Rebuttal Againt The Claim That The Existence Of Suffering Is Proof Of The Non Existence Of
Submitted by strykerm on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Social Issues
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Rebuttal Againt The Claim That The Existence Of Suffering Is Proof Of The Non Existence Of
Just to glance at human history, it seems very reasonable to understand that people value freedom over safety---at least those of any real merit to themselves and others. We remember fondly Give me Liberty or give me death. We cringe at thought of our mother making us put on the helmet to ride a bicycle. People want freedom, they want the ability to make their own choices. And to a great extent to suffer the consequences that their freedom of choice affords them. Of course, when the consequences come, if they are bad, most people then sing a different tune!
So the idea that God must be obligated to save us from any of our choices is false in my view. We want the freedom, and just like when we lecture our kids that they have to learn to live with the consequences of their actions, so it goes for all of us.
It is an inherent ego formation that that which is pleasurable is good and that which is suffering is bad. But it is our slavery to the physical sensations that makes this idea real--not any actuality. When another is being tortured we don't even bat an eye more often than not--heck, it often has entertainment value for most. So the claim that God must stop the suffering really comes around to stop it for us and we see the ego inherent in the claim. It is an ideal of selfishness. Furthermore, our delusion as to the nature of death continues this argument. We see death as a punishment and therefore further proof that God is impotent and/or immoral. But is it so? We were all programmed to die. Is this immoral? Think of how this earth would be for us if nothing ever died. In the end everything would be hell--for we would overcrowd in all senses of the word, and nothing could ever die--immortality would be its own brand of hell. So the argument would then have to say the God would have to fashion an entirely different reality at all levels for God to be real, omnipotent and/or moral. All of this has place in the...
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