Theologians Inside Please ------->

[Mutt]

There seems to be a whole lot of suffering going on right now in the world. You have doctors and nurses who could be living comfortable lives here over in Africa selflessly helping those in need contracting and dying from this ghastly Ebola virus. You have children in Gaza caught up in a bloody war being blown apart.

While I have a real interest in the history of religion I'm really not that learned in the theology of these religions. So Christians, Jews and Muslims please advise - this Yahweh/God/Allah/Holy Spirit/Hashem/ entity, you all pray to him, obviously for a reason, you wouldn't pray to something that doesn't exist, that would be insanity. So the question is why does this omnipotent being not step in and stop the suffering, especially with innocent children and these selfless do gooders? I see Christians, Jews and Muslims often thanking God for things so you quite obviously do believe he does take an active role in the goings on here down on this earth. He has a quota system of some sort where he can only actively involve himself in a certain number of situations per year? How does he pick and choose where and who he helps? What does the theology of your religion say? Suffering on earth serves a purpose of some kind? Suffering helps you get into Heaven? Millions of Jews died in the Holocaust because Yahweh was punishing them or are they altogether now in the Jewish Heaven called Olam Haba so their suffering on earth in the grand scheme of things is rather trivial, possibly just a test of their faith? Christians believe everybody is born evil but through acceptance of Jesus as your saviour even Hitler may have been saved and is in Heaven right now? What kind of religion is that where you can cause pain and suffering your entire lifetime but if you accept Jesus in the final moments of your life you are granted eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven?
There must be something in Christian theology that I'm unaware of that addresses this.

I know the atheist/agnostic's answers to these questions already. I've never heard a cogent answer from a religious person, always some inept metaphysical filibuster that distills down to the ultimate can't lose this debate cop out - 'Only God Knows'.

[aka123]

Originally Posted by Mutt

So the question is why does this omnipotent being not step in and stop the suffering, especially with innocent children and these selfless do gooders? I see Christians, Jews and Muslims often thanking God for things so you quite obviously do believe he does take an active role in the goings on here down on this earth. He has a quota system of some sort where he can only actively involve himself in a certain number of situations per year? How does he pick and choose where and who he helps? What does the theology of your religion say? Suffering on earth serves a purpose of some kind?

I am not theologist, but in school we were taught at "religion classes" (had also a little bit of other religions than Cristianity), that humans are not "robots" and neither other living things. So, we and others have a freedom and it has a price. God's interference would seriously question our freedom. And wouldn't it be quite problematic anyway, to what to interfere to and to what don't?

[woj]

remember how you broke your arm when you were a kid and it really hurt? now 30 years later, you barely remember it... it might be kinda like that.... the "suffering" might be part of building character or a test or whatever...

from our view it looks like great suffering, from God's view it's at worst a brief setback... when viewed from eternal life point of view, the "suffering" has as much significance as that broken arm when you were a kid...

[Grapesoda]

Originally Posted by Mutt

There seems to be a whole lot of suffering going on right now in the world. You have doctors and nurses who could be living comfortable lives here over in Africa selflessly helping those in need contracting and dying from this ghastly Ebola virus. You have children in Gaza caught up in a bloody war being blown apart.

While I have a real interest in the history of religion I'm really not that learned in the theology of these religions. So Christians, Jews and Muslims please advise - this Yahweh/God/Allah/Holy Spirit/Hashem/ entity, you all pray to him, obviously for a reason, you wouldn't pray to something that doesn't exist, that would be insanity. So the question is why does this omnipotent being not step in and stop the suffering, especially with innocent children and these selfless do gooders? I see Christians, Jews and Muslims often thanking God for things so you quite obviously do believe he does take an active role in the goings on here down on this earth. He has a quota system of some sort where he can only actively involve himself in a certain number of situations per year? How does he pick and choose where and who he helps? What does the theology of your religion say? Suffering on earth serves a purpose of some kind? Suffering helps you get into Heaven? Millions of Jews died in the Holocaust because Yahweh was punishing them or are they altogether now in the Jewish Heaven called Olam Haba so their suffering on earth in the grand scheme of things is rather trivial, possibly just a test of their faith? Christians believe everybody is born evil but through acceptance of Jesus as your saviour even Hitler may have been saved and is in Heaven right now? What kind of religion is that where you can cause pain and suffering your entire lifetime but if you accept Jesus in the final moments of your life you are granted eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven?
There must be something in Christian theology that I'm unaware of that addresses this.

I know the atheist/agnostic's answers to these questions already. I've never heard a cogent answer from a religious person, always some inept metaphysical filibuster that distills down to the ultimate can't lose this debate cop out - 'Only God Knows'.

Mutt, although I am not religious I am an acceptor of a loving, motivating, positive force in the 'spectrum of creation... '

I had these same questions when I was younger... the answer is 'freewill'. prayer has the power to change human relationships and possibly that's all... who knows....

I do believe that if the Arabs and Jews each prayed for the 'others' well being, prosperity and a positive future outcome for their families, the hostilities would end within 2 months....

[Mutt]

Originally Posted by aka123

I am not theologist, but in school we were taught at "religion classes" (had also a little bit of other religions than Cristianity), that humans are not "robots" and neither other living things. So, we and others have a freedom and it has a price. God's interference would seriously question our freedom. And wouldn't it be quite problematic anyway, to what to interfere to and to what don't?

But he does 'interfere' in earthly matters, why would anybody pray for help if he never interferes? Why do religious people thank God when they have success? If you believe God played a part in a situation where the outcome was in your favor then I think it's logical to ask why God didn't interfere in a situation where you suffered great loss - health, relationship, business etc?

[aka123]

Originally Posted by Mutt

But he does 'interfere' in earthly matters, why would anybody pray for help if he never interferes? Why do religious people thank God when they have success? If you believe God played a part in a situation where the outcome was in your favor then I think it's logical to ask why God didn't interfere in a situation where you suffered great loss - health, relationship, business etc?

Praying and thanking god is a ritual and also one form of therapy, when you view it purely scientifically. That is why also priests have a therapist kind of role. It does good for your mental health.

And some people blame god, or at least they abandon their faith, as god didn't come and rescue them or something like that.