IFTHERE IS A LOVING GOD,

WHYIS THERE SO MUCH SUFFERING?

Robert C. Newman

Introduction

Problem that has bothered many throughouthistory, both theoretically and practically, corporately and individually

Article on "atheism" in the Encyclopediaof Philosophy makes thischief argument against God's existence

But many object to quantum mechanics andgeneral relativity because they go against deeply held standards, yet evidenceindicates they are true anyway; may have to adjust standards to reality.

Here we proposeto examine following Qs in this order:

    Is there a God?

    Is he the God of the Bible?

    Is he loving?

    Why, then, is theresuffering?

    Why is there so muchsuffering?

Is There aGod?

Evidence for acreated universe

Beginning

Design

Evidence forcreated life

Origins

Organization

Conclusion: yes,there is a God, Creator and Designer

Is This theGod of the Bible?

Evidence fromfulfilled prophecy

Evidence fromchanged lives

Conclusion: yes,the God who exists is the God of the Bible

Is God Loving?

Definition of"love"

Obviously, if one defines"love" so that it will never, under any circumstances, allow suffering, then the God of the Bible isnot "loving."

But this doesn't even work for humanlove, e.g., in parenting: recent emphasis on "tough love."

Biblicaldefinition: 1 Cor 13:4‑7 :

patient	not rude	rejoices w/ truth
kind	not self-seeking	always protects
not envious	not easily angered	always trusts
not boasting	keeps no record	always hopes
not proud	no delight in evil	always perseveres

Parental model helpful in understandinghow God is loving; like parent, God concerned to produce right sort of person,must punish evil, encourage maturity.

Conclusion: yes,God is loving in the Biblical sense.

Why, Then, IsThere Suffering?

Have begun tosee some reasons why this might be in discussion of parental love, above:

(1)need to punish evil:

parentssometimes do this thru direct intervention

sometimesthru letting events take their course

(2)need to encourage maturity:

parents must gradually let up on controlso that child begins to make own decisions

parentsgradually let up on protection so that child learns consequences of actions

parents gradually let up on punishment sothat child will learn to do right for right reasons

In addition, system of physical causalityin world of sinners will produce suffering; without such system, no way to seehow bad evil is.

Why Is ThereSo Much Suffeering

Mankind is verysinful, so producing much suffering.

Disaster is anadvance warning of the wrath to come.

Luke13:1‑9

Biblicalteaching regarding Satan (Job 1-2)

asuperhuman evil in world

hatesmankind, esp those doing good

thisworld is a war‑zone

Babies? don't know all answers, cp John21:21-23

A helpfulpicture: God is not to be pictured as a hotel keeper, but as a novelist.

Ifwe will trust him with our lives, we can be heroes or heroines in His story

Conclusions

What are wedoing to relieve suffering? (e.g., abortion?).

We should seekto avoid eternal suffering & help others do so too.

God has sufferedmore than anyone else to save us from such.