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WHY DOES GOD PERMIT WICKEDNESS AND SUFFERING? (Part 4) By Arthur Zulu

Our first parents, Adam and Eve are source of wickedness and suffering in this world. The whole story is in Bible book of Genesis Chapters 2 and 3.

God made them perfect and put them in beautiful garden of Eden. They were to live happy, beget offsprings and take care of earth by expanding borders of paradise, with a prospect of eternal life.

But take note. All these were not just offered on a platter of gold. There was a condition -- and this is very important -- they were to eat all fruits of trees in garden, excerpt one -- fruit of tree of knowledge of good and bad. Disobedience would bring death! Simple instruction.

So man was not created like a robot. He was created with right to make choices, freedom to make decisions.

Now this gift of free will -- right to choose -- either good or bad, life or death, is not to be overlooked. So although we were created free, this freedom is not total, but relative. We are subject to God’s laws. And what are those laws?you may ask.

First, we are under physical laws of gravity. Man may decide to climb highest peak of Mt. Everest, ignore this law, and take a giant leap to foot of mountain. Or he may close his eyes to all risks, and go swimming in angry waters of Atlantic Ocean. He has free will.

Also God has moral laws. These involve our life style which includes use of alcohol and illicit drugs, tobacco and sexual promiscuity. Man may choose to have sexual relations with an AIDS infected prostitute with belief that he will never catch dreaded disease. He has free will.

Then there are social laws. Man can choose his type of clothing, art, and music. He also has right to choose his type of friends and marriage mate. He may decide to live all alone in jungle, away from civilization, or to walk naked in streets of New York. That is his free will.

And lastly, there are health laws. A sick man has right to refuse medical treatment. He can also decide to go on hunger strike -- without food and water. After all, it is his free will.

Publishing Guidelines: Permission is granted to publish this article electronically or in print as long as bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

WHY DOES GOD PERMIT WICKEDNESS & SUFFERING? (Part 1)

By Arthur Zulu

“WHY”. That three letter word is so common when disasters strike. It is final question when war or natural disasters happen. Or when epidemics exact their toll on humans. Or when a rapist, or robber goes on rampage. Or perhaps when children are abused by persons who are supposed to be their custodians, or when a loved one drops dead.

Sometimes though “WHY” is elongated to “WHY GOD WHY” That suggests person acknowledges that God allows evil. If so, why does he permit wickedness and suffering?

If we say we are not victims of wickedness and suffering, then we are deceiving ourselves. For have we not lost someone in death? Or are we ourselves sure we will be around to shoot fireworks at end of next one hundred years? Perhaps not.

Man through ages have resigned to inevitability of misery and death. A sample of following quotations will shed more light on this matter.

“For suff’rance is badge of all our tribe”. -- Shakespeare.

“The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” -- Joseph Conrad.

“Account ye no man happy till he die.” -- Euripides.

“Out out brief candle/Life’s but a walking shadow”. -- Shakespeare.

“Vice increases, and men grow daily more and more wicked.”-- Berkley.

“To each his suff’ring: all are men/Condemn’d alike to groan…. “ -- Gray.

“Death! poor man’s dearest friend, -- The kindest and best.” -- Burns.

“Death is here and death is there/Death is busy everywhere/All around, within, beneath/Above is death -- and we are death.” -- Shelley.