of weakness while they are sinning...and they get a one way ticket to hell too.
   I'm not attracted to any system where things go right and the credit goes to god and when they go wrong it's automatically My Fault...reminds me of being married.I'd rather be responsible for my own successes and failures,at least that's honest rather than pawn everything off on some magical big daddy in the sky...Is it a Bird,is it a plane...no, it's...

   replyreport
   1. 94

      Jeremy Gillposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Even if you knew someone would make a bad choice, shouldn't they still have the freedom to make it? To prevent all crime, we'd have to monitor everyone constantly, taking away freedom.
      
      But I understand your point, and I know it's a difficult subject

      replyreport
   2. 74

      cheaptrickposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      So if your child decided to jump off a bridge(a seriously Bad choice)you would not interfere?

      replyreport
   3. 94

      Jeremy Gillposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That's different. Children are, for good reason, not given as much freedom as adults.

      replyreport
   4. 74

      cheaptrickposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      OK agreed...what if it was your best friend?

      replyreport
   5. 94

      Jeremy Gillposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Hmm, while I would hate for them to do that and would interfere, I still prefer living in a society where we can make that choice. People are (and should be) allowed to make many self-destructive choices for freedom's sake.

      replyreport
4. 81

   Salma Hassaballaposted 7 years ago

   Hi ptosis, I attempt to answered this question in my article (why are we not living in heaven?) https://hubpages.com/religion-philosoph … -in-Heaven

   replyreport