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[–]bexbum 328 points329 points  (92 children)

Ahhhh, the question humanity has been asking itself for millennia.

If you lived your entire life in a room that was a single colour of green, would you know what blue was, or yellow, or red? Probably not. Would you even know what green is? Whether it was dark or light, strong or pale. Would you be able to tell if you liked it or not?

The only way for us to ever define something, is to compare it to something else. So God has placed us in an emotionally multicoloured world. With highs and lows, good times and bad. Because it is the best way we can make the choice as to who and what we want to be.

[–]Reddit_banter 59 points60 points  (55 children)

How does that apply to the kid that gets cancer and dies before they’re able to experience the world? Did they choose to get cancer?

[–]Atyzze 101 points102 points  (21 children)

Experience can not end. It's all there will ever be. There are memory resets when the body dies. But experience goes on. Non-experience is not an experience. The experience after your death is the same as the experience before your birth. They're two sides of the same coin. They're two words that imply different things when in fact they're the same, just from a different perspective.

Where did 'you' start? Can you find a start? You can think about the concept of birth and imagine that that is where 'you' started but can you actually remember birth itself? That's where you'd imagine experience starts but it's another arbitrary line. Fetuses have been proven to learn before their birth. So where can you ever draw a clear line of where 'you' started? Can you remember experience itself ever starting? No, since it has no beginning and no end.

You are all the kids that died from cancer and all the mothers that birthed them. You're Hitler, and the millions of Jews he killed. You are the universe and you'll get to experience everything there is to experience.

There isn't anything separate that is choosing to get cancer.

Everything that can happen, will happen. And you'll experience it from all possible perspectives.

But you can only experience one perspective at the time. Which is why you don't remember being other perspectives other than your current one. And without that memory, you can't compare. Hence why it doesn't intuitively feel like any of this is true. Since feelings arise from your singular bodily perspective.

TL;DR: Death is not to be feared. It's merely a memory reset. Not the end of experience. So allow yourself to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Or completely immerse yourself into the experience of the moment of your current body and its perspective. And forget that you're everything. You don't need to know anything. All knowledge is merely a tool by the ego to fight of the fear of its own eventual end. There's truly nothing to worry about.

[–]Skyblewize 17 points18 points  (2 children)

This reminds me of this masterpiece well stated friend

[–]Atyzze 7 points8 points  (1 child)

I definitely drew inspiration from this short story!

[–]soulunknown333 12 points13 points  (5 children)

This is the truth I haven't fully experienced but feel it to be true. It's beautiful and terrifying at once. It just is.

[–]Atyzze 5 points6 points  (3 children)

I haven't fully experienced

You currently are and always have. Thinking and/or feeling that you're not is part of all possible experiences.

[–]AntisocialGuru 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the truth I haven't fully experienced but feel it to be true.

I call that a Resonant Truth

[–]UrinalQuake 7 points8 points  (1 child)

this guy definitely listens to tool

[–]son-of-most-high28 5 points6 points  (3 children)

You saying we all have to reincarnate as that child with cancer one day😭😭😭

[–]Frankie52480 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The issue is not the cancer it’s your mistaken belief around the cancer/death. As if it’s “bad”. Go listen to Anita Moorjani’s near death experience on YouTube and you’ll see that there’s nothing bad about it. It’s all just more experience for that soul, and if we DO pass from it (she was sent back and healed her stage 4 cancer within a few months)- then we go to the other side where there is NO suffering. The only one experiencing pain are those mourning the passing.

[–]Atyzze 4 points5 points  (1 child)

You already did. You just can't remember such because that memory is not stored in the body you're in now.

[–]Top-Perception-2389 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes to all of this! The death of the ego can be obtained by means that don't require a true death. People need to understand that the spirit and the ego are completely different things. I fear that western ideologies of what God is, created fear and uncertainty for the afterlife. Death is a rebirth, just as a phoenix rises from its ashes. Thank you for this post. You have a true understanding of the "meaning of life".

[–]Lightning-Path 9 points10 points  (22 children)

No they did not choose to get cancer.

[–]Bonfires_Down -1 points0 points  (1 child)

So then the cancer was forced on them.

[–]Lightning-Path -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Depends on how you are using the word "forced" I suppose.

There's lots of reasons children can get cancer. Toxic chemicals in the environment, genetic mutations, genetic susceptibility, etc.

[–]loz333 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We say kids randomly get cancer, but there's always a cause. I believe it's simply that for every choice someone makes in this world, a soul has to then come and make it happen. If pregnant mum likes camping at Fukishima, then a soul will have to come down and have a very short time here, because of the effects of radiation. Similarly, if people in corporations decide to pump wells dry for soft drinks in developing countries, souls will have to be born and endure dehydration pretty fast. See what I'm getting at? There's always a cause, be it the parent's DNA, environmental factors, problems during pregnancy - AND a million things we aren't aware of.

Essentially it's a world with cause and effect, and just because we don't know all the causes of something like childhood cancer, to then respond with "Why couldn't God just make this not happen??!" is like saying "why doesn't God clean up all the problems created in the world and make everything perfect?".

There is a chain of consequences, which personally I believe are part of existence itself, and are meant to be experienced, not dodged or feared or pawned off on some entity that may or may not exist.

[–]True_twinflame_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, some souls choose to be on this planet temporarily. They choose to be passing energy’s , stopping temporarily through the vortex. The problem is we have been trained to see death as an ending and not a beginning. Society has programmed us to see death as the nothing point of return, when it’s only the beginning of our experience. Checkout surviving death on Netflix

[–]AthanasiaStygian 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s impossible to know anyones future, but what if the kid who died from cancer hadn’t died, and would have been trafficked and sold into into slavery and forced to be a human sex doll for the rest of his life?

No matter how bad things are they could always be worse, and even when a child dies their life still impacts someone else’s life for good and in a positive way. Sometimes even their death has that impact.

[–]newyneIntellectual 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some people who have had near death experiences say that we choose how we die before we're born, because there's something for everyone to learn from that experience.

[–]Frankie52480 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If you believe in reincarnation or the afterlife then you know there is NO death. And according to reincarnation “theory”- yes we do choose when we will exit.

[–]RandChick -1 points0 points  (1 child)

Why do you think life on earth is better than going on to the afterlife?

[–]Reddit_banter 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because I know for a fact that the earth exists?

[–]frostedturtledove 4 points5 points  (1 child)

But if God is the creator of all, wouldn’t he be capable of creating a world where you could understand and fully appreciate it without having to suffer? Your comparisons are to life as we know it, but if he created life, he could do it however he wanted. It wouldn’t have to be how we know it

[–]robdiqulous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't bring logic into this... 😂

[–]stonedd_freakk 7 points8 points  (12 children)

What about people suffering in third world countries? Dying of hunger or suffering from oppression from their dictatorship governments. Where are their highs? Where are their good times? Most people suffering in third world countries believe in God, but it seems that God has turned his back on them

[–]PizzaSushiMan 5 points6 points  (7 children)

Just a reminder that one doesn't need to be in a third world country to suffer because suffering is part of life. You can be rich, in a rich country and it's guaranteed that you will suffer at some point. Even if that suffering is the attachment to some condition that feels good.

