Personal deity and suffering/evil

[Sand Dancer]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

 

[SigurdReginson]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

Do you feel god is all power, and is all encompassing? Not all religions view god as some kind of outside force that controlls everything. To me, a god that's an aspect of nature instead of being supernatural makes more sense. People tend to anthropomorphize everything, and if a god exists, I doubt he/she/it fits into that small of a box.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Do you feel god is all power, and is all encompassing? Not all religions view god as some kind of outside force that controlls everything. To me, a god that's an aspect of nature instead of being supernatural makes more sense. People tend to anthropomorphize everything, and if a god exists, I doubt he/she/it fits into that small of a box.

I have been pantheist for a while, but I would like to believe in a personal god again.

 

[leov]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

Christ Jesus mentioned "only true God", this God does not exist in density of physical world, human soul is able to be in God's type of density but it requires maturity, there are lesser entities that exist in density of physical world, some of them good, neutral or evil and they control physical world. Because Jesus knew " true God" Jesus as Archetype was above all those lesser entities. that is expected if humanity to resolve problem of evil.

 

[SigurdReginson]

I have been pantheist for a while, but I would like to believe in a personal god again.

Hmmm. Can I ask why? What about a personal god is appealing to you?

 

[dianaiad]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

Define 'evil.'

Many people have different definitions of that concept. In fact, IMO, all forms of evil are the consequences of OUR personal choices, whether deliberately or innocently made. People make lousy choices that can result in bad, unfortunate things that cause suffering.

So when I begin a car trip, no matter how long or short, I do not pray to God to ask Him to protect me from everybody else's bad choices. I ask Him to help ME drive carefully, be more alert, pay better attention...so that my choices won't be the cause of someone else's misery.

If you include things like volcanoes, earthquakes and tornados that rip your mobile home to pieces....well...that's just the planet being the planet. If you don't choose to live in Naples (Mt Vesuvius), an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius isn't going to bury you. If you don't buy a mobile home in Tornado Alley, it won't get ripped up by raging winds. If you don't live on the San Andreas (or other) fault, knowingly, then you aren't going to die when the San Andreas decides to slip/slide.

Consequences, to you and others, are almost ALWAYS the result of a choice made by humans, and that's not God's fault.

 

[sun rise]

Different religions have different answers to your question. The Quran has a story that illustrates what looks like evil is from a fuller perspective rather than a relatively ignorant one: 18: 65–82. The concept of reincarnation illuminates sowing and reaping in different lives for those that believe in it. Buddhism says that suffering is inherent in life.

 

[dybmh]

@Thirza Fallen ,

Yes, this one is difficult, but it comes up often. It all goes back to free-will. Evil is a side-effect of free-will. I can develop this idea more as needed. But maybe this little bit of help is enough?

 

[Nimos]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

This depend on what a God is to you I think.

If God is merely a creator of things that doesn't interact with us, what is the need for a God then? or said in another way, why bother with such being in the first place as it doesn't matter anyway?

So obviously it only becomes interesting if one believe that God does interact with humans. But then one have to figure out which of these God they believe is the right one. So which one are you referring to with the question you ask?

 

[Trailblazer]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

In short, I believe that evil exists because humans have free will and some humans choose not to follow the Law of God. This causes them to do evil acts. If everyone followed the Law of God, there would be no evil.

God allows evil to exist because God does not interfere with free will. Unfortunately, innocent people who never did any evil get caught in the crossfire and suffer from the evil acts of evil people. There is no way this can be avoided without taking away human free will.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

If you're cementing your idea of god, why would this god have to allow suffering? I would think it's your view of god and not someone else's.

Do you have to try to reconcile your belief with a god defined by judgement?

Why not love and action-oriented prayer?

For example, if you want to help the homeless then the answer to your prayer is your action and their gratitude etc. Does it need to be "mystic" for prayers to be answered?

Maybe get away from someone else's idea of god and form a relationship with a god you see best understood and lived for the health and spirit of other people and yourself.

 

[Trailblazer]

So obviously it only becomes interesting if one believe that God does interact with humans.

You also have to figure out how and how much God interacts with humans.

But then one have to figure out which of these God they believe is the right one.

I guess you mean which "conception of God" they believe is the right one.
Imb, there is only one God, albeit there are various conceptions of God.

@ Nimos you did not think you were going to get away from me, did you?
I like you too much to let that happen.

 

[George-ananda]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

Well I think the answer to your confusion comes from your stated religion 'pantheism'. Here are my thoughts on the Problem of Evil question.

Problem of Evil proponents look at good/bad events as happening randomly to people. Eastern thinkers believe a long series of cause/events (karma) causes things to be the way they are.

I look at life from the perspective that life is eternal and we are in the process of learning that. We live as individuals for eons and not one life. We all return to godhead in the end. If one could see one's life from separation from godhead through the eons to return to godhead then things and temporary sufferings make more sense. What we see as evil are very short temporary events in the grand scheme of things where each individual story ends in success; return to peace/bliss/awareness of godhead.

