WHY DOES SUFFERING EXIST IN HE WORLD???

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George Australia
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Post by George Australia »

gphadraig wrote:

I cannot answer for Dr Sacks, of course............

Dear in Christ, gphadraig
I'm sorry if I came across as expecting you to answer for Dr. Sacks...not my intention. I have edited my post as per your request. Tell me what you think of this- do you think the Editor will understand the reference to St. Siluan and Righteous Job? :) :

The Editor,
The Times, London,
I refer to the article in The Times, dated January 1, 2005
"WHY DOES GOD ALLOW TERRIBLE THINGS TO HAPPEN TO HIS PEOPLE? " by Jonathan Sacks.
I was reading today some quotes in another newspaper from survivors of the tsunamis. One woman in Aceh with her arms outstreched and looking up cried: "Why have you done this to us God? What have we done to You?". I found this an honest, human cry to God- similar to St. Siluan the Athonite's cry of anguish when he was beset by demons and in despair: "God is implacable!".
What it seems that Rabbi Sacks would have us believe is that it is better to hold that suffering is meaningless, random, that God somehow plays dice with the universe, and doesn't care what numbers come up. He paraphrases Maiomedes, saying:

the simplest explanation is that natural disasters, have no explanation other than that God, by placing us in a physical world, set life within the parameters of the physical. Planets are formed, tectonic plates shift, earthquakes occur, and sometimes innocent people die.

Why is it that we in our comfortable, middle-class valued western society always look to Nihilism to answer life's big questions?
This is very different from the description of God's concern for the creation of His Hands given to us by Christ that even the hairs of our head are counted and a starling does not get trapped without God knowing about it.
In this time of anguish, I think it is better that people be permitted to cry out to God like the woman in Aceh, and St. Siluan, and Righteous Job, so that God (and not Maiomedes or a 'prominent conservative rabbi') can answer them.

"As long as it depends on Monothelitism, then Miaphysitism is nothing but a variant of Monophysitism."

gphadraig
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Post by gphadraig »

I hazard a guess not, but my success rate at getting 'letters to the Editor' published in The Times is so poor that my opinion is probably useless.

Nevertheless the question of why does God allow such tradegies will be on the minds of many following the events of St Stephen's Day in the Indian Ocean.

I picked that even the Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the event caused him to doubt the existence of God. Only having heard this via a friend, I suspect Dr Williams simply made a remark about a momentary doubt which some newspaper has picked up and run a 'sensational' headline.

Other issues touched on by Jonathan Sacks do hold some merit. That the disaster has been an occasion for others to reach out to their neighbour has been demonstrated again and again. When I checked yesterday Ireland's people had donated €1.8m, and Britain's £60m (which oustripped their government's offering). Tales too of individuals helping and risking their lives assisting others; truly the parable of the good samaritan being enacted in the most trying of circumstances.

(Edited to correct the name of the Archbishop of Canterbury from Atkinson to Williams. Guess I thinking of Rowan Atkinson - Mr Bean - instead of Dr Rowan Atkinson. Quite how I could muddle the two I don't know? Too many tinnies over New Year I guess).

Tony
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Post by Tony »

I know I don't know much. Since this recent tragedy, I find I know even less than I thought I did. The question: "Why does God allow so much suffering in the world?" is one I don't even pretend to know. How can I, a worthless sinner even begin to understand why such suffering happens in the world? It is God's providence, not ours. It reminds me of a parent who brings their child to a doctor's office to get a vaccination. The shot causes sorrow. It causes pain, brings tears and screams, and creates fear of the doctor. The child doesn't understand the importance. But the parent allows this traumatic experience because in the end, it is for the benefit of their child. I believe it is the same for such tragedies. If you have faith that true life begins when we leave this corruptible world, then it is easier to see how the All-loving, All-powerful God allows such things to happen. He is the Parent and the Doctor. He is the Reason and the Cause.
As for us who remain in this world, God now asks us the question: "How do my childern react to such suffering in the world?". It is now God who is watching and waiting for the answers.

In Christ, Tony

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joasia
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Post by joasia »

We ARE like small children in God's eyes. God works in our lives every day, but we don't always realize it. What we have to understand is that the created can never understand the Uncreated.

Why do people blame God for the tragedies in their lives, but don't thank Him everyday for the blessings He has bestowed on them?

At least when they blame Him, they are acknowledging their awareness of His existence and affirming that they do believe in an Almighty Creator. At least, it's a start....

gphadraig
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Post by gphadraig »

One noted British journalist, Max Hastings wrote in an article today that as people we have forgotten humility, and that the disaster should be a reminder of our smallness.

As I recall he accompanied the expedition to liberate the Falklands Islands and saw much suffering there.

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