Atheism and ChristianityFor many people pain and suffering, in actuality or as a concept, are reasons, or excuses, to call God’s good character, or existence, into question.
Atheism and morality
Sometimes the situation is one in which a person wonders “Why would God let me, or make me, go through this pain and suffering,” and at other times “I’m perfectly comfortable but why would God let, or make, other people suffer.”
But what is it about pain and suffering that arouse such strong reactions from people? Let us keep in mind that pain serves a very important and beneficial role in our lives. Touching a hot stove sends a pulse of pain to our brains that is so sharp and primal that we instantly recoil. This is a good thing for otherwise we would leave our hand there and may have it burned to the point of uselessness (I have a scar on my hand from putting my hand in an oven when I was three).
Many more examples could be offered, but this does not seem to be the area of contention. It seems that people are more concerned about debilitating suffering, pointless suffering, and the perception that since God can surely heal our pain and suffering but does not do so then he is either of ill character or nonexistent.
Atheism and Christianity
Some would ask if, for instance, God is our father why does He allow us to experience pain and suffering? They may ask if, for instance, I, as a father, would allow my children to experience pain and suffering. To this I would instantly and with utmost certainly answer,
“Of course, I would literally sit by and do nothing while my children experience pain and suffering”-what decent, humane, parent would say otherwise?
For instance, when my youngest son was born his first experiences in this world was having a perfect stranger stab his ankle every half an hour and I did not do anything to prevent it-this was a nurse with a needle taking blood.
All I did was to comfort him, it did not erase his pain and suffering but I attempted to ease it. Understand that I knew the greater purpose behind the pain and suffering-his blood sugar level had to be checked by these means in order to ensure his health. Therefore, I did not prevent the nurse from inflicting pain and suffering since there was a greater and benevolent purpose behind it-a purpose that my son was wholly ignorant of at the time, all he know was the pain. I will revisit this true story in some greater detail soon as I comment on certain statements made by Quentin Smith.
Atheism and morality
This ignorance of ours as to a greater and benevolent purpose appears to be the reason why we reach a point at which we ignore the possibility of there being a greater and benevolent purpose. We then focus only upon pain and suffering and seek the instant cessation thereof. We may chronically intake painkillers and this may make us feel very good. Yet, in such cases we are dealing with the symptoms and not the cause, we are sedating the pain but doing nothing about the pain’s cause, we are merely hiding the problem by concocting chemical cocktails.
I myself have been inflicted with pain and suffering in the form of daylong headaches, about six days per week, lasting for months. Also, eighteen years (as of 2009), and counting, of leg/knee pain. Plus, the usual physical and emotional distress with which we all must deal. I still cannot help but think that we suffer more from our worrying and contemplation about suffering than from the actual physical/emotional sensation.
Atheism and Christianity
For instance, when I feel sick I prefer that every person with whom I talk does not ask how I feel and what my symptoms are. I understand and appreciate their concern but I am trying not to focus on it and certain do not care to relive it. When I have a headache I find that while I am busy about something the shift of attention help but I really feel it when I have time to dwell on it.
One particular example will seal this deal. While just getting over food poisoning people would ask me what I ate and from whence did the food escape from my system. The very last thing that a person dealing with food poisoning wants to do it think about food, think about the food that poisoned them, and think about the various expulsions of said food.
Atheism and moralityI recall a particular instance in my youth when my dad would take me out into the street and simply let me go while knowing that I would get hurt. Yes, this is how I learned how to ride a bicycle-he would take me out into the street, run along side of me, then let go and I would very quickly lose my balance and fall. At this point I would get bruised, cut, scraped and end up sore and scabbed. Yet, the odd thing is that I do not ever recall thinking that my dad was an evil man because he was purposefully, with forethought and knowledge, causing me to suffer pain. I did not besmirch his character, nor deny his existence. Apparently, I gladly endured the pain and suffering because of the glorious goal-learning how to ride a bike. This goal was so alluring, so palatable, so within reach that all pain and suffering was dim in comparison.
Atheism and Christianity
Our pain can have various beneficial effects:
I can often make us stronger; the low impact exercise of riding a bike regularly has helped my knees feel better and my legs are stronger today.It can make our character stronger.
It can inspire others (consider the quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada).
It can give others the opportunity to inspire us.It can provide an opportunity for others to gain from the experience of helping us.
It can do so very much in so many ways.
Yet, even these facts and more do not seem to account for the apparent arbitrariness of suffering-this is the particular issue that I will take up in the near future with regards to Quentin Smith.
Atheism and morality
The reason that our much learning has made us mad is that we have lost sight of the eternal-our long term goal. We neglect the future. We obsess about, and cannot see beyond, our present circumstances and some virtual believe that our present circumstances are all that there is to life.
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