Problem of suffering

[Wootah]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

What do you think?

[liamconnor]

[Replying to post 1 by Wootah]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

What does the "it" in "worth it" refer to, and what are the conditions for attaining "it"? There are those who commit suicide because of terrible suffering; there are those who become bitter and incorrigible, like Dickens' Scrooge.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

It sounds as if "willingness to endure" is the "gain of suffering"; i.e., what makes "suffering worth it". Surely this cannot be true. The ability to suffer cannot be the reward of suffering. Unless you mean that because we are willing to endure suffering (i.e., not take our own lives) then even life with suffering is better than no life at all...? If so, I would agree.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 1 by Wootah]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

What does the "it" in "worth it" refer to, and what are the conditions for attaining "it"? There are those who commit suicide because of terrible suffering; there are those who become bitter and incorrigible, like Dickens' Scrooge.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

It sounds as if "willingness to endure" is the "gain of suffering"; i.e., what makes "suffering worth it". Surely this cannot be true. The ability to suffer cannot be the reward of suffering. Unless you mean that because we are willing to endure suffering (i.e., not take our own lives) then even life with suffering is better than no life at all...? If so, I would agree.

Of course option b.

There is a love that we can find that makes any pain we have bearable.

[rikuoamero]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

What do you think?

When, where and how is it even possible for God to suffer? I have suffered and I can love. God though...? I'm not too sure about that.

[Bust Nak]

[Replying to post 1 by Wootah]
Are we still talking about an omnipotent and good God here? If we are then whatever God had in mind that is "worth it," can be achieved without suffering. A good God would see achieving that goal with suffering is worse than achieving that goal without suffering. An omnipotent God would choose the best way to achieve that goal. You still have a contradiction.

[Kenisaw]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

What do you think?

Except in your world view the suffering can go on for an eternity if you don't go to a particular building every 7 days and get water poured on your head in a ritualized ceremony. Most versions of mythology that have existed during human's time on Earth have a similarly themed bad place that hangs over the head of the populace. The problem of suffering in a universe created by an all loving and all good god being isn't just limited to being on Earth.

In my opinion, if gods really loved me, they wouldn't punish me for what some crazy couple ate off a tree thousands of years ago.

[marco]

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

What do you think?

I read that when people were hanged in a concentration camp, one little boy was too light for his life to be speedily terminated and he was allowed to hang there suffering and no one was permitted to do anything to ease his pain. There is nothing whatsoever that is beautiful in this suffering. A rabbi called on God (who had moved the Red Sea) for help and was met, naturally, with silence; he shouted: "There is no God." A futile remark since silence indicates nothing.

Suffering is never good. Wonderful specimens of humanity sometimes demonstrate inspiring courage in tolerating their pain with fortitude. We read of saints thanking God for their pain; I suppose that is a beautiful way of coping. I defy anyone to watch a loved one cry with pain and pronounce that it is good.

[ttruscott]

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

What do you think?

I think that suffering is an aberration caused by the need to address evil. If evil had never been chosen, no suffering would have ever been felt by anyone. When evil was chosen by the first demons and by some of HIS elect, there had to be judgement which causes suffering and there had to be painful discipline unto righteousness which causes suffering. Suffering is a means to an end, a method to bring those who can repent to repentance and those who cannot repent to banishment. It has no place in GOD's purpose or heaven when it is finalized.

It is my current opinion that the choice to use suffering to achieve HIS end purposes is to speed the process by getting our attention and forcing us to deal with the pain. If love could bring us to repentance without any suffering at all it would have been chosen but it cannot or else the love of GOD and Christ for us would have brought the world to repentance eons ago.

Therefore suffering and death is good in response to evil but unnecessary except that it was necessary that evil was allowed to be chosen for our free will to achieve HIS purpose of a true marriage communion with us. When evil was chosen, it forced suffering upon HIS creation.

[rikuoamero]

[Replying to post 1 by Wootah]

God's love is demonstrated despite the suffering.

Where was God when two of my sisters were raped by their father?
What did he and his so called love accomplish in those situations?

I want to suggest that the problem of suffering is solved by saying that the suffering is worth it.

All suffering? Or just some suffering? Is suffering hunger pangs, and salivating while smelling the odours coming from the oven 'worth' it?
What does being raped accomplish? How is it 'worth it' to be raped? Should one go out and get raped?

Granted not everyone can cope but our willingness to endure demonstrates that love is greater than suffering.

I can endure great pains and tribulations, have done so in fact, because I was always able to see past the pains and tribulations.
This though doesn't mean the suffering was meaningless, or didn't have impacts on me, my character and my psyche.
It almost sounds like you approve of the suffering, and would welcome it.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 9 by rikuoamero]

I'm sorry for what your father did.

No this thread is not about sadism or masochism.

I can endure great pains and tribulations, have done so in fact, because I was always able to see past the pains and tribulations

This is what I'm talking about.