This page consists of: a comment and verses, another comment and verses,
further comments.
Comment:– Some verses in the Bible (the sayings of Jesus) say the reason for
suffering and pain in the world is to allow God to be glorified and be made manifest.
What kind of God would create a universe where suffering and pain is everywhere,
so that this God can use it for his own selfish glory. Very childish. This kind of God
is primitive and not worthy of any respect!
Example 1:
Joh 9:1 – 3
1 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him
Example 2:
Mt 11:2 – 6
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.
(The reason for Jesus healing is to prove his Godhood during his
time on earth. He doesn’t give any useful medical information to
help people help heal themselves. This only came with man’s
atheistically scientific endeavours )
Example 3:
Joh 11:1 – 4
1 Now a certain [man] was sick, [named] Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was [that] Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard [that], he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
The God of the Bible is a source of Evil, according to the following Bible verses:
Isaiah 45:7*
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
Lamentations 3:38
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Jeremiah 26:3
3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
Jeremiah 36:3
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
(God of the Bible created evil – not omnibenevolent or all-good)
Further Comment: – Basically I agree with the atheist’s view that there is
no personal God, and likely no external God at all. The existence of so much pain and
suffering in the world is powerful evidence against the existence of a personal God.
However, I think prayer can be useful and a help to people.
Also, there is no evidence of continuance of existence after death, but the
desire to survive and related thoughts cannot be completely ignored.
The personal part of the universe and our existence comes first from yourself;
then your loved ones, family and friends, people near you; then groups;
then society; then the whole world of people. Animals can be and are an
important personal part of the universe for many people. This is the personal
that we are sure of. There is nothing else.
Praying to your God, even if this God is only in your mind (which I believe is
the case for everyone anyway) can be helpful. Personal, private prayer is actually
a useful and good invention as long as it stays private. This is why I say the best
verses attributed to Jesus were his statements about private prayer.
In other words, I’m saying privately talking to yourself is useful and helpful.
It can help in such things as solving problems, resolving conflicts, releasing tension,
self-esteem, confidence. The danger is in using prayer to gain power or
control over another person or persons. Do not let others impose on you in
this very private thing.
An interesting book for recommended reading is “Farewell To God, My reason
for rejecting the Christian Faith” by Charles Templeton, a former evangelist
and friend of Billy Graham. ISBN: 0-7710-8422-6
His chapters on suffering and God are excellent. The two chapters entitled “Evil and Good” and “God – and Evil”.
Naturalism and Religious Experience 