Bad Things Happen to Good People (The Problem of Job)

[YesNo]

More common than locked-in syndrome is old age in a nursing home where a wheel chair is needed to get around that one needs a nurse to push. At another extreme, but not uncommon, are people who habitually project their pain onto those around them in an abusive fashion. That might be considered a "locked-out" syndrome since they have no way to suffer their pain except to cause others pain. I will be at a funeral of one member of my family tomorrow who died from pneumonia after years in a nursing home and have to face the abuse of another who will unreservedly project pain onto everyone for this death.

I am beginning to see suffering as a set of skills that needs to be developed. One of the skills is an ability to pay attention to what we are suffering, to not project it onto others and to not despair.

Although suffering can be a feedback mechanism or karma, I would agree with Job that it also occurs without any justice. Karma, or any other deterministic explanation for suffering, is not the whole explanation.

One of the things that I reject about suffering is that it implies there is something wrong with the universe. Similarly in Job's case he questions whether Yahweh is on his side or not--or even more painfully whether Yahweh loves him or not. Ultimately, Job sides with Yahweh even when he doubts if Yahweh sides with him.

[Pierre Menard]

I think one of the biggest epiphanies you can have (or at least, I've had) is that moment when you realise that bad things can happen to good people and bad people can get away with good things. I don't remember when or what triggered it, but at some point, I just knew. And it changes the way you see things and view people and situations.

I still try to do the 'right' thing and live by my own moral code...but I know it's based on a shakier foundation. I end up doing the 'good' thing...'just cos.'

[mal4mac]

Basically, I don't think Buddhists believe it is good to be in the world and yet suicide is not an option because you will just get reborn right back into the universe.

Where do you get that idea from? The books I've read suggest that most Buddhists think it is a great thing to be reborn into this world because it's a part of the universe where you can do something about your situation. If you committed suicide there's a good chance you'd be reborn into a hell realm where you would suffer a lot more and not be able to do anything about it (even suicide would not be an option!) If you were born into a heavenly realm you'd be enjoying yourself too much to want to bother seeking enlightenment.

Try "Seeking the Heart of Wisdom" by Goldstein and Kornfield - which discusses this point well without getting too overtly religious...