Why Do We Suffer?

[Willamena]

What is the cause of suffering, and it's purpose (if we assume there is one)?

It's cause is misbelief, and it's purpose is self-destruction.

 

[cardero]

I would speculate it is for the experience. I can’t put in the category of growth because not everyone learns from it. With an experience viewpoint we could explain why people continue to suffer and sometimes seek the experience out. For those that do not enjoy the experience this could also be the reason that they avoid it. I do not believe that suffering is a “good or bad” experience but I do believe it is something that is humanly designed if not for the purpose to realize that we are humans.

 

[Yerda]

What is the cause of suffering, and it's purpose (if we assume there is one)?

It's the many unpleasant sensations that our body treats itself to when conditions are not in the best interest of passing on the genes that built it. The effect is that the body decides to try something else.

 

[capslockf9]

Knowledge and wisdom are vital to human lifes. Sunami's can be predicted. Huricanes can be predicted. Famines can be avoided. Wars can be avoided. Floods can be prepared for. Approaching metiorites can be deflected, blown-up, or something. Our own ignorance causes suffering. God does not bless or punish.

 

[wayfaring]

From spiritualminded.blogspot.com


An extract from the 'Song of Simon' mystical journal....


God is indeed the Author of suffering’ said the head Master. Without God nothing can exist. In contracting to distinct and separate expressions, with the ignorance that arises from such contraction, God is indeed the Author of suffering and division. You have been considering why moral effort is necessary or even of value. Moral effort is part of the return of God to the Absolute by overcoming the intrinsic division and separateness of this present level of God’s expression and unfolding.’.

 

[michel]

Bad things happen to good people because only good people can take bad situations and turn them into something great.

I think the more you suffer, the more you're able to truly feel happiness and other positive emotions. It expands your existence, and makes you - emotionally, intellectually - a bigger person than those without comparable experiences.

You have a point there, but there are times when I would gladly forgo being an emotionally (I am not sure about the Intellectuality), bigger person. Suffering is suffering..............

 

[jhavali]

When the first human pair willfully disobeyed God they were expelled from the garden of Eden. They thus lost for themselves and their descendants the special protection and blessing of their Creator. Therefore, except for special instances involving the accomplishment of God’s own purpose, what happened to mankind from day to day was governed by chance and not by God’s direction. So it is "because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all" that good people and bad suffer similarly from natural disasters, accidents, fires, and so forth.—Eccl. 9:11.

 

[roli]

What is the cause of suffering, and it's purpose (if we assume there is one)?
Please share your concept, whether personal or mainstream in theology.

Again like one already said,man's nature is warped and wicked through the power of and presence of sin by breaking God's law's,causing suffering and decay in this world,among other things.
We don't have to speculate too much on that, as we see that wickedness everywhere around us.
And regardless of the the good intentions one has of trying to do good and to be good through a variety of religious protocols and intellectual mindsets, we fall short.



What purpose does suffering have in this world?
More then some wany to admit ,I feel it is the thing that causes man to turn to a source of help and strength outside themselves,very humbling and to some almost gives the appearance of weakness.
Suffering tends to show mankind their vulnerability and mortality and causes them to look to a particular means for help or refuge.
Until this suffering takes place,not that it is God's intention to inflict suffering,but he certainly uses it to get our attention.
Mankind somehow feels impenetrable,untouchable and virtually a free moral agent with a relative minset until tradgedy and suffering hits,how ironic.

It's interesting when you hear people who never believed in God ,when they go through a terrible situation for them to call on God ,or the Pastor or even a christian freind for prayer.or for that matter other faiths for guidance,direction and comfort.
I mean these people never believed in anything before,what caused them to reach out .
911 was a perfect example to illustrate my point ,the churches in North America were shocked when their pews started filling to capacity after this terrible ordeal of 911.but after a couple of months the threat was not as evident,people returned back to their lifestyles,the churches are now running back at noraml capacity.

It would almost seem as if something inherently was triggered inside many people when they felt the threat of impending danger,but when the storm was over,back to playing freely on the highway of life.
It reminds me of a child who plays vicariously and freely, unrestrained and outside the confines of his fathers authority,until impending danger is sensed by the child then he runs to his father for security and comfort.
I think we are much like that in many regards,but some of us run to strangers rather then our father.

 

[PureX]

Bad things happen to good people because only good people can take bad situations and turn them into something great.

I think the more you suffer, the more you're able to truly feel happiness and other positive emotions. It expands your existence, and makes you - emotionally, intellectually - a bigger person than those without comparable experiences.

What a great answer.

I believe this is true as well. I don't know if it's the "reason" for suffering, but I do know that people who have suffered much, tend to be the most kind and joyful in the end.

 

[UnTheist]

Suffering is the cause of an event, image, sound, feeling, or thought we do not appeal to. We either adapt to it, try to change it, or get rid of it

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Noone said life is easy, we can sit in a hole and cry ourselves to sleep or we live on, no matter what we do, the grass will still grow, the wind will still blow, and the stars will shine, with or without us get on with living or dying, it's your choice. We really aren't that damned important in the grand scheme of things.
:eat::cigar::dan::grill:
What does it all mean? enjoy it while it lasts

THANK YOU........

I've often wondered why some people assume "we" suffer....

Suffer from what..?????

attachments?????

material posessions????

Tell that to a starving child is Africa....who has none of those things.....

 

[cassafrass]

The question of why we suffer is an age old question that everyone has been asking since probably the dawn of time. Essentially people suffer because we live in a sinful world. As soon as sin entered the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve eating of the fruit the world and humanity were no longer meant to live in the perfect garden. One verse that may be helpful is John 9:3 "'Neither this man nor his parents sinned', said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" Many times in our time of suffering we turn to God and He always works thing for His will. A great book in the Bible to read is Job. Job looses everything and suffers greatly but it is all worked according to God's glory. Bad things do happen to good people and God does allow his people to undergo testing. Job's story reminds us that God is always in control. Even in the middle of the worst conditions life can throw at us we can always look to God to help us pull through it. We may never know fully why people suffer, but we do know that we can always turn to God to help us through those hard times.

 

[Wandered Off]

A great book in the Bible to read is Job. Job looses everything and suffers greatly but it is all worked according to God's glory.

Seems to me God isn't portrayed all that gloriously in the Job story.

 

[crimson]

I still don't comprehend suffering. It does not glorify any Creator. All it shows is lack of power. If one were to sum up the history of all the world, the common theme is that people suffered-they were massacred, enslaved, scammed, tortured, executed, misjudged, or bullied. No one stepped in to save them. Then they all left us. Where did they go? Why weren't the perpetraters taken out? How can one say something good came out of this?

 

[Secret Chief]

Attachment?