Why is there suffering? - PDF Free Download

a talk by Gary Auker to Springfield Park Baptist Church on Tuesday 1 st March 2011 Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 1

If you think being a Christian will protect you, your family & property from suffering & loss - THINK AGAIN! This talk will be looking at how Christians have tried to explain suffering & how that fits with our view of GOD. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 2

The Christian view of GOD is one who is: All Loving 1 John 4:8 All Powerful Genesis 1:1 So Why is there suffering? Just & All Knowing Ephesians 1:4 Suffering will touch all of us at some point in our lives so it s no surprise that probably the Oldest Book in the Bible (Book of Job) deals with this very subject. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 3

Although the Christian view of GOD is one who is All Powerful, its important to realise that in order for GOD to remain true to his All Loving Nature he also chooses to allow mankind free will & more generally the whole of creation a character distinct from GOD himself. The distinction between Creator & the Created allows suffering to occur even though God is both All Loving & All Powerful. An ALL KNOWING GOD is not dictated to by those he created on when & how he uses his power. Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the earth s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. We must remember we worship ALMIGHTY GOD not All MATEY GOD Christians accept that the Created order is distinct from Creator GOD & reject Pantheism (GOD is Nature) accepted by many Pagan s. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 4

Talk Outline 1. Is GOD a tyrant who delights in seeing Mankind & other creatures suffer? 2. Is Suffering caused by Satan? 3. Is Suffering the result of Human sin? 4. Who s s responsible for causing Natural Disasters? 5. Seeing Suffering from an Eternal Perspective 6. Closing thoughts Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 5

1. Is GOD a tyrant who delights in seeing Mankind & other creatures suffer? Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 6

Ancient World worshipped false capricious God s In Old Testament times many people in Israel & neighboring kingdoms lived & worshipped false capricious GODS This cultural setting would have affected peoples understanding of the one true GOD (YHWH) as well. About the only thing that got people's attention then was raw power, and this culture gave rise to what the people saw as YHWH destroying people. Gen 6-8 : Noah s flood Gen 19 v4-5 & Ezekiel 16 v49-50 :Sodom & Gomorrah Gen 19 v26 : Death of Lot s wife Exodus 12 v29 : death of first born of Egypt Even in Old Testament times YHWH was seen as just & not capricious. Fallen humanity has to be redeemed before seeing what GOD is really like. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 7

Moving from Old to New Testament we see God s love unfolding like a flower bursting into bloom to reveal his true Loving Heart. THE ONE TRUE GOD is not a tyrant, Deuteronomy 5:9-10 shows Love not punishment is closer to GOD s heart. Deut 5:9-10 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 8

2. Is Suffering caused by Satan? Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 9

The Book of Job tells us that on at least one occasion GOD allowed Satan to bring suffering on Job to show Job s righteousness. Job 1:8-12 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job?.he is blameless and upright,.9 Satan replied. 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?.11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face. 12 The LORD said to Satan, Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger. In more recent times it appears man willingly enters into a pact with Satan that results in great suffering & even death for many people. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 10

Genocide fatalities Holocaust (1941-45). 11 million, included 6 million Jews Auschwitz where over 1 million people were murdered during World War 2 One of the darkest periods in human history. Sadly the Holocaust is not the only example of man s cruelty to man. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 11

Genocide fatalities Holocaust (1941-45). 11 million, included 6 million Jews Holodomor Genocide famine (1932-33). 2.4 to 5 million died in Ukraine as a result of Soviet Leader, Joseph Stalin s policies Cambodian Genocide (1975-79)... Khmer Rouge killed 1. 7 to 3 million people Rwandan Genocide 1994 Hutu killed 0.5 to 1 million people If man follows Satan, unadulterated EVIL is let loose which can result in Genocide. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 12

3. Is Suffering the result of Human sin? Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 13

Is misfortune always a divine punishment for something? Jesus clearly says NO, misfortune does not necessarily mean divine punishment for sin John 9: 1-3 1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. However Human sin is the cause of much suffering in the world Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 14

As we saw in the last section humanity chose to reject GOD an act we call SIN. Few Christians would disagree that human sin is the root cause of Relationship Breakdown, Greed, Economic turmoil & Wars Economic crashes fuelled by greed causes suffering for many people World War 2 (1939-45) deadliest War in History ~ 60 million killed Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 15

Christians do have different opinions when it comes to explaining suffering due to disease, physical death & natural disasters Man sinning & rejecting GOD s way is called the fall of man Young Earth Creationist (YEC) view Animals were vegetarians before fall Animals would not physically die had fall not taken place. No Disease in world before the fall People would not physically die had fall not taken place. No Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami s, floods & hurricanes before fall Old Earth Creationist (OEC) view Some animals always eaten other animals Physical death of animals before fall Disease in world before the fall Physical death of people may have happened even without fall Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami s, floods & hurricanes occurred before fall Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 16

