Why is there so much suffering in the world?

[iaminnocentofyou]

We are all human.

Yes, we may have different colour of skins, languages and beliefs and none but, we all share the same earth?

There isn’t another where we can emigrate to escape.

We have great knowledge and understanding. We have developed advanced technologies and many people have wealth that greater than many sovereign nations, yet humans are dying of hunger and thirst?

How can that be so, if we are so civilised?

There are more than enough resources to go around to feed every men, women and child so why are people dying?

And please don’t blame it on God.

Because the majority of people are lovely and a few are evil and horrible.

God has nothing to do with any of it. He doesn’t exist

Capitalism?
Corruption?
Greed?

I mean I don't know the definitive answer (maybe an economist or sociologist will be along soon) but it's lots of reasons, I expect.

Most places in the world where people are suffering and dying in large numbers, are due to wars, mostly in the name of religion, and exclusively started by men.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Because the majority of people are lovely and a few are evil and horrible.

God has nothing to do with any of it. He doesn’t exist

So, if majority of the inhabitant of the earth our lovely/good then why can't they overpower the few evil/corrupt horrible ones?

How do we tell who is evil and who is good?

Who decides and based on what criteria?

I don't want to digress but, “God doesn’t exists” is only your opinion, there are over 5 billion or more people who believes in God of their choosing.

@saggyhairyass

Capitalism? Corruption? Greed?

I mean I don't know the definitive answer (maybe an economist or sociologist will be along soon) but it's lots of reasons, I expect.

I wish I had the answers, but if had to guess, Power, Greed and Corruption are root of the suffering we are seeing today.

Why shouldn’t there be?

What I mean is — if you start from a position that everything should be fair and equal you’re always going to be disappointed. Fairness isn’t baked into the human condition, as much as some of us try to layer it over situations or circumstances.

People have been fighting, cheating and abusing each other for thousands of years. It’s just how we are.

@BigWoollyJumpers

Most places in the world where people are suffering and dying in large numbers, are due to wars, mostly in the name of religion, and exclusively started by men.

Which wars do you think are being fought because of religion?

I don't see any?

Are we assuming things based on prejudices and our lack of knowledge and what media are trotting up?

Because we are mammals that are very tied up in our own survival and often with very little power to affect real change anyway. Some people have.power but they get caught up in keeping that power mostly.

I think civilization is a bit of a facade. We are socialised to behave in a certain way and appear like we care for others but secretly I think most people are selfish and self serving.

@NightmareSlashDelightful

Why shouldn’t there be?

What I mean is — if you start from a position that everything should be fair and equal you’re always going to be disappointed. Fairness isn’t baked into the human condition, as much as some of us try to layer it over situations or circumstances.

People have been fighting, cheating and abusing each other for thousands of years. It’s just how we are.

But, why shouldn't it be fair and equal if we are all human living on the same planet and we have abundance of resources to share? I am not suggesting everyone to give our Mansions and Ferraris but basic food and water to survive when we have plenty?

Why do farmers and supermarkets burn food that they already cultivated yet, we have millions going hungry?

What civilised rational could there be other then greed?

They would prefer to burn food then to feed starving humans?

I just cannot fathom any of this, I honestly cannot.

Wasn’t ISIS a war of religion?

So, if majority of the inhabitant of the earth our lovely/good then why can't they overpower the few evil/corrupt horrible ones?

I actually think this kind of thinking is a big part of it. Many atrocities and large-scale abuses, not to mention wars, have happened because one group thought they had it right and felt obliged/empowered to ‘overpower’ others.

One definition of nice and lovely doesn’t exist, there’s always going to be conflicting viewpoints and positions.

Because human beings...

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Wasn’t ISIS a war of religion?

I really don't want to go down that route please. But, suffice to say, what religion do you think ISIS is waring over? And if your answer is what I assume you're going to say is Islam then I can assure you, that is not correct.

As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. The same applies to religion.

Don't judge any religion by its followers or those who claim to be its followers.

