A tsunami crashes into shore, flattening a city and killing hundreds. An earthquake shakes a major city, collapsing buildings and killing hundreds. A volcano erupts spewing hot lava down its sides. A hurricane swoops in to shore leveling all in its path. A fire burns out of control destroying property and taking lives. A dying child lays suffering the ravishes and pain of terminal cancer.
It is human nature to ask why. Why do these things happen? Why does a child suffer such horror? Why? Why? Why? Is this Divine retribution or punishment for some sin?
Although written in a book of fiction, the following is the best explanation I’ve seen.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” … “How can any God worthy of the name permit such a blatant miscarriage of justice?”…
…”First of all, I’ve come to understand that suffering is not to be seen as Divine retribution for some past unatoned sin. On the contrary, it’s simply one of the dangers inherent in being the mortal creatures that we are.”
“Human beings appear to be unique amid the whole of creation, for having both a spiritual and a physical aspect to their existence…As physical creatures, we’re subject to the same natural laws that govern the rest of material creation. Nothing stands still in the material world; everything is caught up in a complex pattern of cause and effect. If these overlapping patterns of change now and then give rise to some destructive natural event in our vicinity-say an earthquake, or an accident, or the encroachment of some deadly disease-we’re compelled by our [physical nature to suffer the consequences.”
…”If God is as loving and benevolent as Scripture claims, why doesn’t this God intervene and stop us from becoming victims of these natural disasters?”
“Because such an intervention would violate the conditions that enable man to operate according to his own free will.”
…”we are free to make conscious, evaluative choices regarding what we do and how we do it. In order for us to exercise that freedom of choice, however, the surrounding world in which we operate has got to be coherent and consistent. Do away with these governing principles, and you’re left with nothing but chaos-a chaos as devoid of meaning as it is of morality.”
<Can God set aside these rules? Of course. Should the rules be set aside?>
…”If God were to suspend every process that might have destructive consequences, the effect would be to undo creation itself. A world governed by natural laws, therefore, is the only world possible. If, in the process, the physical body falls victim to the operation of these natural laws, that is the price we pay for spiritual immortality-the voluntary ability to seek and find union with God.”
…”When the physical body fails, God is on hand to guide the spirit home.”*
Be comforted knowing that all will be well in the end.
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. – James 5:10
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
It is sown a natural body; it
is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual
body.
And so it is written, The first
man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Howbeit that was not first
which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is
spiritual.
The first man is of the earth,
earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they
also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are
heavenly.
And as we have borne the image
of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption
inherit incorruption.
Behold, I shew you a mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. – I Corinthians 15:42-56
*Quotations from: “Death of an Adept” by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris, Ace Books, 1996
Music from the movie "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", 1966, Ennio Morricone (Composer)