YOUNG EARTH CREATIONIST view : All animals were vegetarians before the fall. YEC organisation Answers in Genesis says : Animals did not prey on each other, and the first two humans, Adam and Eve, did not kill animals for food. YEC s say all creatures with Nephesh (breath of life in them) did not die before the fall of man. Looking more closely at the view that animals like lions were created to be vegetarians is biological nonsense! You don t need teeth like this to chew vegetables. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 17

YEC s quote Gen 1:29-30 & Rom 5:12 to claim Human sin in the fall brought death into the world and before sin there was no death in people or animals that had the breath of life (Nephesh) in them, it does not include plants. Genesis 1:29 30 See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food. Gen 1:29-30 states some of the dietary requirements for people & animals not whether animals died before human sin entered the world. Romans 5:12 (NIV) 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned On reading Rom 5:12 we find death came to all people, it does not mention that death only started in animals after the fall of man. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 19

OLD EARTH CHRISTIAN view : Plant & Animals died before Human sin Marine Life Extinction Intensity Scorpions, 1st Fish, Insects, Amphibians Dinosaur Age Mammals Extinction Intensity Dinosaurs wiped out here Extinction Intensity = % of Marine Genera that went extinct at a given time. Millions of years before present Over 98% of documented species are now extinct. Humans first appear Only 2% of all the species of creatures that have ever lived have been around since mankind first walked the Earth. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 20

YEC s say vast majority of fossils in sedimentary rocks were laid down in Noah s 1 year flood so animals died in Noah s flood after the fall of man. Since the early 19th century more evidence has been collected which clearly shows the fossils layers were laid down over millions of years and not a 1 year flood. This evidence comes from 4 independent techniques : 1.) Sedimentation rates, ( fossil layers laid down at least over 10 s millions yrs) 2.) Many astro-chronology climate cycles in ocean mud sediment (>23 Myrs) 3.) Coral clocks, (fossil layers laid down over more than a 500 Myrs period) 4.) Radiometric dating of volcanic ash within fossil rock layers. (>500 Myrs) Faced with the overwhelming evidence that the rocks containing fossils were laid down over many millions of years its clear that animals must have been dying long before man s fall. So what do we make of : Gen1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.... Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 21

We need to look at what the word GOOD means in Gen 1:31. YEC s read the word GOOD in Gen 1:31 as if there were no danger to living things, but this is subtly adding an interpretation to this passage. GOOD can equally be read as any of the following: Morally excellent, Satisfactory in quality, Well behaved, Genuine not counterfeit, Sufficient or ample, Reliable & dependable When Gen1:31 says it was very good the text could be equally interpreted to mean that what God had created was: made by GOD & no other (Genuine & not a counterfeit), ordered & following his laws (well behaved), excellent, ample & sufficient, reliable not needing constant tinkering to keep the whole of creation in existence. Such a reading of Gen 1:31 enables us to uphold both scripture & what we have found in the World & wider Universe that GOD created millions of years ago. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 22

One of the main causes of human suffering is Infectious disease Is infectious disease a result of the fall of Mankind? Whilst some Christians accept the fall is responsible for all disease & decay there is evidence that infection, at least in animals & plants, pre-dates the fall. Diseased Oak Leaf 15 million years old Fungal infection of a Termite in 25 million year old amber Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 24

Neanderthal Man a close relative of Modern Humans suffered deformity before the fall. X-ray showing a broken Humerus bone (upper arm) that healed during life. This Neanderthal man lived over 30,000 years before Modern Man developed farming (domesticating animals & growing crops) that are described in Genesis 4:1-2 1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man. 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. Shanidar 1: broke his arm Shanidar 1 Neanderthal Man a relative of Modern Humans is more than 45,000 years old. Shanidar Cave, Iraq nr. Tributary of Tigris river Gen 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also afterwards Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 26

Earthquakes & Tsunami s caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 28

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 29

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 30

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 31

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 32

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 33

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 34

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 35

Earthquakes & Tsunami's caused by Earth crust moving around globe We now know Continents move resulting in earthquakes over millions of years. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 36

Christians do have different opinions when it comes to explaining suffering due to disease, physical death & natural disasters Man sinning & rejecting GOD s way is called the fall of man Young Earth Creationist (YEC) view Animals were vegetarians before fall Animals would not physically die had fall not taken place. No Disease in world before the fall Old Earth Creationist (OEC) view Some animals always eaten other animals Physical death of animals before fall Disease in world before the fall People would not physically die had fall not taken place. No Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami s, floods & hurricanes before fall Physical death of people may have happened even without fall Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami s, floods & hurricanes occurred before fall Score = 1/10 Score = 9/10 Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 37

