I take problem of suffering seriously. The affective experience of the aversion and unpleasantness which is associated with threat usually makes me to feel bad. Lives of the sentiment beings are exposed to physical, emotional or mental pain making them feel unpleasant. I am a sympathetic person and I feel pain once I see other people suffering. As human beings, we tend to suffer due to various reasons which includes physical sickness, rejection, war, loniliness, famine, disease, natural disasters, mental pressure, poverty e.t.c.Suffering occurs to everyone i.e. white and black, poor and the rich, educated and the ignorant though the problems vary. I usually don’t understand the reasons why suffering has to be there and why the all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful God allows it. I also can’t understand why man hasn’t been in a position to eradicate human suffering despite his sophisticated skill and knowledge. I usually wish that suffering will one day end and longs the day when we will not have anything to worry or anything that makes us feel unpleasant.
Pain and suffering depicts that all is not alright and there is no way that we can be completely free from pain.Many people tends to hate God and deny His existence and others views the religion as evil. Suffering hinders people from reconciliation with the faith.
From the biblical perspective, human beings suffer because God respects them and therefore he lets their actions to have consequences that are real. He thus gives them the authority to control their own destiny. Human beings therefore have real choice and these choices have effects which are big. Humans thus tend to reverberate throughout the eternity which has major consequences than they could imagine. The bed choices that people makes hurt because they invite the evil spirits which are associated with unhappiness and misery. During suffering thus, God does not intervene as He had already given human beings freedom of choice.
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It is pain and suffering that makes us wonder God’s presence. Atheist’s tries to argue the existence of God have three facts concerning God. They argues that human suffering is a prove itself to argue that God does not exist. They argue that if God is all powerful, He is capable of preventing human suffering.But, suffering continues each day. They hold an assumption that suffering should not be allowed. The suffering today in the world is intense as a result of catastrophes like earthquakes and hurricanes.
With regards to both natural and moral suffering, the theodicy aspect is thus considered. Theodicy tries to justify God’s behavior and basis its facts are derived from philosophy and theology. It is an attempt that reconciles God’s belief with the existence of suffering.Thus, the presence of evil does not compare with God’s goodness according to theodicy. The free will theodicy with relevance to human suffering explains the miseries caused by evil. It consists of a defense for God’s omnipotence and goodness. Free will theodicy is thus an attempt that explains why God allows evil. Human beings are vested with the will to choose to either do good or evil. Evil is considered as human creation against God’s creation. With this regard, God causes evil indirect and not direct. The free will helps to create evil and God is seen as taking risks at the expense of the evil.
According to me, I believe that choices and sins of others are the main reasons behind our suffering. The fact that I am not alone in the world, other peoples’ choices have an effect on my life. Since everyone around me is imperfect, most choices that they make bring trouble in my life even when they were not intending to hurt. Other people’s sins also make me to suffer. This occurs When a person posses such evils as hatred,lust,jealosy,drunkardness, laziness, envy ,fornication e.t.c.For instance greed and stealing makes goods prices to be expensive and on the other hand, crimes subjects good citizens to an increase in tax burden. One person’s sinful pleasure moment can contribute to suffering and misery of others. It is also possible for one person to cause suffering to the entire world.
I also holds the believe that we suffer because of our sins due to the fact that God has given us the freedom to choose to do right or wrong. By sinning, we causes suffering .Good thoughts enables us to have good morals and deeds .Our hearts attitudes determines whether we do good or evil. The effects arising from our sins may be felt immediately or at a much later period in our lives. Some of the damages caused by sins are irreparable like e.g. by killing someone; we cannot be able to bring him or her back.
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The bible offers a wide range of responses with regards to the problem of human suffering. There has been much suffering today than any other time since the creation of the earth. The bible contains some words that are essential in our understanding of the human suffering problem. The bible goes ahead to explain that human suffering is not consistent with God’s love and mercies. Individuals such as David, Adam, Saul, Cain, Eve among others suffered as a result of their own transgressions because God had directed them of what needs to be done and what one needs to avoid doing. This is the trend in the world today. Those who take alcohol are exposed to problems as far as proper functioning of the brain in old age is concerned. They are also victims of such other problems as liver cirrhosis. They thus expect difficulties as a result of taking materials that are poisonous intoxicants. Similarly that person who smokes cigarettes expects problems such as lung cancer, emphysema among other lungs related problems. Persons who drive at high speeds can expect accidents and death. That who commits adultery expects such consequences as disappointment and psychological damage. Thus we cannot be angry with God If we get involved in activities that abuses us. It will thus be unreasonable on our part to expect that God can stop us hit the ground if we jump off a building or a bridge. If we persist on taking alcohol knowing very well that they contain chemicals which can ruin our bodies, we can then be ready to suffer. This is because we are acting contradictory to God’s teachings.
Man was told to be fruitful, replenish and subdue the earth when he was created. The first responsibility that he was given was to take care of the garden and the earth in particular and ensure that it was natured properly and supersived.This essence of that responsibility exists up to date. Man has the role of ensuring that God’s beautiful creation is natured and supervised. The suffering and miseries that man encounters is because he fails to discharge this command. For instance, the persistent of man in polluting water has led to diseases and other tragic problems. The unwise land use by man has led to tornados and floods and has in turn resulted great suffering and tragedy. When man violates the nature that is given to us by God, he cannot expect that God will interfere with the consequences. Knowing very well that diseases such as emphysema are accused by such acts as air violation, we should not expect that God will intervene because. Indiscriminate use of nuclear energy usage has resulted to leukemia.
Another aspect that has brought about the suffering problem is the failure to heed warnings of the nature and thus reaping the consequences. For instance, geologists have over the years warned builders not to construct tall buildings in areas that are prone to earthquakes. This is due to the fact that the earth is under intense stress. Yet despite of these warnings, people goes ahead to construct tall buildings. When earthquakes strikes and kills people, the builders are the ones to blame. There will be those who will blame God for such a tragedy and yet they have been warned.Similarly, if one builds a house in the crater of a volcanic mountain, he should not complain at all when the volcano erupts.
My personal biblical understanding of the bible is that man’s existence is characterized by both suffering and life exaltation. Suffering is thus a part of kaleidoscope in human life which facilitates the enhancement of greatness. This is well explained in the case of Job whereby, he went through much suffering and despair. He lost everything ranging from children to livestock. Even his three friends failed to sympathize with him. In the end, Solomon was life glory was restored and he was blessed more than before. Jesus’ teaching while He was on earth was that anyone who wants to become His follower must carry his own cross. Faith in God is strengthened once we overcome suffering. Job’s faith in God was rekindled after he was relieved off his suffering.
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