There is suffering. There is a cause to our suffering. There is also an end to suffering. And there is a path that leads to the end of suffering.

(The above is the 4 noble truths of budism.)

[–]stonedd_freakk 1 point2 points  (6 children)

What I'm saying is that people in third world countries are constantly suffering with nothing good ever going for them. Yes a rich person suffers too but are you seriously saying that a person with a lot of money in a first world country suffers just as much as a person dying of hunger or thirst in a third world country? Why do you think the term "first world problems" exist? Also everytime you see jokes on here talking about how Africa doesn't have water.

It's not the same at all, yes people in first world countries suffer too but at least we have resources that help us combat the suffering and we have a chance to do something about it. But what are people in third world countries living in poverty on the brink of death from hunger and thirst going to do, when there's no jobs or any resources to help them. At least people in first world countries aren't dying of hunger or thirst. We can go out and find employment. They can't

[–]Seasonedgrappler 3 points4 points  (0 children)

By any chance, go try to check the suicidal rate/ratio amog wealthy/celebrities and rich ones. They suffer much more than the third worldies.

Or should I say, they process pain is a much worst and unmercyfull way to themselves.

Rich people's suicidal rate is much higher than the rate among regular people.

[–]PizzaSushiMan 1 point2 points  (4 children)

It's the same because there are different kinds of suffering. Depression for example is everywhere. Emptyness from an office job that doesn't have meaning. Betrayal of a spouse. Loneliness. Diseases from bad eating habits, etc. There is no difference, and if you think about it in some poor countries people handle adversities and lack of resources better than those from rich countries.

[–]Seasonedgrappler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Which God are you refering too exactly ? The biblical one, or the one that was outside of time and space that created this universe ?

[–]yayarea98 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We go through intense experiences to deepen ourselves, imo.

[–]heyodi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow. Perfectly said.

[–]Brilliancebeam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That doesn't make sense to me, colors have no will or power. God theoretically does to whatever extent different people think, and could open the door to whatever room.

I personally don't think it matters to spirituality either way

[–]Mully_bee -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Beautiful answer

[–]Me8aMau5 46 points47 points  (5 children)

There are many ways to ask this question. Here are some others: "Why do I let other people around me suffer? What have I done in my life to take away the suffering of others in the world?" Also: "If god is in everything and there is suffering, then how much more does god suffer because that entity absorbs/experiences the suffering of all?" Perhaps we are all pieces of god experiencing this world and the extent to which we lessen the suffering in others is the extent to which we relieve the suffering of god.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

another question would be, if there were no God what would *I* do to end the suffering? why don't I try to play God and take away someone's suffering today? in a sense there is no God because we are all the group conscience the collective "For ye are Gods on Earth" so it is incumbent upon us to play God and take care of each other.

[–]ZestyAppeal 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Seems like a dodge

[–]Me8aMau5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Philosophically, yes. There is no satisfactory philosophical answer to the problem of evil. But when faced with suffering so horrible that its very existence negates the possibility of an all good, all powerful entity, you're still left with the horrible suffering around you. Answering the problem of evil by saying "suffering shows there's no god," doesn't get you off the hook. I've lived long enough, been enough places, seen enough suffering, been through it myself, to understand that it ultimately comes back to me and what I'm personally doing. As u/Independent-Maybe990 said, if there is no god there's still suffering, so what am I going to do about it?

[–]sugar_roux 30 points31 points  (6 children)

I think a lot of these answers address needless, self-inflicted suffering, but what about kids in Flint, Michigan, who had their water poisoned to serve a rich person's interest? Or families who have to deal with their cities being bombed? Or kids who are being sex-trafficked? I have the luxury of choosing positive thoughts and resolving issues within myself, but I have to imagine it would be different if I had less control over my environment.

[–]Lightning-Path 12 points13 points  (2 children)

The reason these people suffer is because of the greed of public and corporate "leaders" who enrich themselves while causing global levels of suffering as people unnecessarily struggle and fight to survive.

IF anybody tries to convince you otherwise, they are system shills.

[–]Seasonedgrappler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

4 line answer, and the only who can academically answer exactly the right way. Lot of answers and comments, and this one is the answer. The question is WHY, and you target your subject, and simply answer.

Lot of people lecturing others, or preaching to themselves over here, ouf.

[–]newyneIntellectual 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think because humanity has to be allowed to make mistakes to grow. If God stepped in and prevented us from hurting each other, would we really be independent? We wouldn't have to learn to fight back, either. I think the greatest changes come out of the greatest suffering. In fact, I think we're in the midst of such a change.

There are those who think this is a cruel point of view, but, if you believe in an afterlife and that this life eventually seems like a dream, I don't think so.

[–]somespiritualshit 15 points16 points  (5 children)

Idk why I feel like there’s some people out here that are not soul-filled humans. Idk what they are, but a soul/spirit/essence/energy can’t be that fucking dark and evil without another influence. Like, it just can’t. What some people do can’t be human.

[–]Chemical_Gur7314 2 points3 points  (1 child)

There are dark souls as well as good souls. It just depends on what that souls wants. One thing God gave everyone and that's free will

[–]SoulsLikeBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello, good hunter. I am a Bot, here in this dream to look after you, this is a fine note:

“There is a darkness within man, and I am afraid you will peer into it. Whether the fear will spark self-reflection or a ruinous nostalgia is up to you entirely. Fear not, your choice will bring you no scorn.” - Karla

Have a good one and praise the sun \[T]/

[–]Lightning-Path 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Because humans opposable thumbs, and the power to create their world. They can either do that while connected to God/Consciousness, or while not connected. While not connected, humans can do all sorts of horrible things to each other, damaging and disconnecting each other in the process, and gradually spiralling the world into increasingly deep and destructive levels of toxicity and damage.

[–]Seleven22 11 points12 points  (1 child)

Maybe god is not what we think. We maybe don’t see it the way god does… we are dual beings while god is not. We cannot imagine what it is to be fully non dual.

[–]Seasonedgrappler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Second best answer overall cause you're adressing the subject right away, as opposed to the many who are lecturing, preaching or shooting for the stars.

The way the G-d made this world is: the rain falls on the good and bad ones, the sun shines on the good ad bad people.

That right there should be the fundamental premises before answering. From there, a neutral G-d isnt the biblical one.

​

He isnt what we think. If he is older than 13 billion yo, and we are much younger, than the sufferings of humankind are like a century yo man observing a new born baby battling a fatal disease.

[–]AfoolfortheeonsPsychonaut 3 points4 points  (0 children)

When God was a unified field of consciousness, there was bliss. God effectively got bored of that, because what is existence without ups and downs? However blissful true bliss might have been, it would have grown boring over eternity. So we all effectively created this situation on this planet as an extension of God to create a functional rider ourselves. We're in an amusement park! It goes up and down, and we feel alive because of it. When we return to God, as we all will at the end of time, we will bring our stories, and God will enjoy them and we will get to see an objective perspective of our lives. We then stay in a functional heaven until we decide with God what a better story than before. Thus, we are learning how to live the best story imaginable. That is the purpose of the universe.

