Posted by deirdrehbrt on February 1, 2006, at 14:08:17
In reply to Sometimes I just don't get it!, posted by TylerJ on February 1, 2006, at 10:19:32
Tyler,
What you are saking was the subject of a wonderful little book by C. S. Lewis, who, incidentally was the author of the Chronicles of Narnia too. The book is called "The Problem of Pain", and is available at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060652969/drbobsvirte00-20
When I was a Christian, Lewis was one of my favorite authors and apologists. He approaches the problem in a way that is clear, understandable, and which doesn't make God seem either cruel or impotent.
The Christian Bible doesn't promise a life free from pain. Read Job, look at the persecution of the early believers. What the Christian Bible does ask of it's believers is to persever and to believe in a life after this one in which there will be no suffering (for the faithful).
The way I look at it is that we're here on earth. There is gravity and hard places and germs and viruses. We will all get hurt and sick at one time or another. We are temporal beings. Every plant and animal on the planet will eventually die. But there is also balance. Darkness allows us to see the light. Pain and sorrow allow us to know what well-being and joy really mean. Death allows us to value life. Experiencing pain and sadness allows us to have empathy when another experiences these things. And with every death there is re-birth.
Just my own thoughts.
--Dee
poster:deirdrehbrt
thread:605129
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20051105/msgs/605191.html