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WHY DOES GOD PERMIT WICKEDNESS & SUFFERING? (Part 6) By Arthur Zulu

“Where was God when Twin Towers collapsed?” “Where was God when Israeli military tanks rumbled through Palestine?” If you have asked such questions, you will now have understood cause of wickedness and suffering in this world: It was because our first parents sought independence from God. And remember that God did not know that things will be this way. And remember also that man has no right to challenge God, his Creator.

Yet, some doubters continue to use “D” word, “Design”. Now, ask yourself this question: If it was God’s plan for us to suffer and die, why did he send his son, Jesus Christ from heaven to die a shameful death in order to save mankind from sin of Adam? Yes, why? Does this not prove that he is a loving father?

But looking at this matter closely: Who is it that causes wickedness and suffering in this world?

Although, Bible says that Satan Devil is ruler of this world, you must know that not all evils are caused by him. Why?

Most wickedness and suffering are caused by man. It was not God that flew airplanes that destroyed Twin Towers. It was man. It was not God that drove tanks into refugee camps in Palestine. It was man.

Also, God is not man who rapes his six-year-old daughter, nor is he robber that breaks into peaceful homes, nor is he church priest that abuses children. Nor is he student turned gunman who runs amuck shooting and killing his teachers and fellow students. Yet when these bad things happen, we blame God!

The fact is that man’s heart -- his thoughts and desires, is evil most of times. It has been so from beginning --since Adam’s rebellion.

Another cause of wickedness and suffering are factors beyond man’s control. Some of these events include war which causes starvation, not to talk of problems of refugees; and diseases cause of underdevelopment and death.

Also consider natural factors like flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. Which man has control over these? Yet, these are other causes of suffering to mankind.

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WHY DOES GOD PERMIT WICKEDNESS AND SUFFERING? (Part 5)

By Arthur Zulu

A 12-year-old boy is dying of cancer in Columbia. His father is held by fighting rebels. The dying boy begs rebels to release his father so that he could see him before he dies. The rebels refuse. Sympathizers volunteer to exchange places with imprisoned father in order to fulfill wish of sick and dying boy. The rebels refuse. The boy dies without seeing his father. And his father is killed by rebels.

A mortuary attendant in Bosnia has unenviable task of counting dead in senseless killings of war in that part of world -- worst of its kind since World War II. Among corpses brought to him for enumeration were those of his son and relatives.

Pathetic images like these continue to be replayed in bloody scenes around world. Just switch on radio and listen to world news at this hour and tell me what good news you may have heard. In fact one character in one of Charles Dickens’ books says that he doesn’t read newspapers. His reason? Because news is always same -- someone is always murdered somewhere.

And that’s true. About 12 wars are going on around world today, and if you live in United States, someone has either been robbed, raped, or killed this very second! Everywhere, people are in fear of some kind of evil. Says Harold C. Urey: “We will eat fear, sleep fear, live in fear and die in fear.” These are fruitage of rebellion of our first parents, Adam and Eve -- political, economic, religious and social crisis. Not even UN has come to rescue.

If you read Bible books of Matthew chapter 24, Mark chapter 13 and Luke chapter 21, you will find a comprehensive list of features of our days -- war, food shortages, pestilences, earthquakes, and lawlessness, amongst others. People are suffering and dying in millions, and there is no end in sight. In fact if you read Second Timothy chapter 3, you will find out that things are going to get worst. We haven’t seen anything yet!