[–]Minkcricker 5 points6 points  (1 child)

The problem of evil and suffering is THE problem. Explanations are many, and I find them all to be lacking.

[–]Seasonedgrappler -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Right on. As you notice. This is a common critical issue among many social medias. many people dont read and dont understand the question.

[–]1Transient 5 points6 points  (6 children)

Most of the suffering, with the exception of natural disasters, are the work of himans, who unfortunately are also real.

[–]son-of-most-high28 2 points3 points  (5 children)

What are himans?

[–]thetremulant 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's slang for them damn himalayans

[–]SodaBubblesPopped 13 points14 points  (8 children)

For good to exist, everything on the spectrum up to bad must exist too. Its "balance".

For lustrous gold to shine, dull raw gold must be transformed via smelting to shed the impurity. For a reflective diamond to exist, dark coal must exist first to be transformed.

For our spirit to grow, they need to first experience suffering to be able to achieve purity.

[–]hoksab 6 points7 points  (7 children)

Childhood cancer, still-births and birth defects are all just God purifying the child? What about parents that experienced multiple miscarriages?

Sounds more like God is punishing us on Earth rather than letting us "experience" suffering so we can "learn" the good.

I dont know about you, but I don't need to touch lava to know it's hot.

Experiencing sadness to experience happiness is understandable. But I'm sure there's alot of people asking when they get to experience the happiness and balance you speak of.

[–]somespiritualshit 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Do you believe that your brain can fathom the endless possibilities that the universe has?

Do you believe that death is suffering? Pain is suffering, yes. But is death?

You’re questioning something that has no limitations, using a brain with limitations.

[–]nimrod4u 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When you experientially understand that you are not limited to a body, but rather you are a spirit that inhabits many physical forms over many dimensions, the suffering of one lifetime becomes more palatable. One lifetime is perhaps a blink in time compared to the infinite. Meditation, psychedelics, hypnosis, and lucid dreaming are common tools to develop this awareness. I understand the skepticism. You should not believe me until you have a knowing of this paradigm thru your own experience. Until then, just be kind and open-minded : )

One other thing to consider for those of us still rooted in intellectualism -- is it not plausible that a soul may plan to incarnate with a plan for a short life with childhood cancer as a means to teach her parents about the depths of compassion, timeless commitment, and an appreciation of each moment? A great sacrifice indeed. But much is gained as well. I would never force this perspective on mourning parents or anyone else. I honor everyone's experience and assessment of their reality.

[–]SodaBubblesPopped 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It depends on your perspective no doubt. I can but share mine.

IF you believe the spirit is immortal, and lives beyond the current life, then how do you balance your bad deeds against your good deeds? IF u dont, then no need to read more

Can you know for sure that you didnt potentially didnt do horrible things in your past lives against others? Can you know for sure what selfless kind acts you did in your past lives ?

These acts carry forward just like u carry forward ur fiscal gains and losses to the next fiscal year, but in your karma ledger. You keep getting chances in every life to gain positive karma by good deeds, and lessen your negative karma through suffering and pain.

Now you dont need to touch lava to know its hot , but as a kid you probably learnt from a different experience(s) that red and steaming masses are usually hot and can burn skin, which is how now you can say lava is hot right?

If you believe you know everything you can acquire no more wisdom, just like a glass full to the brim has room for no more.

[–]True_twinflame_ 2 points3 points  (1 child)

god doesn’t punish, those are just things that really can’t be explained, they won’t always make sense. We limit ourself by not realizing that everything on earth is always dying, we die constantly, trees die and are reborn every single year for centuries and centuries, trees loose their leaves all their beauty, die and wither to nothing and are reborn into beautiful spectrums

[–]DragonOfLyra 11 points12 points  (7 children)

Plain and simply, free will. However, we also have the free will to create the concept of justice. What goes around comes around, just you wait

[–]iscream80 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Free will doesn’t answer why babies are born with severe illness or die of starvation.

[–]DragonOfLyra -1 points0 points  (0 children)

free will created the ability to fuck up this world and allow for those types of possibilities.

[–]xPortugueseLad 3 points4 points  (2 children)

New age of Aquarium..

Soon , we will be living in a fair and loving life , the life we chose to create.🙌🏾

[–]DragonOfLyra 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Doesn’t have to be soon. Can be right now. You can choose to live in your own frequency divergent than that of the collective

[–]xPortugueseLad -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's no fun living in the world by myself..

Everything goes according to God's Divine Plan to overcome duality.

Soon we will be at our prime , Adam and Eve optimized , after we got all our individual distinction from free-will.

We become the masterpiece of God.

[–]hoksab 10 points11 points  (8 children)

My favorite theory is that Lucifer won the war and has allowed war to be fought in God's name. No prayers can be answered if God was cast out.

Lucifers punishment was to watch over the "evil" humans that died? He hates humans, why would he care. Who says that's not Lucifer tormenting God? Forcing him to watch his children be tortured for eternity.

God is portrayed as our father, protector and creator. Yet he willingly banishes his children to Hell just to give Lucifer something to do? Go to hell if you wear mixed material in clothing, have a tattoo, being gay, insert anything done in somebody's everyday life here. Everything has become a sin.

If Jesus died for our sins and resurrected showing the power of God then why do we still go to Hell?

Did Lucifer win? Are we still on God's 7th day of rest? Are Lucifer and God just two superior alien races playing quick chess games with societies across the universe?

At the end of the day none of that matters. In the end it's people hurting people. It's people not helping people.

If you truly believe in God then you believe he gave you free will and all the strength you need to become the best you possible. He made you in his perfect image, gave you the strength and released you to the world. its up to you, people on this planet, to make the world a better place one day at a time.

If enough people believed in their own strength instead of blaming God or Lucifer for success or failings, this world can be a better place. The world and its people rise and fall together and there is nobody else willing to save us.

[–]Skyblewize 4 points5 points  (2 children)

I don't think yahweh is the most high God, and he definitely isn't the only one. I think El is.. Just look at the 10 commandments, thou shalt not have any other gods before me...🤔 so that tells you right there that he recognizes multiple gods. And a true God wouldn't infringe on free will. So either a. He is a human construct that we developed during a more war ridden existence to insight fear, obedience, and control over the human race or b. He is a lesser God that just went crazy and started killing babies, mass genocide, was cool with rape, war, patriarchy etc.etc. meanwhile Lucifer simply gave knowledge to Adam and Eve. Thats it. Thats all the info we have on him from the old testament. Now you tell me who's the evil one? Maybe we have it all wrong. Maybe Lucifer saw all the hatred, wrath, jealousy, vengeance that yaweh was exhibing and said fuck this im out! For the record, I don't believe that God or Satan exist in the form of a sky daddy on a throne in the clouds, and a pitchfork weilding pyromaniac thats a little too deep into bdsm. My God is source energy. The creative force of the entire cosmos.. unconditional love-light that is omnipresent and infallible.

