Why does a good God promote suffering?

[Varenne Rodin]

I am trapped in it.

That awareness makes you special. This is the only kind of thinking that will lead to progress. Someday maybe death will be beaten. Maybe lifespans will be extended, or maybe we'll figure out how to upload individual minds into greater technology than human bodies. Maybe we'll improve space travel to a point where we find something we never imagined. These are fantasies, but much more viable to me than theistic musings. Someone has to pave the way. You're not alone, so don't despair. Your ideas, when shared, cause a chain reaction. That makes you important to me, to other people like us, and to future generations.

Besides, comedy is fun. There are beautiful things happening all the time. Chin up, sugarplum!

[Buh4Bee]

Be done with it already and stop torturing the rest of us please. When did Litnet become a group support system?

[Varenne Rodin]

Be done with it already and stop torturing the rest of us please. When did Litnet become a group support system?

If I want to say something nice to someone, I will. I'm not burdened with the habits and norms of Litnet.

[G L Wilson]

Be done with it already and stop torturing the rest of us please. When did Litnet become a group support system?

When did LitNet become a wilderness?

[Buh4Bee]

Don't worry sugar, I don't think anyone follows any norms on LitNet. Why let anything burden us?

[G L Wilson]

All I know is that if the humans don't group together around here, they will be eaten by the bears.

[Red-Headed]

All I know is that if the humans don't group together around here, they will be eaten by the bears.

That's for sure.

[ralfyman]

We're not sure if He is a "good God" and we cannot prove scientifically that there is a God. Given that, the best we can say is that suffering exists for reasons that cannot always be controlled by human beings or that are prompted by the same.

[G L Wilson]

We're not sure if He is a "good God" and we cannot prove scientifically that there is a God. Given that, the best we can say is that suffering exists for reasons that cannot always be controlled by human beings or that are prompted by the same.

The world is the Devil's, only we in it can oppose him.

[cl154576]

The world is the Devil's, only we in it can oppose him.

It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting off the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.
- Helen Keller

Just a random quote that came to mind.

[G L Wilson]

It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting off the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.
- Helen Keller

Just a random quote that came to mind.

It is not always possible to love our fellow man, but it is possible to love ourselves always. That we must do.

[BienvenuJDC]

It is not always possible to love our fellow man, but it is possible to love ourselves always. That we must do.

It's not always possible for SOME to love another. But for others you cannot judge how far reaching their love is.

[G L Wilson]

It's not always possible for SOME to love another. But for others you cannot judge how far reaching their love is.

Jesus doesn't love me, BienvenuJDC. I can't see his love as being all that far reaching.

[BienvenuJDC]

Jesus doesn't love me, BienvenuJDC. I can't see his love as being all that far reaching.

First of all....stop with the Jesus bashing. I was speaking about people in general. There are many people who are loving and show it. Jesus was one of those, and I'd disagree with you. The Jesus that I've come to know, well, HE loves all people, which would include you as well.

[Arrowni]

Well, from a neutral standpoint, since suffering is not inherently evil, we should probably decrypt the meaning of pain in the natural world to understand the kind of values that a God would promote by promoting pain. For example, let's say that pain exists to lose individuality, then the goal of suffering would be to show us that individuality is not a consistent way of survival, that losing your own face and going through pain is actually cool. Let's say pain exists to keep you away from dangerous experiences, then you probably need to go towards dangerous experiences, you need to learn, risk yourself and understand the universe.