Is God Indifferent to Human Suffering?
Christianity portrays God as an intelligent, all-powerful being. And the Christian Bible teaches that “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God” (1 John 4:16). Yet natural catastrophes such as hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes are often labeled “acts of God.” This carries with it the implication that mankind’s Creator is personally responsible and accountable for the loss of life, material devastation and suffering that natural catastrophes leave in their wake. The anguish they cause leaves a lot of people very perplexed about God’s attitude toward human suffering. One woman standing in the midst of the New Orleans devastation told a reporter, “God doesn’t live here anymore.” When asked why God allows such a disaster, a priest’s reply can be summed up: There is no answer. Is that true? Is there really no answer? Must we remain completely in the dark concerning God’s reasons for not preventing catastrophic destruction, loss of life and incalculable misery? Or could it be
Related Questions
- The church always speaks of sin, pride, and the passions of a human, calling him a servant of God. How does this reconcile with the understanding of human dignity in society?
- Is Human Language a Sufficient Means of Communication between God and Humankind?
- Aren Christians narrow-minded to believe in God over human reasoning?