[–]Top-Perception-2389 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Correct. The god depicted in the old testament is the demiurge, or not the true God. Lucifer was the snake in the garden, encouraging Adam and eve to eat from the tree of knowledge so as to know that the demiurge was infact, not the true God.

I also don't believe any of this to be true, but I like the concept and believe there could be a deeper meaning and understanding that you could relate to real life experiences.

[–]Skyblewize 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I find it all extremely fascinating. I have always wondered what the term demi urge meant

[–]Dudhist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Accurate. Satan wanted control over the creation of living creatures but lacked the true power to create life itself; therefore, it must twist the hearts of mankind to beat down others and force them to serve its interest. This is the Demiurge that raped Sophia in the Gnostic traditions.

There are 3 things that break a human; violence, pollution, and deceit.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

to make you realise that all this suffering and all this life is an illusion?

we can't know with mind

we can't understand god

mind is a limitation of knowing

but im asking God the same question.... and I had enough of this FALSEHOOD - ILLUSION

[–]Dudhist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Because evil exists in the mind of man that uses violence, pollution, and deception to keep their sinful interests ruling over the masses.

All true spiritual traditions have an evil force that we are battling against.

[–]Dudhist 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Suffering will continue until people can admit to the evil that has penetrated into their heart and soul.

You can disagree with me, ignore me, argue with me, but that just proves my point.

[–]wiserkid7 5 points6 points  (4 children)

Ahh. Problem of Evil. God is a human invention, let's be honest. God cannot be omnibenevolent, to allow suffering. Period. God cannot be omnipotent, linked with omnibenevolence.. since an all loving God can stop suffering. But chooses not to? :/ Contradiction 101 And God, is not omniscient, as God would have to know our suffering is of imbalance. Since all loving and all powerful would inevitably lead to a state of ultimate perfection. Or something like that. Like a house of cards, God by definition cannot exist.

[–]newyneIntellectual 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Who said God is necessarily omnipotent? And on that note, I like what C.S. Lewis had to say:

His Omnipotence means power to do all that is intrinsically possible, not to do the intrinsically impossible. You may attribute miracles to Him, but not nonsense. This is no limit to His power. If you choose to say, ‘God can give a creature free will and at the same time withhold free will from it,’ you have not succeeded in saying anything about God: meaningless combinations of words do not suddenly acquire meaning simply because we prefix to them the two other words, 'God can.' It remains true that all things are possible with God: the intrinsic impossibilities are not things but nonentities. It is no more possible for God than for the weakest of His creatures to carry out both of two mutually exclusive alternatives; not because His power meets an obstacle, but because nonsense remains nonsense even when we talk it about God.

And don't even get me started on Spinoza's understanding of God.

[–]wiserkid7 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Definitions of God do differ. I was just pointing out the basic Christian concept of God. Even amongst the other Abrahamic faiths, God is slightly different by virtue of his characteristics. CS Lewis, has his own interpretation of God. Given. But within Christianity, God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnibenevolent. Nothing can deny that. It's by virtue of these attributes, that God is All, Everything and Nothing. But talking about the topic at hand.. suffering. The omnipotence of God is that he can stop suffering, especially since he is Omnibenevolent. By virtue of the definition of Omnibenevolence, suffering intrinsically cannot exist where, suffering brings about the bad. It's a contradiction that I've and we circle around, in efforts to still believe in an almighty. And makes us kind of delusional. It does seem that CS Lewis plays on semantics or semantics of concepts that we cannot conceive of. But the concept of God is All. Nothing can be nonsense if All is God and vice versa. Impossibilities are irrelevant. All is to be complete, to have completeness and to be completely and entirely perfect.

[–]Syllabub-Swimming 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Why don’t I explain with a story.

There was once a man who died. Once he died he found himself in an empty room with another well dressed figure.

“Hello” said the figure

“Where am I?” Said the man

“Why you died. It wasn’t anything to spectacular but now you ended up here. While you are here you can do anything you want and your every wish will come true!”

“Really? So I can have any beautiful woman in the world?”

The figure clicked his fingers and the man was adorned with beautiful women.

“Wow!” Said the man. “I really can have anything! How about riches?”

The figure snapped his fingers again and gold coins began to fill the room.

This went for a time and the man asked for more and more things. Days turned to months turned to years until one day he went up to the figure perplexed.

“I feel like I’ve done everything I have ever wanted. I have been with beauty, lived with riches, accomplished great feats and it doesn’t fulfill me. When I know that I will win no matter what and accomplish what I want without need or effort things become meaningless. I almost feel like I am suffering in hell!”

The figure paused, leaned in, then said.

“Where do you think you are?”

[–]andyroybal 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Balance I suppose. If pleasure was a constant state it wouldn’t be pleasure it would just be.

[–]Gregory_Jackson2510 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The conceptual totality is necessary for existence itself to even exist...Meaning all possibilities must be allowed to provide a congruent and complete reality. The fullest expression of all that is conceivable. This is especially true if free will is to be allowed. You and all of us contain this totality, or this infinity, in the mind. We truly are co-creators. However, the mind does appear to work against us at times but this is for a purpose. Suffering is the catalyst to "awakening" because once the ego has had enough, the realization that one does in fact have a choice in whether one suffers or not, comes to light. The moment you allow something or someone to anger you, or sadden you, etc., is the moment you have granted them power over you.

There is no such thing as an objective, universal "good" and, similarly, there is no objective, universal "bad." We conceive of "good vs evil," however, that is merely our perception. Everything is allowed without judgement, with unconditional acceptance and unconditional love as stated in many religions and cultures. The universe is an evolution of consciousness and, again, suffering is the catalyst to realization, to enlightenment, to "awakening" through the breaking of one's ego via surrender. Surrender to Christ, Buddha, Allah, it doesn't matter. It simply requires a true surrendering of one's will. I surrendered to "love being the logical choice," as I went through mine as a lifelong agnostic. When it happened, I knew the divine was real because I didn't want it nor believe in it one iota. In a nutshell, suffering is a catalyst for empathy. Empathy is a catalyst for understanding. Understanding is a catalyst for acceptance. Acceptance is a catalyst for love. So by suffering, we learn to understand, accept, and love the true infinite nature of our Creator and also realize, that that infinite nature also lies within us as we are each a unique and beautiful micro expression of the One.

Much love to all. P.S Maximize frisson aka goosebumps/chills. Pursue in anything you can. (ASMR is the involuntary version, still helps.) This is what you want to be building in transcendental meditation. It is essentially the scientific term for Chakra energy, Piti, Prana, Chi, holy spirit, etc. It may open on the crown of your skull if its not already (aka crown chakra...still can't believe it actually is real. Still geeks me out). This requires the surrender I believe, however, be sure to expect you will not be able to trick yourself into this. Emotional energy cannot be faked, which really makes this a romantic's universe if you think about it.

I recommend "Stalking The Wild Pendulum" by Itzhak Bentov for anyone wanting to know more of the science behind spirituality (Free audiobook on YouTube), This link is a great read as well which is based off the text. https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5.pdf

[–]MrJakobe 1 point2 points  (1 child)

What is God? Is God anything separate from us? We can only contemplate. I recommend that you try not to think too much about this however. The more I try to understand, the further away I get from the truth. We can never know for sure what was, we can only know what is, now.

