Why God Allows Suffering? (5)

Repeated exposure to violence-real and feigned-in news and entertainment hardens us to the real suffering of others.

Technology has presented us a gift of dubious worth—the ability to see people suffering on live television from news spots almost anywhere on the planet. We see people in pain not only in our own neighborhoods, but we have front-row seats to watch multitudes in misery all over the world. Our media-mad world makes this kind of news coverage available and sometimes almost inescapable. Through the wandering eye of modern communication, we see the brutality of mankind in living color. We're served the horror of war in the convenience of our living rooms. We watch the depravity of twisted individuals played out on the world stage. In recent decades the media have force-fed us with accounts of thrill killings by psychopaths. Serial killings and mass murders that once were rare now seem almost commonplace. What is the effect on us of the persistent exposure to such decadent and depressing fare? One effect is that we mentally suffer, whether we realize it or not. Constant exposure to the rampages of deranged people is hard enough on adults, but it inflicts far greater damage on the minds of youth in their formative years. Although it is impossible to shield our children from every unpleasant side of society, exposure to so much gratuitous violence early in life can emotionally damage them. Repeated exposure to violence—real and feigned—in news and entertainment hardens us to the real suffering of others.

If God is truly a God of love and mercy, why does He not intervene?

Some have concluded that God simply doesn't exist. The answer, however, is much more complex. What does the Bible reveal about the causes of suffering?

British author and historian Paul Johnson writes of one of mankind's greatest theological dilemmas in his book The Quest for God, stating,"I suspect that the problem of evil drives more thoughtful people away from religion than any other difficulty" (1996, p. 61).

Many people believe that if God is truly the God of love and mercy, He would be bound by His own character and principles to prevent suffering in the world. This brings up a good question. Why doesn't God intervene to prevent suffering?

The evil that God allows, and the tragedies He chooses not to prevent, leads many to question the wisdom, goodness and even existence of God. Some atheists cite the reality of evil as their trump card in the argument about the existence of God. Julian Huxley, one of the 20th century's leading proponents of evolution, opined that the existence of evil "is a challenge to God's moral character" ( Religion Without Revelation, 1957, p. 109).

Why does God allow evil? Anyone who has ever felt pain or experienced tragedy wonders about this. Theologians, philosophers, historians and scientists have mused over the issue. Let's consider some of their conclusions.

An evil God vs. a good God?

The second-century gnostic teacher Marcion, who was declared a heretic because of his views, believed that "there were two rival Gods: one, the tyrannical creator and lawgiver of the Old Testament; the other, the unknown God of love and mercy who sent Jesus to purchase salvation from the creator God" ( Webster Encyclopedia, one-volume edition, 1985, p. 561).

In Marcion's view the lawgiver God was responsible for the existence of pain and evil, and the work of the Savior was to deliver the world from the pain and evil caused by that God. Ironically, this erroneous outlook was modified and refined by others and gradually took root in the body of the doctrine of the mainstream church, where its influence has fostered confusion and misunderstanding to this day.

Many assume God angrily intervenes to punish us whenever we step out of line, when in reality He generally allows us to suffer the consequences of our own selfish, shortsighted behavior (see Jeremiah:2:19; 10:23). Most people fail to recognize that God doesn't have to directly intervene every time we sin; the spiritual laws He set in motion are self-enforcing, bringing their own punishment in the form of painful consequences when we break them.

To be cont'd.

God bless You all.