4. Who s s responsible for causing Natural Disasters? Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 38

Haiti earthquake over 6 times more powerful than Kobe & 22 times more powerful than the recent (22 Feb11) Christchurch, NZ earthquake. Haiti 2010 earthquake (7.0 Mw) Killed ~ 225,000 people Kobe 1995 earthquake (6.8Mw) Killed ~ 6,400 people Normally its not Earthquakes that kill people it s badly designed buildings that fall down, and kill most people. Note the palm trees were unaffected by the Haitian Earthquake. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 39

Asian Tsunami 26 Dec 2004 killed around 230,000 people in 14 countries Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 40

Some Scientists believe the Laws of Nature in the Universe appear to be finely tuned to allow Life as we know it to exist. Physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking has noted: The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life." Stephen Hawking (1942 present) It appears GOD has created the laws of the Universe with just the right characteristics for Life like us to exist. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 41

One consequence of the laws of the Universe needed for Life to exist is it makes it also possible for Earthquakes, Tsunami s & Volcanoes to occur. Life on Earth & Natural Disaster s is a bit like LOVE & MARRIAGE they go together like a HORSE & CARRIAGE. You can t have one without the other. WHY? I guess you re wondering Lets take a quick look at what would happen if you played God & stopped all Earthquakes, Tsunami's & Volcanoes. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 42

Earth s hot core powers forces that cause Molten Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tsunami s Earth s molten core also makes magnetic shield to protect Earth from Sun s radiation that would erode away Earth s atmosphere to space. Whole Earth would freeze to become a giant Snowball Earth if Earthquakes & Volcanoes stopped. Result would be all Human & complex Sun animal life would be wiped out All Earth life depends on its atmosphere. Knowing this would you still want to stop Job 38:4 Volcanoes, Earthquakes & Tsunami s? Where were you when I laid the earth s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 43

So who s s responsible for Natural Disasters? Ultimately GOD, but not because he wants to bring unnecessary suffering to his creation, instead it s a consequence of the Life giving Laws he uses to administer his creation. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 44

5. Seeing Suffering from an Eternal Perspective Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 45

Although the things going on in our lives make us normally concentrate on the here & now we will never get a full picture of our lives & the suffering we encounter if we neglect Eternity Whether we live for just 1 day or 100 years our lives are still too short to see the BIGGER PICTURE that suffering plays. Whether there are disasters or not everyone eventually dies. Disasters can make us re-evaluate how we live our lives and encourage us to help others Do you recognise this picture? Like suffering in our short lives when you only see a small part it can be disorientating. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 46

The Creation of Adam Fresco, Sistine Chapel, Rome by Michelangelo c. 1510 AD Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 47

6. Closing thoughts Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 48

6. Closing thoughts Human suffering does not have a single cause However, Human suffering can be broadly grouped into 3 areas 1. Satan s influence in causing confusion, envy, oppression & killing 2. Human sin causing greed, envy & conflict 3. GOD allowing creation a character distinct from himself If this earthly life were all there was, suffering could be seen as cruel & pointless. However as Christians we must remember there is an Eternal Life in which to put suffering into perspective that the world cannot see. read Romans 8: 18-25 Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 49

Romans 8:18-25 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 50

Thank you for listening. Are there any questions raised by this talk? Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 51

BACK-UP SLIDES Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 52

End-time groups have been distorting information that the numbers of Earthquakes have been dramatically increasing since late 1990 s This is NOT true! Looking at the un-tampered US Geological Survey Earthquake records shows no dramatic increase in late 1990 s. Increase from 1960 s due to more seismographs being set up to detect smaller Earthquakes. In 1931 there were only 350 seismographs 9.0 + earthquakes 8.0 to 8.9 earthquakesyear 7.0 to 7.9 earthquakes 6.0 to 6.9 earthquakes today there are over 8,000 which are able to detect many smaller (6 to 6.9) quakes most of which would have gone unnoticed in 1 st half of 20 th century. Number of Earthquakes per year 250 200 150 100 50 0 Number of 6+ magnitude Earthquakes detected (1900 to 2010) US Geological Survey Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 53

Number of Earthquakes per year 250 200 150 100 50 0 Why is there suffering? Number of 6+ magnitude Earthquakes detected (1900 to 2010) US Geological Survey Increase in detecting 6+ quakes due to improved monitoring during 1960-80 s Cold War period. Number of Earthquakes per year 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 9.0 + earthquakes 8.0 to 8.9 earthquakes Year 7.0 to 7.9 earthquakes 6.0 to 6.9 earthquakes Number of 7+ magnitude Earthquakes detected (1900 to 2010) US Geological Survey Major 7+ quake numbers have remained constant for 111 years ( Average = 16 +/ - 9 per yr @ 95% confidence level.) 0 1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 9+ quakes 1900 to 2010 8.0 to 8.9 quakes (1900-2010) 7.0 to 7.9 quakes (1900-2010) Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 54

Why is there suffering? A talk by Gary Auker 55