God and Peoples Suffering

Technical Terms It is necessary to define some technical terms that will be used in this essay to ensure readers understand them. First, the term god refers to a supreme deity that is worshiped by various religious groups; for instance, Christians refer to this being as God while Muslims call him Allah. Suffering refers to unpleasant events that make human life unbearable.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on God and People’s Suffering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They include hunger, diseases, conflicts and death among others. Existence means being able to be seen or felt in different aspects. This essay will use this term to refer to how God manifests himself in the world. Belief refers to strong convictions that something exists or can cause changes in life. The term perfect means an event or being that is incapable of making mistakes and that has never been associated with evil. This includes the nature of supreme beings and their actions. David Hume’s Thesis and Argument This author presents that God does not exist and that is why people suffer. Suffering and benevolence cannot exist and this means that there is no way people will suffer if God existed (Hume 62). Hume argues that most religious teachings portray their supreme deities as benevolent and this contradicts events in real life. He claims that there is no way God will let people to go hungry yet he has everything they need to alleviate their suffering. There is no way a rich parent can allow his children to lack food, shelter and clothes yet he can afford them (Hume 62). Therefore, he questions the existence of God and claims that it is just a religious fallacy meant to deceive believers. His argument presents that people suffer because there is no way they can get assistance from others or a superior being. He believes that people should focus on the meaning of the terms good and bad and they should not be taken for granted (Hume 63). It is necessary to explain that he believes that suffering is bad because it undermines the dignity of human beings. The purpose of creating human beings was to make them enjoy life e and glorify the name of their supreme deities. However, this perception has been proved wrong because people continue to suffer despite the presence of their supreme beings that can offer solutions to their problems (Hudson 91). For instance, Christians believe that they were made in the image and likeness of God, yet they continue suffering without any assistance from their creator. In addition, he argues that morals exist in humans and not any other forms of life. For instance, he argues that animals are never directed by moral teachings that differentiate between bad and good (Hume 64). That is why they do not suffer like humans. He presents that supreme beings are supposed to be wise and understand the needs of their people.Advertising Looking for essay on religion the ology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this has never happened and this makes this author to discredit the fact that supreme beings are capable of alleviating human suffering (Hume 64). Therefore, he argues that mental aspects determine the suffering or pleasure that people experience. Moreover, he argues that people have never understood God’s purpose for the world and this complicates their lives. It is necessary to explain that this author argues that there is unnecessary suffering on earth, yet there is no explanation why this should happen (Hume 65). He presents that if God is omniscient, there is no way he would allow his people to suffer without letting them know the reason for it. This would be a better way of helping them to understand whether suffering is good or bad and its purpose in life. However, people have a limited understanding of the role of suffering in life and this makes it possible for them to believe that there is no god. Lastly, he believes that if suffering is important in human life, then God should reduce its severity and not allow children to experience challenges in life (Hume 66). He argues that people spend a lot of time and money to alleviate their problems and this means that they experience unnecessary challenges that are aimed at final harmony. In addition, the author claims that children suffer out of their free will or abilities and they endure hardships that cannot be explained; moreover, this suffering is a price too high aimed at an unknown final harmony (Hume 67). My Thesis God allows people to suffer so that they can understand and appreciate him (Davis 49). The following reasons justify why there is suffering yet God is powerful and able to alleviate this situation. First, Christians believe that suffering brings them closer to God and that is why He allows them to suffer. They believe that temptations are supposed to ensure people seek God’s assistance and company to endure suffering and overcome various tests they experience in life (Hudson 107). Therefore, this is a good way of ensuring people do not forget their God. Pleasure distracts people from God and makes them think that they do not need assistance from others. Therefore, he allows them to suffer to ensure they seek his assistance regularly and this is a good way of ensuring they do not wander far from Him (Miller 55). This explains why he cannot eliminate suffering from human life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on God and People’s Suffering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, suffering has a purpose that must be fulfilled regardless of the prices people pay for this. The role of various religious teachings is to prepare their believers for future roles and this includes being ready to endure suffering. This means that suffering is a right of passage in religious beliefs and nobody is exempted from it (Miller 64). There is no need of trying to find out why people suffer yet God can alleviate this condition. In addition, all human beings are mortals, and this means that they cannot be exempted from suffering. It is necessary to explain that suffering should be perceived to be positive because of the need to ensure religious beliefs play their roles in preparing their believers for future roles. In addition, some people suffer because of their actions and God has no role to play in this case. For instance, a man who drinks all his earnings and fails to take care of his family will subject himself to problems like financial difficulties and unemployment. (Keller 74). People should not blame God for their problems if they do not take care of their lives. People should use their brains and do things that will not affect their lives. They have the freedom to choose between good or bad and this means that they can reduce suffering if they decide to do so (Dav is 66). Staunch believers can alleviate their suffering by using common sense and avoiding things that may expose them to problems. Works Cited Davis, Jim. Why Me? (And Why That’s the Wrong Question): A Godly View of Suffering.  New York: Leafwood Publishers, 2014. Print. Hudson, Emily. Disorienting Dharma: Ethics and the Aesthetics of Suffering in the  Mahabharata (Aar Religions in Translation). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print. Hume, David. Why does God Let People Suffer? California: Thomson Learning, 2000. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Keller, Timothy. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. New York: Dutton Adult Press, 2013. Print. Miller, Richard. Suffering and the Christian Life. New York: Orbis Books, 2013. Print. This essay on God and People’s Suffering was written and submitted by user Mina Lester to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.