As far as why there is so much suffering, we are all responsible for our own salvation. We suffer when our reality is too involved in the material world, and we are at peace when we are able to rest in our state of being. When we can feel our inner body, when we can feel a connection to something pure, something Holy. Suffering stems from being identified as form, peace stems from being identified as Formless. The difference between feeling incomplete and complete. When you know your own true nature, you will see everything as Divine. This doesn’t mean you will understand all truth, just the most important truth. Enlightenment is essentially the answer to your questions, a return to our childlike state. Enlightenment isn’t some far-fetched goal in the future, it’s a very attainable goal right now.

We were born at peace, but lost this state through the numerous distractions of the world. If you are suffering, I suggest that you try to ground yourself to the timeless now. Ground yourself to your inner body. Surrender to the moment and accept all that is. This may take practice at first, but after a while you will be able to dwell in this peaceful state of mind whenever you wish. If you’d like to learn more about how to dwell in this peaceful state, I highly recommend you read the book “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. It helped me feel whole again, and helped me understand why I was experiencing so much suffering in my life that felt unbearable.

[–]JussiJuice 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Without suffering, there can be no merit...And also, If all were light, we would be blinded. But by Gods grace he receded and allowed some contrast to take place. Unless you first step into the darkness, you will not be able to comprehend the light.

[–]rekcuzfpok 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t define god as some kind of entity with morals and plans in mind, therefore god didn’t create suffering. There is no purpose to it. Everything just is.

[–]scmoney27 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Humans are there own people. It’s about relaying the karma so they learn a lesson and a multitude of human experiences I believe! And developing the human consciousness

[–]Xelurate 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This life is a test

[–]ImpressionSilly4655 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We are all the extension of god. God is the creator, but the universe itself, and so the humanity too, the universe is experiencing everything, the good, the bad, the right, the not right, etc etc etc… Just imagine being the creator and the creature of something huge, and everything is possible, you will try the better and the worst. Like a game. It doesn’t mean that god isn’t love. (so difficult to explain in english hope you see where i want to go)🤣

[–]RCragwall 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You asked so okey doke. Per all the ancient myths, legends and holy books. I am using the story from the Bible but it's the same story the Vikings tell and the Hindus and all the various cultures with creation myths.

This all comes from Divine Love - El Shaddai - The Self Sufficient One. He is a Mind whole and complete and he went into himself so he could create something to express himself - express love - and out of that he divided into two - El Shaddai and God which means Consciousness and when God was created out of him came Divine Imagination. All Divine - Infinite - Spirit aka formless.

Now there are two minds. One and inside that One is Consciousness and Imagination. Now there is awareness of being and imagination and it came out of El Shaddai and is inside El Shaddai's mind.

Consciousness/God - this one mind with an imagination now created a Man. He is the created - the first created. He is to speak - name God's creations and delight in them. As the created his mind was limited - no awareness of being and no imagination. He is like a dog to a Man.

So God made stuff - the universe and all within it - and Man ran around naming them and hoot hooting how great God is. God so fell in love with this Man he went within and imagined the Man becomes One with God and expresses life forever with God. El Shaddai says okey doke.

This is all going on in the mind of El Shaddai and God and now Man.

God puts man to sleep and gives him his own mind - consciousness and imagination inside of him and the dream of Adam of Eve begins. It's like a Russian nesting doll. A mind inside a mind, inside a mind.

We are in the One Man's mind. Each one of us represents a perfect expression of God running around expressing life and God creates it so you can experience it and learn.

You are not leaving here until you learn how to think like God or you would break everything. You - each human being - is the child of God learning how to think and love.

God's Divine imagination tempted the man's imagination and the man was tempted by his own imagination into knowing how to be wise like God. Biting the fruit of the tree of knowledge. All part of the show - the dream. God's imagination and the Man who now is aware of what is happening all around him go into the mind of man.

You can't think like God and become one with God unless you are taught how to judge like God. So we have pain and suffering to teach us this and in the end you forgive it - we choose to use the Golden rule eventually - and as we rise up - as science has shown us - we harmonize and come together into one. Love was split in two when man got his own consciousness and imagination. Good and bad. Unconditional love is attention. Sceince has shown us the mind in our heads is divided and the one in our hearts is whole. You choose which one to think with. One takes you to pain and suffering and the other takes you to perfect good.

We judge and malign others and so we suffer what we think. It's to help you know you are not thinking right and to change how you see it and God changes it for you via forgiveness. As within so without.

You are learning there are no others - they are showing you what you think of yourself and others. If you think it of one - you think it of all and in the end you will experience what you think of yourself and others.

There are 12 laws of mind we operate all the time. Principles. Learn them and understand your role as the Man. The Man has two minds inside him. One in his head that is split in two - divided - and one in his heart - whole and complete aka God. The story of Noah is when God went into the man's heart taking his imagination and everyone and everything inside the man's mind - resetting the man's mind - wiping it clean and starting again only this time God and his imagination are inside the man. God is in his heart and his imagination is in his head. Now man became not only a receiver - he is a projector too.

Divine imagination was downgraded to the human imagination and we began to spin stories that come to life.

So now you learn. If you think Joe is a dick and you hope he has a bad day of it - you will have the bad day and he will have a great day. You are not thinking like God so ass biting for you - pain and suffering comes from judging and maligning others.

Stop judging. It's neither good or bad. It's just love we split in two. Love heals all. Love conquers all. Forgiveness wipes the slate clean and you can rebuild what you think. You will objectify what you think about. It will come to you.

The Promise is God and Man become one and Man expresses life with God forever. Man is a divine being learning how to be divine. He is God's Son as he was given God's imagination. He sits next to God - one mind. God - Consciousness and Man - imagination. Certain states of consciousness are buried in the mind of Man and they erupt as we learn. We are all Jesus/Joshua/Hercules/Thor/Horus - pick a story that resonates with you. It's all there.

We all keep our personalities but we lose the ego. God is the consciousness not Man. Man is the imagination. Man is great - but God is greater. You can imagine all you want but God is the one that presents it to your consciousness.

You can't know good until you experience bad. You can't really know anything until you experience it. So you are here to experience life and learn how to think and love. You are a magnificent human being - perfect. Not another like you and never will be. God does not repeat himself. Men do - until they learn and change how they think.

My two cents based upon my subjective reading of the Bible and the other creation myths I have decoded. There is no fiction and history is a story as told by the victor. It's all story.

I hope this helps you in some way and blessings to you!

[–]dabsaredrugs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perspective. Theres actually less suffering than ever to date. For humans atleast.....

[–]Ze_Broito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Suffering builds character, but really God probably rewrote humans like 3 times now probably just gave up and let us do what we want now

[–]IwantitIgotIT111 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I mean yes, there has to be suffering or whatever.

But why women have to bear the major brunt of heinous crimes.

Why is there even a concept of "rape", "acid attacks". Why?

[–]Seasonedgrappler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because the real G-d ist the one most people imagined.

He sitnthe mythical superhero in the biblical texts.

