>
>
> On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Thomas L Moore wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 21 Mar 1996, Norman L Smith wrote:
> >
> > First, since "good" is subjective, pain and suffering can be "good,"
> > depending on the outcome.
>
> Subjective? I guess if you are not the one suffering.
Not true, haven't you ever heard the phrase "no pain,no gain?" Works on
more than just working out.
>
> >
> > Second, the Christian god did intentially inflict pain and suffering on
> > people in the Bible, and many claim today that their pain and suffering
> > is a test of faith by God.
>
> I don't believe that God is the author of pain and suffering. A short
> trip to Genesis should tell us that.
>
It was God's choice to kick Adam and Eve out, it was God's choice to
inflict the pain and suffering that resulted. If God is all powerful as
people claim, then he didn't have to kick them out, nor did he hav to
allow evil to exist. By arguing this way, you show the atheists are right.
Now, most people here think "good" can come out of pain and suffering, I
suspect. One prime example is punishment, just like Adam and Eve.
> > I guess my point is, if pain and suffering can be "good" depending on the
> > outcome, then the objection to God by atheists because of the pain and
> > suffering, and the objection to evolution by Christians because of pain
> > and suffering becomes severely weakened....
>
> Pain and suffering is not good but the result of evil, God however can
> bring about good from an evil situation.
How do you explain the unimaginably painful command God gave to sacrifice
one's own son to Him?
Tom