Anyone can claim to be whoever they want, how do you know they are being truthful? - Read their scriptures if they have one and you will know.

I have studied comparative reliogon and I can tell you ISIS has nothing to do Islam or Muslims.

But they are doing it in the name of religion.

I know Islam isn’t ISIS, but they are using their fanatasism to the nth degree

@NightmareSlashDelightful

So, if majority of the inhabitant of the earth our lovely/good then why can't they overpower the few evil/corrupt horrible ones?

I actually think this kind of thinking is a big part of it. Many atrocities and large-scale abuses, not to mention wars, have happened because one group thought they had it right and felt obliged/empowered to ‘overpower’ others.

One definition of nice and lovely doesn’t exist, there’s always going to be conflicting viewpoints and positions.

But, isn't not the case if good men standby idly while evil and corruptions spread all around him, how long do you think it will take before the same evil and corruption overpowers him?

Are good men not supposed to bring justice and fairness to all?

Or is it just evil and corrupt are left unchecked?

Isn't what we have today is because of all those good men are standing by while evil/greed and corruption is consuming all the lands around?

If we cannot feel any empathy or help those women and child going bed hungry and thirsty then are we any good?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

But they are doing it in the name of religion.

I know Islam isn’t ISIS, but they are using their fanatasism to the nth degree

Someone claiming to be something they are not and actually being one are two different thing.

I'm glad that you know Islam has nothing to do ISIS just because some fanatics are using it for their propaganda.

But, innocent Muslims were and still are being abused and terrorised on our streets because of ISIS when they don't have anything to do with it.

I didn't see any news outlets or good men coming out and saying who and what ISIS fanatics are about and who created them. Let's not have that debat either.

Let's not punish one set of people for the crimes of another no matter who they are.

But as humans, we are too hasty.

You're coming at good and evil like there's a universal definition of what those things mean. There isn't, and this is why there is conflict, inequality, abuse of power/people and unfairness in the world.

Your good might be my oppression. My evil might be your fun Saturday night in. (I'm using 'your' and 'my' rhetorically here.)

Wars aren’t due to religion. They are due to countries /men wanting more power or territory.

OP I think the suffering in this world is due to humans making bad decisions.

Most of the wars in the Middle East and Africa are religion based. One flavour of Islam against the other.

I'm glad that you know Islam has nothing to do ISIS just because some fanatics are using it for their propaganda.

But ISIS think they are following Islam, as does the innocent charity-giving Muslim. So who gets to decide which is the correct interpretation?

Surely it just goes to prove that religion is man made and just a front for people to do what they are inclined to anyway.

Because we are not born equal, and nobody wants to sacrifice their standard of living in order to improve the living standards of others.

We are a rich country, and one of the reasons we are rich is because we exploit poor people in less developed countries - think cheap clothes, cheap electronics, cheap white goods, cheap furniture etc etc.

If we had to pay the real cost of goods then everyone in this country would be a lot worse off. You can't have rich without poor. In order for someone to be rich, someone else must be exploited.

I also think that we are reaching a tipping point, where the human population is becoming too large. In the future, the planet will not be able to support everyone, and that is when our troubles will really begin.

Putin is using religion as one of his many fantastic excuses for his war in Ukraine. That doesn't mean religion is to blame for that war. It means Putin is evil and will say anything to justify his war.

Wars carried out in the name of religion still don't mean that religion is evil. It means men are evil. Or there is evil in the world at any rate.

We live in a broken world. CS lewis likens it to enemy occupied territory and I like that analogy. The evidence of evil is all around us and in us. That doesn't mean we can't do our best to fight it. Just because evil seems to be winning is not an excuse to give up.

The Ukraine is a good example here. They are outmatched and outgunned. No one would have predicted they could hold out like they have done. They have everything to lose and are fighting with everything they've got. They have help on their side from those bigger than them (The US and Europe) like we have God on our side. We need to keep fighting.

Greed and some people enjoy suffering and inflicting pain on humans and animals.