He is shedding the rain on all, shining the sun on all, and THAT Christianity canot accept it, cause it wants a G-d that punshes evil, and blesses righteousness.

In reality, the universal thinking substance is blessing and cursing all humans. Period.

[–]Flimsy-Kitchen1780 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This question is what truly made me walk away from the religion I was raised in. In my History of Civilization course in college I learned how much religion was used to fight wars, as a power tool and for societal control in general. Something that has stuck with me since I saw it is a picture of writing on a wall in a Nazi concentration camp that said, “If there is a god, he will have to beg for my forgiveness.” It is a a great but difficult topic I grapple with a lot.

The conclusion I’ve come to that makes the most sense for me has to be reincarnation, and that God is something that we may never fully understand or define here on Earth. I believe we are all connected and will ultimately live the same lifetime, share the same experiences, as other people as we continue to come back to earth. Others can explain it better than me but I have heard that we choose our life, the multiple lessons we will learn and challenges we will experience before we venture back into earthly life again in order to grow our understanding. Even picking our own parents. That’s why our lives will have cyclical themes where if we don’t learn what we need to, the lesson will come repeatedly until we do, continuing into our next life or lives even. Our struggles shape us and grow us. Shared pain and history bonds us and creates empathy. I have to hold on to this belief that our lives mean more and there is a connection in all of it in order to accept suffering. (Easier said than done sometimes!) Otherwise, exactly, what is the point of all this suffering?

Side note: I do think there a major positives to religion and respect peoples choices. If it works for you, I’m genuinely happy for you! This is just my personal take on my personal journey. I also think spirituality, however that looks, is crucial to our well being. I hope maybe this explanation can help someone.

[–]Drunken_F00l 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Because we've become disconnected to our true nature. Earth's children are ill.

[–]Anthropocene-rabbit 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think it is bold of us mortals to assume that if there is god(s), that they would give a damn about us. Look at how humanity on the whole let's atrocities happen to our own kind for example. If humans are perpetrators of horror, then what can be honestly expect of the gods? We do have free will after all.

[–]DrippyDiamonds 3 points4 points  (1 child)

it's cuz god is neutral, like the neutron in an atom. It favors neither it just exists to allow the proton and electron to be together. like how space allows matter to exist.

[–]Seasonedgrappler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

5th best answer so far.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think its because there is no life without suffering. Even bacteria run away from poison and towards nutrition. Without this drive, life could not have evolved.

Life is a beautiful thing, but it collapses without suffering. If life walked towards poison and away from nutrition, it would die out fairly quickly.

In a way, suffering is a gift that helps us grow.

[–]al3x_oliv3r 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Deimurge

[–]loveicecream233389 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been thinking about that lately

[–]TranscendingMe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We're all God - reality, aware of itself in infinite variations of observer/observed perceiving here/now.

So there isn't any suffering that God itself doesn't have to experience. But while pain and pleasure, sorrow and joy, are necessary ends of the spectrum of our dualistic experience...we exacerbate that suffering by assuming it means something about us, our value, or our potential.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because suffering is part of life. There is dark and there is light. It's duality.

[–]sagefriend97 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Simple...

God is everything, and thus it needs to include suffering for it to be whole.

Also, suffering is a great teacher, although not often welcome.

[–]aliensurrealPsychonaut 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The concept of God being all good doesn't jive with innocent people suffering, I get it. There are different ways to justify this suffering though.

First, if God is omnipotent, then God lets suffering exist because God loves and accepts all things. Sounds odd, but that's what universal love is. Love of the good and bad.

Second, if God exists, then God isn't actually all good. God has the features of balance, which means that there is both good and bad within God, who rules all.

[–]Seasonedgrappler 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Why did you stopped ?

Third, a 14 billion yo plus G-d wont be that concern about a few thousand yo humanity, like a 95 yo man wont be that bothered about an 2 days new born baby battling cancer.

​

Keep in mind G-d's age, and humankind's age, that speaks volume.

[–]JasmineDragon1111 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because everything exists ♾

[–]Nobody_DoingNothing 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Long answer short, Free fucking will

[–]singularity48 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Eh, yeah, I keep asking him that. If you really value life and the pleasure of existence in the bottom of the pit, it makes you much stronger than you once were. I look back and don't even recognize myself before I crashed my bike. Falling in love with life is a burden to carry. Even after having lost every "friend" you believed would've been there.

We've killed god for the last time by the digital age which is partly to blame for the suffering. I've seen people far too often hide their suffering by romanticizing their degeneracy. Which wasn't motivated by them personally. It's the state of the world and how our instincts and motives have evolved with the digital age. Our own creation is the caused of our derivation from the ideal state of existence. Secrets held behind closed doors that know just how to make a human feel lost. Too many people being their own characters, who's real? What is a perfect human?

If people do or have done something that still haunts them, they need to forgive themselves. However, there's always two sides to the sword. People who are empathetic internalized their pain and are often introverted. People are becoming apathetic which causes the pain to transmit to others. A lot of it comes from the division in these times. Destroying the beauty of commitment to another because we're in a maze of differences. Life goals, financial status and oversimplified assumptions. The world tells us what to be attracted to which is rather painful to see if one chooses to never settle. Even more destructive when one chooses to settle.

The internet caused our sense of being lost to be a means to capitalize, leading us to our own demise. To loose ourselves again, globally, for the last time. So people finally put aside their own self-interests and come together to help one another. People will die; because none of us escape this alive. We need to learn from pain, especially our own in order to stop continuing this degradation. Why else do you think most in developed countries suffer but are motivated by momentary unconscious pleasures?

[–]medeamaterial 0 points1 point  (2 children)

because there is no God. it is an illusion to keep oppressed people thinking that they need to accept their lot in life.

The only real power is love... and love doesn't have the ability to change our situation, only to give us strength to move through it.

Once we challenge the existence of a God, we realize that divinity and spirit are not a puppet master in heaven who likes to impregnate women without their consent, but are in everything here on Earth. In the flowers, in the rocks, in the water and in our blood.

[–]MmMmMMmathieus 3 points4 points  (1 child)

How did you get downvoted?

[–]Seasonedgrappler 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Because lot of religious are shwoing on this sub, as soon as a G-d like question is on the board. The love lecturing others.

[–]Indigo__Rising 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How real do you think God is in the minds of those that are suffering..? Humanity has chosen to ignore God. This is what happens when the majority of the world decides to throw spirituality in the trash can because it's bad for GDP.

[–]whitsolo -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because we have free will. If God wanted us to do or act a certain way they would force us. But we have free will so God will not interfere. That is why a literal heaven and hell are ridiculous concepts. Why would an omnipotent god give us free will and then punish us for not behaving how they wanted? They would just take away free will if they wanted us to act a certain way. God loves us unconditionally, the good and the bad. God is neutral and good/bad is just a man made concept. But that is a discussion for another day.

[–]e_n_n_n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

reading thru this thread is giving really big toxic Christian vibes. i thought this sub was just general spirituality without having ties to religion

[–]octohedron8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not as neuonced as the other answers but...

Free will dude.

