Isn't it about time that God did something to relieve human suffering ?....
I would advocate that a lot of human suffering is self inflicted. Now before anyone rushes to print a 'go' at me, obviously I am not including hunger, desperation, diease, torture...the whole gammut of human suffering which is unavoidable.
The suffering I am talking about is that which people bring upon themselves, through greed (trying to earn more and more to feed ever increasing needs)......well, we all know about the 'keep up with the Jones's in the West. That suffering is of their own making, and the solution is in their own hands.
As to the rest of the world, that is a different story.
You, Rich, ask the question to theists, from an atheist point of view (which is quite natural and fair), and not unexpected.
I might even agree with you, and consider 'God' to be a thoroughly 'unfair' deity if it was not for the fact that I believe in reincarnation, freedom to choose Good or to do bad, in our own life.
If it was not for the poor, and the hurt, the hungry, the helpless (and believe me, I never stop thinking about them), there would be no room for people to do great unselfish deeds.
I am thinking here of the Mother Theresa's; there are so many unsung heros and heroines. I cannot remember her name, but I am thinking of an English lady who went over to Iraq many, many years ago, converted to Islam, amd made the country her home. She spent her life helping everyone around; tried (within her limitations) to correct wrongs, and help all those she could. Unfortunately, despite her wonderfully unselfish life, she was taken hostage and killed........
Dr Albert Schweitzer is another.......well, there are so many I could spend the rest of my life chasing names.
Even Animals are not free from suffering (and in my book that is just as bad as human suffering - if not more so). There is a series running on Television about a couple of wild-life parks in England (and of course you have similar ones in the States) where animals are helped; those approaching extinction are steered to try and save them.
Not far from where I live is 'monkey world' started by a couple who were disgusted to see chimps being abused whilst the couple were on holiday in Spain (I am not kicking Spain - it happens in a lot of places). That couple have devoted years to helping animals; they do without what we probably call necessities, but are in fact luxuries.
As I say, I believe in reincarnation (And that somehow puts things into a better perspective, from my point of view. We all need to learn every lesson in life; we all need to experience every experience in life.
I actually believe that we have an opportunity to choose our life on Earth (as souls) for the purpose of learning one particular lesson. (I am sincerely hoping that this life of mine is getting through some pretty nasty things I need to learn.)
Without misery, there would be no opportunity for people to help the 'miserable'; if we were all happy, there would be no joy to feeling 'good'.
Don't misunderstand me; I realise how well off I am (compared to probably 4/5ths of the world), and although this probably comes over as 'I am allright Jack', I promise that isn't the way I see it.
God cannot (as in must not) interfere in human suffering; human suffering, the suffering of any living creature, plant, whatever, is all part of a very large scale learning curve. If he were to interfere, he would be ruining our chances to prove ourselves good.
Well, such is my belief.
