David T Gross

Dr Miller

Intro to Philpsophy

November 29, 1997

“Innocent Suffering”

If God is both all powerfull and all good, why is there innocent suffering? This is a question that many people have asked, there is not a easy anwser. For those who just give the pat answers deceive themselfs. For much thought must go into this serious question.

First lets look at the question. The question is loaded it looks at God as all powerfull, which some say why does God not intervean when something bad is about to happen, for example a crazy person drives to a school and kills little children, why doesn’t God just have someone crash into the person as he is driving to the school, why doesn’t a cop stop and check him on the way etc.. the second part of the question is why if God is so good does bad happen to innocent people, Some would argue that God is not all powerfull, in that nature has laws that God will not violate, but this view sugguest that the creator is limited by it’s creation kind of like Dr. Frankenstine and Frankenstine. The other thing one might think is God is not all good that He has some sort of evil side to Him that gets a kick out of hurting people. This goes against the Word of God, which we see God is good. So then what are the other options, Could there be a evil creation that is out to kill steal and destroy innocent people, The Bible sugguest that the devil is that evil eninity. If this is so then why would God allow him to exist. I think that Good is so good that does not want to even hurt the lowest of His creation untill it is inevatable. That is why God has not put the devil in hell yet. The fact that Jesus died to free us from the devil is proof that God is not out to kill us but to give us life. How often do we blame God for what the devil has done. Some would say then why does not God just put the devil where there are no people? Some go to the other extreme and say don’t look for the devil behind every bush, but the devil did take a third of the angels with him. If there is a spirit that causes cancer then, our methods of treatment would be different. Perhaps some innocent people need, to be free from oppression of the devils devices? Could it be that the person who goes to the school to kill little children is being influnced by demons and in some cases possesed and controlled by the demons? So then why is there suffering, I would suguest that the church is not attacking the devil, but is letting the devil get away with litterly murder. But what about christian’s why does bad happen to them, I would suguest that we do not fully understand that the devil and his demons are out to destroy us. The Bible says we have authority over demons. I also think that there are natural causes that are the results of evil. For example gravity, if one is driving and one drives off a cliff, one falls and dies. Some things are also just plain accidents neither God or the devil has anything to do with it.

God is good in that He has not left us alone till He returns and puts the devil in the lake of fire for eternity, as one preacher put it is “only seconds” untill then God has given Holy Spirit to be our confortor and teacher, He is our seal against the devil.