Posted on 07/22/2009 7:54:17 PM PDT by bdeaner
The two big problems most people have with religion are evolution, and the problem of evil as you describe it. There is only one rational or logical solution to the problem of evil in the world: Evil exists in the world because neither God nor anything or anybody else has any power over it. The term allmighty or all-powerful means having all the power that there actually is, and not all the power that anybody could imagine. God is all powerful in the realm he inhabits but God and the spirit world have very limited if any power to act in this physical realm which WE inhabit.
That’s an interesting perspective. As for me, I understand God to be omnipotent—all-powerful. But He chose to give human beings (and angels) free will, because He created us to love and to worship Him. Love and worship cannot be genuine unless they are freely chosen, and to be freely chosen, there must be an option to choose to love and to worship what is other than God. To choose other than God is to choose evil, and to choose evil is to sin. Sin brings into the world natural consequences, because it violates the principles of the natural and/or moral orders, and causes, as a result, suffering — suffering not only for ourselves, but also for others.
Stating that God is incapable of controlling things (as opposed to choosing not to control people by giving us free will) bothers me a lot. If God could set in motion the forces that created the universe, through whatever process he deems most suitable, then there most certainly cannot be anything that is not under his control.
That’s a good point. I also disagree with that statement in the article. I believe God is in control, but He chooses to give us freedom, as I noted in my prior post. Once He gives us freedom, then in a certain sense we are on our own, unless and until we appeal to him with our petitions — then, I truly believe He listens and answers our prayers. Maybe not in the way we originally hoped! But they are answered.
On the Advantages of Tribulations by Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Why Be Catholic? 3: Suffering [Ecumenical]
"Love Really Can Make Suffering Bearable": Woman with Spina Bifida
Experts at Euthanasia Symposium Stress Unity, Strategy, and the Triumph of Love over Suffering
Holy Father prays for peace and unity, encourages the suffering to trust in God
Joy-Filled Suffering, Laetare Sunday
Children 'Suffering >From Lack Of Two-Parent Family', Study Finds
Pope Says Euthanasia 'False Solution' to Suffering, Alludes to Comatose Woman's Fate
Excerpts from THE FRUITS OF HIS LOVE - The Value Of Suffering - Mother M. Angelica
Why Not You? (on suffering)
Vicar takes down crucifixion sculpture 'because it's a scary depiction of suffering'
The Value of Suffering in the Life of Christian Perfection
IN BRUSH WITH DEATH, PRIEST SHOWN HELL, PURGATORY, DEGREES OF SUFFERING
Prayers to Saint Agatha [For Those Suffering from Breast Cancer]
REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING(Catholic Caucus or by Invitation Only)
There was a time in my life when I didn’t understand why God was sending me all the suffering I was experiencing.
First, my husband died at 48.
The five children still at home were 19 down to 9. What an experience. Especially during the depression I suffered.
The next year, my mother in law died.
The following year I had to travel with the sherrif to a neighboring village (aout 20 miles away) to identify my father in law who had committed suicide. I don’t think I have ever done anything so gruesome.
About four years later by borther, a priest, died from AIDS, so I had to finally face his life style which I had been denying and deal with his death — he was two years younger than me too.
And a couple years after that my mother died suddenly from complications from diabetes.
Through it all I was able to do my griefing with the Beginning Experince Ministry. The link is on my profile page.
So, you see, I went through the dark valley, came out on the other side, and am a much better person because of all the suffering.
(In between I tossed a son’s rear in the juvenile detention center, sold a business, moved and started attending a new church where I was drawn into leadership.
Totally amazing what God’s plan for me has led to.
OK — time for someone else to share about their suffering. LOL!
A footnote on all that story — all my children turned out great — and the one who gave me the most trouble is now an attorney. Unbelievable, huh?
Evil exists in the world because of free will. Lucifer is only the temporary prince of this world. God’s will cannot be confined to human logic or rational thinking.
Etc. etc. etc. I mean, I could understand it if the only evil in the world occurred in cases such as that of Lot in which an actor of legal age was being tested, but how in the world do you figure babies dying from malaria? Again, the solution I prefer is the only one which is rational.
The good news as I see it is that we're only stuck in this place for 60 - 100 years or so, tops, while God's kingdom is eternal.
Not meaning to sound pithy, but there are, I think, two answers to this.
The first is, the laws of physics work. Try as you might, gravity, electricity, the forces of nature are immutable, they can not be suppressed. That is why we say, “Be careful.”
Secondly, I believe that this earth of ours, our little corner of the universe, is the “Great Faith Experiment.”
G-d has removed himself just enough, so that the only way we can see him is through the “eyes of faith.”
Faith is what saves us, it justifies us, it “credits our righteousness account that is bankrupt.” If G-d were to intervene every time an accident was about to occur, then our “faith would be sight.” It’s just not going to happen until this experiment is over.
Know this, many will be saved. Keep the faith.
If there wasn’t evil, how would we know what goodness consisted of?
Just a thought......
And I might add that G-d is the creator. By doing this “experiment,” and allowing us to be justified by faith, G-d has created faith, mercy, hope, grace, sacrifice, and so many other wonderful things that make us human. There is great dignity in human suffering.
Paul said, “... and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s suffering ...” Colossians 1:24
What could possibly be lacking in regard to Christ’s suffering? Wasn’t it enough? As Pope John Paul II said, “It is our participation in it.”
**We’ve had several miscarriages, which were painful to endure. **
So sorry about this. Have you been able to have any children?
Definitely join you in that prayer!
Awesome! Thank you so much!
It truly is wonderful how YHWH works in our lives and gets us through. You list the loss of I think 5 people in 9 years, that’s a lot.
I went through something quite similar. First lost my brother in-law, then about 2 years later, my father in law, then about 2 years after that my mother in law, a month after that my own mother, a year and a half after that my step father, who was like a father to me. Not to mention losing a couple of Aunts, one, 6 months before and the other 6 months after my mother. Six people in 5 and a half years.
Nestled into all that I had to have two emergency surgeries. But, YHWH works in ours lives and keeps us strong and gets us through our tribulations and sorrows.
Hang in there. One of my cousins had several miscarriages and yet she ended up with 4 beautiful children. Speaking of losses. She not only had those miscarriages, but, lost her husband while at a sporting event for their eldest, a boy. The father was the coach and he just keeled over dead. He was in his 40's. This was devastating to her and she dressed on all black for years after his passing. She had 4 relatively young children to raise, the eldest being a junior in high school.
A couple of years prior to that she had lost her younger brother (he was early 30's) to complications of booze and drugs. Then after her husband a year or so later, her eldest brother who was early 50's, again booze.
Outside of her miscarriages which probably occurred mostly in the 80's, the other losses ran a span of about 7 or 8 years.
Her father already long gone from booze, terrorized the her and the other children. He was an alcoholic and would beat them with a belt.
Her mother was my Godmother and passed 6 months after my mother.
Through all that her children all turned out great, the eldest is a school teacher and the others are in college and she herself is finally dating again.
Through it all she remained close to her faith and clung tightly. YHWH does get us through the heart wrenching times though it may seem like a long and painful process at the time.
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