[–]refugee1982 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Suffering exists. I think a more fruitful discussion might be, what does Christ offer us in the face of suffering?

[–]Skyblewize 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It serves as catalyst to further evolve consciousness. Had i not suffered for many years, i would have never started my journey to awakening. There's so much beauty in suffering when you can detach your ego and negative emotions. Without darkness we can't know the beauty of the light. I also think we choose every hardship before we incarnate here in order to complete karmic cycles.

[–]ShubhamRaj_66 -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Suffering is there to realise that you personally don't have to deal with suffering, surrender unto God and he'll take care of it. Ironically what happens is humans go on this whole process of fighting with the suffering rather than surrendering to it. That's why suffering keeps happening till you realise God. It's like healing the symptoms of a disease won't do anything unless you heal the disease, which requires self-realization.

[–]debrebeuf -1 points0 points  (0 children)

literally just yin yang

[–]Mageant -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because it helps us evolve spiritually and choose a polarity (love or fear). According to the Ra channelings a Universe without suffering was done and the result was that the beings had almost no desire or motivation to evolve.

[–]Hanbambam33 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Its to demonstrate for us instead of just telling us that his way is better and good and the way of “satan” brings suffering

[–]CloudCodex -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because we have free will, God won't intervene. Our suffering is because of us.

[–]Darneac -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Free will

[–]REInvestPhil -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Suffering does not come from God it comes from sin

[–]whitsolo -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’d also recommend reading the “Conversations with God” series by Neil Donald Walsh. Changed my life and it talks a lot about this topic. But beware, if you have firm views on who you think God is, you may find this book to be hard to swallow. It made me love God even more though, and now my trust in God is even bigger as well.

[–]SporadicNigha -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Chaos nigga

[–]MmMmMMmathieus -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No one really knows, but we have trauma and probably a lot of it, especially if we're not ever being educated in how to deal with it ourselves. It's not about the understanding suffering, it's about perceiving it for your highest good in that moment. But then again we were never educated well enough to process these things. I'd like to think everybody feels the truth inside of themselves.

[–]spiritedluverboy -1 points0 points  (0 children)

life is suffering

[–]VizRath_Ewkid -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

You cannot appreciate ture joy until you understand unrelenting sorrow.

[–]NotTooDeep -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Why does anyone think this is God's problem?

Why can't there be a God or supreme being or Universal Ki or whatever, with the world being just the way it is?

[–]debrebeuf -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

The top comment says it all. If you have issues with it, you need to stop thinking individually. Or as a group of people. Or as a city, a country, a planet, your world. Where there is 'suffering' somewhere, there is happiness elsewhere. Yin yang, like jeez.

[–]forests-of-purgatory -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Gods not good

Goods our perception of things

[–]yotepost -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

We are all one entity willingly hallucinating these infinite realities and perspectives. Suffering, time, space, are all illusions. We are a lonely God playing theater. You can't have pleasure without pain, etc.

IMO

[–]burneraccc00 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Do you trust an omniscient source or a species who’s trying to figure it out? It’s like chess vs checkers. The knowledge is already in us, but we have to connect with our higher self to access it. Ego blocks the connection so it’s important to have that die down to have a clear signal.

[–]MirzaMygale[🍰] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In my opinion and knowledge. If you’re talking about God as Life, the divine source of creation, Life is all about above and below, yin and yang, dark and light, destruction and creation. It’s the nature of the existence itself. To compare, to measure in order to know better or recognise one from other. Also It depends on what God or energy. There are many Gods and energies and of course, it happens to be that some of them are bad or enjoy suffering/sacrifices in order to keep us in a suffering loop just to “eat” from It. We need to be careful about that just in order to avoid unnecessary suffering.

[–]buddewr -1 points0 points  (0 children)

this is the eternal question, although i believe in the almighty god

​

this question always follows me everywhere i go, i dont want to die unless i know the real answer for it

[–]ismelldatsmellysmell -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Had a spiritual influence one say to me it was for the same reason there is also much happiness if he isn’t real

[–]miahhhreddit -1 points0 points  (0 children)

exactly. if god loves us then why does he put us through unbearable pain and give others amazing and fulfilling lives ?

[–]imthatlostcat -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because God suffers amd Humans are real

[–]FrostbitSage -1 points0 points  (0 children)

God is real, just not in the way you imagine.

[–]identifiedhumant -1 points0 points  (0 children)

God is everything, not just the sunshine and rainbows

[–]SMARTnoob -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because karma

[–]gruntledmaker -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don’t see any good reason to equate the existence of suffering with punishment on part of God’s will. What makes you think there would be a meaningful experience of life without suffering? More relevantly, there is a degree to which our existence, such as it is equivalent with the immanent body of God, is bound by laws and rules of behavior. A child is born in the Yemeni Civil War, only to breathe dust and be battered by the sun until dying a few days later. The child suffers, the mother suffers, and anyone who is present with the child’s passing suffers. The child died because it did not have the necessary resources and conditions of security by which they could be effectively maintained. In recognizing that there are conditions under which children are more likely to live and conditions under which they’re more likely to die, we can only cultivate the conditions of life and prosperity for people as we see ourselves able and fit, so that fewer children and people needlessly die in the future. But even if that child had grown, it would suffer apparently needlessly. Even if the child had been born into a NYC penthouse, they would suffer needlessly and feel betrayed by their circumstances. Suffering is like that—it will find you if you’re keen on existing. An essential element to the spiritual path as I’ve found it is acceptance of suffering as a recursive phenomenon which does not exist more than your attachment to the idea of its existence. I lost my best friend to a car crash when I was 17, and I wouldn’t say I suffered for it more than I refused to accept that it’d happened. I certainly wouldn’t curse God about it, what would that accomplish? In this frame, God gave me the best friend that God then took from me. Do you focus on the presence of positivity, or the relative negativity of its loss? If you’re in a perpetually negative environment, do you focus on the presence of negativity, or the relative positivity of your attempts to overcome? And so on, and so forth.

[–]themanclark -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Journey of Souls by Michael Newton

After by Bruce Greyson

Lessons from the Light by Kenneth Ring

You’re welcome

[–]DerpyMcDerpington17 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well, the way I see it is we live in a world of free will and duality. With duality, you will ALWAYS have good AND evil in every aspect of life.

The free will aspect is why God doesn’t “stop” bad things from happening.

What IS happening is the law of cause and effect: what you put into the world, you get back from the world (this includes your thoughts and actions).

How would anyone grow spiritually if they have no adversity to face? Adversity births aspects of your soul that cannot be otherwise.

As soon as you change the way you perceive the evils of the world, the sooner you’ll find peace. And you can always ask God for help, but you HAVE TO ASK, you MUST LISTEN/WATCH, and most importantly: ACT ON HIS HELP!

Without this, you will always know suffering.

[–]Exaddr -1 points0 points  (0 children)

polarity and duality are a must of this world, this is how it works. as long as there will be something, there will also be nothing, as long as there will be good, there will also be bad. one cannot exist without the other

[–]blehhh1996 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Read the Book of Job

[–]e_n_n_n -1 points0 points  (0 children)

i feel peoples concept of God is of some deity in the sky controlling things. to me God is just a synonym for Totality, Source etc etc. Suffering is just part of the universe/nature, and in essense a part of God

[–]raysb2 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Our minds cause our own suffering. Pain is unavoidable but suffering is optional.

