In light of the incredible events that have struck in Japan and NZ the issue of suffering and the role of God has been thrust to the forefront of many a mind.
People are wondering and I think the church should be a place that actually speaks out.
I always begin any discussion on the topic with a question.
Why does it matter?
Why should anyone care about tragedies that don't effect them personally or injustice in a distant land?
Why are we bothered by suffering?
Our angst amidst suffering is one things that point us towards the existence of a Creator Being.
We have an in-built desire for justice and a sense of value for all. This gives us compassion and mercy for those suffering.
I struggle to see where this desire comes from if there is not a Designer behind our existence. If we are nothing more than evolved mammals, governed by survival-of-the-fittest, then the loss of competition for resources and mates should not cause us undue grief.
The guys were asking basically this question last night at Youthies.
ReplyDeleteIt made me think that perhaps the question is often how come I don't suffer when others do, or the reverse, how come I do suffer when others don't.