Plus, I also use the analogy of creation as some grand expansive multi-dimensional artwork. And human problem of evil proponents view from their little speck and dimensional perspective of the artwork and try to judge the entire artwork. Their view is too limited to be meaningful.

I think to understand the answer to the 'Problem of Evil' we need to start thinking in more eastern ways.

1) That we live for eons in a soul developing process; not one body's duration. In that perspective any suffering in one life is short and temporary in this grander view. And even an unfortunate life and death has lessons for that soul and for those seeing and interacting with the unfortunate life.

2) That such things are not as random as they appear. There is chain of cause and effect through time we can not see.

3) That those currently living an unfortunate life will have victory 'enlightenment' at the end of the challenges.

4) That it is God at the core of everything and it is He who experiences the temporary good and bad fortunes. It is ultimately not Him imposing it on other separate beings. It is His play/drama where He separates Himself from Himself and returns Himself to Himself but this play ends with a happy ending for all. In any great play/drama there is always drama/suffering in the middle.

 

[Trailblazer]

I think to understand the answer to the 'Problem of Evil' we need to start thinking in more eastern ways.

1) That we live for eons in a soul developing process; not one body's duration. In that perspective any suffering in one life is short and temporary in this grander view. And even an unfortunate life and death has lessons for that soul and for those seeing and interacting with the unfortunate life.

2) That such things are not as random as they appear. There is chain of cause and effect through time we can not see.

3) That those currently living an unfortunate life will have victory 'enlightenment' at the end of the challenges.

4) That it is God at the core of everything and it is He who experiences the temporary good and bad fortunes. It is ultimately not Him imposing it on other separate beings. It is His play/drama where He separates Himself from Himself and returns Himself to Himself but this play ends with a happy ending for all. In any great play/drama there is always drama/suffering in the middle.

This is essentially the same as what I believe, so it is not only eastern.

 

[Nimos]

I guess you mean which "conception of God" they believe is the right one.
Imb, there is only one God, albeit there are various conceptions of God.

Yeah that is the claim made by one of the Gods at least. Remember before that idea became dominating, people believed in many Gods and probably have done for much longer than just in the one God.

@ Nimos you did not think you were going to get away from me, did you?
I like you too much to let that happen.

 

[HonestJoe]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

You're right, it makes no sense. It seems like faith is the only answer to the question, with believers saying things like "We can't know the mind of God". The problem is that only really works after someone has convinced themselves it's true.

For your wider question, I'd personally suggest you'd be better off trying to reconcile the fact that a personal god probably doesn't exist, or at least that we can never know for certain either way, and deal with reality as it is.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I am trying to cement my view of god and can't get my head around a personal and loving god that allows evil. If a god answers prayer, why is there such suffering of the innocent? If a god can answer prayer, why does it just not let the evil happen to begin with? Help!

Have you thought about it maybe human beings themself who have brought the evil and suffering upon themself? and not a God? Suffering in this realm/dimensions way of letting human beings repay their karma, karma rise when we do wrong and virtue rise when we do right.
Yin Yang is same as white and back or karma and virtue.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Hmmm. Can I ask why? What about a personal god is appealing to you?

I spent a lot of time as a Christian and it is comforting to think that a god loves, listens and helps.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Define 'evil.'

Many people have different definitions of that concept. In fact, IMO, all forms of evil are the consequences of OUR personal choices, whether deliberately or innocently made. People make lousy choices that can result in bad, unfortunate things that cause suffering.

So when I begin a car trip, no matter how long or short, I do not pray to God to ask Him to protect me from everybody else's bad choices. I ask Him to help ME drive carefully, be more alert, pay better attention...so that my choices won't be the cause of someone else's misery.

If you include things like volcanoes, earthquakes and tornados that rip your mobile home to pieces....well...that's just the planet being the planet. If you don't choose to live in Naples (Mt Vesuvius), an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius isn't going to bury you. If you don't buy a mobile home in Tornado Alley, it won't get ripped up by raging winds. If you don't live on the San Andreas (or other) fault, knowingly, then you aren't going to die when the San Andreas decides to slip/slide.

Consequences, to you and others, are almost ALWAYS the result of a choice made by humans, and that's not God's fault.

I totally get those scenarios, but my problem is things like babies being born with horrible deformities/diseases where they die shortly after birth or their care leaves the family with an enormous emotional and financial burden.

 

[Sand Dancer]

This depend on what a God is to you I think.

If God is merely a creator of things that doesn't interact with us, what is the need for a God then? or said in another way, why bother with such being in the first place as it doesn't matter anyway?

So obviously it only becomes interesting if one believe that God does interact with humans. But then one have to figure out which of these God they believe is the right one. So which one are you referring to with the question you ask?

I like the idea of a spiritually imbued world. There are many creator gods, so I guess those would be the ones I am interested in.