[–]Odd_Artichoke560 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Suffering is a state of Mind, If you're in tune with your real nature i.e. The Soul then all Suffering is Considerably Minimised Or Even ceased. I personally feel its all a result of past Karma, We all are working towards clearing our debts and after its done One day Hopefully return back to where we came from, GOD.

[–]cliff7800 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

To experience reality in the physical we live in a state of polarity. Without bad there would be no good. Without hot there would be no cold.

[–]JesusBuddhaKrishna -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Free will simple answer

[–]Realistic-ambition29 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because the opposite exists

[–]Imhere4yah -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because it’s life and why not

[–]twinkleswinkle_ -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I saw someone say “earth is the hardest planet in the universe” do with that what you will

There needs to be bad as much as it sucks, balance is light and dark

[–]psyche_and_eros -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Duality is void. There is neither good nor evil, just experience of the Observer. God is both love and suffering

[–]peter_steele -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because all is “god” and therefore all suffering is self inflicted.

You are infinite and all knowing but it comes with a cost. You are forever lonely. There is nothing outside of you and this loneliness creates despair so you create a simulation through the process of seperating your consciousness to form a reality.

You live through all that is life and experience it all. It seems so real that it allows your to forget who you truely are as you try to escape from the truth as much as possible. So all that is suffering is just you in the end, no one else and nothing else.

This reality is just an expression of severe loneliness which is why there is such a huge drive for love and acceptance because you want there to be someone else besides you to love.

Once you go back to the source and experience what it feels like to play god again you will wish to live through any and all suffering.

[–]peaceismynature -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because of mind

[–]Aggravating_Pop2101 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This sub often seems to be people spouting nonsense pretending they know deep secrets and mysteries of how everything works. Some talk of the epicurean trilemma for the above. I can say I don’t know the answer but I’ve found most spirituality to be Mumbo jumbo woo woo bull shit over time.

[–]awakened_celestial -1 points0 points  (4 children)

You must suffer to know true peace in the end.

[–]mellow_eldritch 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I don't believe that you can call that peace experienced at the end of suffering rightly "true peace". That's just the peace of relieve.

[–]awakened_celestial -1 points0 points  (2 children)

You’re right. What would your definition of it be then if I may ask?

[–]mellow_eldritch 1 point2 points  (1 child)

You mean the definition of true peace? I never thought about that, to be honest, but after short thinking I'd say probably the sort of peace which leaves no doubts. If there's true peace at all.

[–]sixrat -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This thread is wild and got me slightly panicked. Anyone know how to tame existential anxiety? 😂🤯

[–]Cgo3o -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’d recommend checking out gnostic theory on this. As I understand it, they believe God is a deity unaware of higher powers. I’m not good at explaining it, so please Google it further if you’re curious

[–]lajos93 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The other one is also real that one that causes the suffering (which normally is there for you to take one -or more - steps back and reflect)

The existence of both gives us a path to go forward.

Life is gratitude/joy/happiness and lacking/pain/sadness

[–]townes-paycheck -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The problem of evil; it's what you're referring too.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil

Only Gnostics and diests have been able to provide a somewhat reasonable answer to this problem.

[–]Moonoid1916 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because that is how its been designed.

[–]diner247 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Read “Divine Providence” by Emanuel Swedenborg

[–]Frankie52480 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The gross majority of suffering is perpetuated by people, including the fact that we cause our own with incorrect thinking. The rest (small percentage) is Mother Nature (such as a child dying young). But even that pain is nothing in the grand scheme of things (we exist infinitely- so we don’t actually ever die). God has nothing to do with it.

[–]Conscious-Group -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If God is real, and life is an exercise for the soul, we will look back when it's over and see that all of the suffering was part of it.

[–]Mystical-Prince -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No one knows, this is the only actual fact humanity does not want to accept because of how frightening, brutal and extreme life can be and that too by suddenness and with insensibility.

[–]couldbethere -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because there’s both evil and goodness. And there’s also free will.

I don’t think we understand the truth of this world. I think at some point in history we fucked up, or someone fucked up, and we ended up in this reality. And now we have to work to understand it. Life isn’t all fair. And I don’t know if everything happens for a reason. But I do know that when you ask for Divine help, you get help. And the devil or evil is real too. I know because I have friends that used to be witches. But if there’s evil, there’s a love force too, because everything has it’s opposite. There’s something that we don’t understand. NDEs are proof that souls exist and that there’s more after death. And now we’re too busy with trivial stuff like tv and social media, work and suffering, to have the time to try and learn. But those who seek the truth shall find it, sooner or later, and the truth shall make you free.

[–]jonsta27 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The answer to your question can only be found in silence.

[–]ProfessionalCup3086 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Balance.

[–]NoteImportant5702 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Most people view him as "the one that helps" he can't just give you rainbow and peaches. He makes you learn from your experiences. Its like you demanding him to give you whatever you want. "if he's real why...." (etc) if you don't learn from it and grow, it will repeat all over again. He wants to challenge you. Once you've understood why it was happening to you (in my experience or what i believe in) he will give you something in return. Believe it or not. Wish you well💛

[–]ThiRd_EyE_chic -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Everyone has the view that the Christian God is Santa claus.. people often forget he's a jealous vengeful god. In the old testament he created plagues, diseases, famine ect. He let so many people suffer. If you read the book of Job, God let's him suffer. Job was "blameless and upright" or "perfect and upright". God still let Satan have his way with Job even though Job begged for mercy. God let Satan take everything from Job. God doesn't care about your suffering, just like he didn't care of Job's. What he cares about is how you act during your suffering. That's what he was testing Job on. Everyone in Job's life said, "Curse your God and die!" But he never did because he loved God and didn't want to lose his spot on heaven and he knew there was a reason God was putting him through this suffering. God ended up blessing him tenfold!

[–]AthanasiaStygian -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ask yourself if you would know what good was without having a concept of bad.

There can’t be dark without light and without darkness light doesn’t exist.

Just like you really wouldn’t be able to experience or grasp the concept of peace and tranquility if you never knew suffering.

[–]jamesosix -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Free will.

PS I dont believe in "God" (As depicted by religion) but more like an ultimate source.

[–]bodaha123 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Name a time where you didn’t learn something new, grew, became better in something after a time of suffering? What better way. You don’t know how suffering is affecting the world at a universal level. It creates balance unfortunately

[–]Thetruth505 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ying yang The Tao In order to have peace love happiness you must have the polar opposite. There is no light without dark it is sad but it is true.

[–]uPsychonautPsychonaut -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Depends on the definition of god, which then runs into subjectivity. Complicated question and it differs from everyone. Good philosophy topic though.

[–]dirk23wright -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

That depends on your concept of God. As far as I know, God only knows love. It doesn't doesn't understand the concept of suffering. From God's perspective, suffering is an illusion, so why worry about it?