1 why does god allow suffering? part 1. 2 why does god allow suffering? part 1 origin of suffering...
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Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Part 1
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Why does God allow suffering? Part 1
• Origin of suffering
• Unappreciated protective system
• Our responsibilities
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Root cause of all suffering
We live in an imperfect world full of imperfect people
Bible tells us the reason for imperfection
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Suffering from minor injuries
Accidental injuries• Burns
• Bruise our hand
• Strain a muscle
• Cut a finger
Surprisingly this suffering can be a good thing
Pain can help prevent further injuries . .
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Unappreciated Protective System
• Sensors scattered over skin
• No dedicated pain sensors– Pressure, Touch, Heat, Cold
• Threshold of touch
Threshold of touch absolutely right for purpose
Sensitive to:-
Tip of tongue 2 g/mm2
Fingers 3 g/mm2
Back of hand 12 g/mm2
Sole of foot 250 g/mm2
Back of forearm 33 g/mm2
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The Nervous System
Absolute threshold of pain
• How much pressure applied to a very sharp needle produces painful sensation?
Cornea 0.2 gram
Forearm 20 grams
Back of hand 100 grams
Sole of foot 200 grams
Fingertip 300 gramsPain system – marvellous design – essential
for normal life
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The Nervous System
Internal organs don’t respond to needles or heat
– Stomach responds to distension
Referred pain– Something wrong with
internal organ pain occurs elsewhere
Pain says “something is wrong”
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Must it Hurt?
In 1937 boy taken to hospital in America
• He suffered from:-– Partial blindness
– Scars on every part of body
– Huge scar on buttock – sat on a heater
– Foot permanently deformed
– Both hands cut so badly couldn’t straighten fingers
He couldn’t feel any pain so his body became very badly injured
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Must it Hurt?
• Dr Paul Brand – Lifetime studying leprosy
– Disease kills cells in skin making it numb
Tissue damage results because pain is silent
Feet of a man with leprosy
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Alternative Warning system?
• Brand attempted to make artificial pain sensors for lepers– Buzzer & flashing light ignored
• Had to resort to electric shocks in armpits
• After 5 years research Brand gave up– System too expensive, broke down
frequently, inadequate for purpose
Man incapable of designing such a failsafe system
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Other Types of Suffering . . .• Suffering caused by
– Our behaviour
– Our lifestyle
• Suffering as a result of war, persecution & pollution
• Suffering as a result of floods, earthquakes, illness and death
Man causes much suffering
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Suffering Caused by Accidents
Do we consider the outcome before we do things?
• Driving under the influence
• Driving at excessive speeds
• Taking excessive risks
Other people can suffer as a result of our actions as well as ourselves
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Suffering Caused by Lifestyle
• Cigarettes have health warning– Yet many ignore warning
• Overeating causes obesity – Risk of heart disease & diabetes
• Alcohol & drug abuse– Injuries & addiction
• Sexual immorality – Sexually transmitted diseases
• A lot of suffering could be avoided
Suggest that man has a selfish streak
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Our Choices
• Most of us choose things that cause suffering– e.g. Pollution can cause asthma
• If God prevented all suffering – Would affect our lifestyles– Goods, services etc. would be stopped
• All man-made suffering should make us consider . .
The world is not as it should be
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One Answer
• Why does God allow . . . ?
• Do the same people give credit to God for good things taken for granted?– Health, food, clothing,
warmth and sunshine
God must be credited for good things too
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Suffering Caused by Mankind
• Persecution & War
• Genocide
• Murder & violence
The results of atrocities in Cambodia
God does not cause this sufferingMuch suffering is a result of man’s inhumanity to man
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Why Doesn’t God Intervene?Man’s atrocitiesSome say:“If God cannot stop the
suffering then he is not an all powerful God & if He will not stop the suffering then he is not a very caring God.”
Please note:- Please note:-
• Intervention by God requires miraclesIntervention by God requires miracles
• Some interventions would not be Some interventions would not be pleasantpleasant
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Why Doesn’t God Stop It?
• God has the power to stop atrocities
• God has given all humans free will– We can choose good or bad – our choices
affect others
– If punished immediately for bad decisions where would be free will?
God wants us to choose good not evilGod wants us to choose good not evil
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Doesn’t God Care?
God does care. He takes no pleasure in suffering – For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone
declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
• Ezekiel 18:32
– He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
• 2 Peter 3:9
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God does care
God takes no pleasure in suffering
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son
John 3:16
The Bible tells us about God’s plan to The Bible tells us about God’s plan to permanently remove sufferingpermanently remove suffering
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Next Time . .
• Problem of continual pain
• Profiting from pain?
• Teaching of Jesus– Man’s atrocities
– Natural disasters
• A permanent solution to suffering
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Summary
• We live in an imperfect world full of imperfect people
• Pain is an unappreciated protective system
• Our actions cause suffering – To ourselves and others
• God gave us free will
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