Why do bad things happen?

[lyndie]

I am wondering if anyone can help answer this. I do have faith, of sorts, but still find it hard to believe that so many bad things happen, especially to children. Do you have any thoughts? Has anyone heard a good explanation or words that help them understand?

Well, bad things happen because we are part of the natural world and subject to all the random stuff that happens to every other living creature on the planet.

If you are asking why does god let bad stuff happen then 1. Because he knows better than us and has a plan or 2. Because we have free will and he can't stop people doing bad stuff because that would interfere with free will despite him being omniscient, omnipotent etc or 3. Because there is no loving creator would let bad stuff happen to small children. I think you can probably work out that i'm with no 3. Sorry if that sounds a bit churlish, but this question comes up a lot and never gets a satisfactory answer from a faith pov.

One of my reasons for not believing in god and indeed not having any desire to believe is that if god did exist then when bad things happen it comes down to two options, either god does not want to stop them happening or he is unable, thus he is evil or impotent and what good is either of those?

lyndie I'm a Christian and I believe we have free will and are living in a 'fallen' and by that I mean not-perfect world. We have the chance to change the world for good, or take advantage of the world's fallen state. I don't think the bad things that happen are part of God's will. Sometimes things do have consequences, like bad choices can lead to bad things. But I know that the majority of the world's poor and suffering don't come into that category, they are victims of global greed and indifference. Lots of brillient people of faith, or of no faith, are working to change things and bring about justice. I feel I have to concentrate on the potential of the world rather than the fallen-ness of it. If that makes any sense.

pedro I am a christian yet i completely know where you're coming from.

free will etc etc etc, always the sell out excuse,, but God COULD do something about it. Does he close His ears to a woman screaming while shee's being raped?

where is he when a child/adult is being abused?

When a man is shot/stabbed/beaten just because he bumped into them?

when a child is born with severe disabilities?

when the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?

where is the god of justice?

DCa and I are going through a TERRIBLE circumstance atm, well, have been for many years, somehow I hold on to faith by my fingertips. is that Gods will?

I BELIEVE in God, but trusting? believeing the promises? what promises?ive been trusting and believing for over 20 years since i became born-again, and things get worse by the day.

when someone suffers and theyve never put a foot wrong in their lives yet murdrers/rapists etc get away with it? ok, js may be burning in hell now, but he got away with it all in life, some people want justice NOW, not when the persons up before the judgement seat.

and yes, God experienced mortality in Jesus but....Jesus wasnt a woman, never endured pregnancy or periods.

he wasnt disabled and suffered discrimination for that, nor for his colour.

yes he was persecuted in other ways, but as a woman? a single parent?

Marjproops - in relation to the last paragraph of your first post, I was reading Psalm 37 yesterday and it seems relevant - a reminder that this world is not all there is, that we do have a future and that there will be a judgement. The Psalms can be an enormous encouragement in difficult times.

a reminder that this world is not all there is, that we do have a future and that there will be a judgement. The Psalms can be an enormous encouragement in difficult times.

It can also give you false hope of a better life after death. That kind of promise can lead the persecuted to suicide. Such a waste.

Believe what you like, but don't waste the only life you know you have, because if you're wrong it's gonna be a big effing disappointment.

Because there is no bearded deity in the sky watching out for us.

Not really an answer to your question but:"If we were always happy we wouldn't know it"

There is no rule about life that says 'good things should happen', or 'good things happen to good people'. Life just is. Make the most of whatever hand you're dealt...

Bad things happen for a variety of reasons, but in most cases how individuals behave doesn't influence the factors that cause the bad things e.g. being nice to other people doesn't alter the pressure build up and then release in the earth's crust that causes an earthquake.

because we are subject to physical and chemical laws, and we are all designed to die or the planet would be even more crowded than it is.

why the species includes murderers, rapists etc is unknown, but again this is probably due to brain chemistry. Back in the caves, such undesirables would have been killed by all the others, but now we don't do that so the traits get passed down.

I like the comment about making the most of this life because it is the only one you definitely know that you have.