Why do bad things happen even to good people? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Epicurus, the Greek philosopher, has articulated the dilemma, “If God is willing to prevent evil but not able, then he is not omnipotent; if he is able but not willing, he is not benevolent; if he is both able and willing, whence come evil?” Some theologians tried to unsuccessfully solve the riddle of evil by glorifying suffering, “Suffering is not always a misfortune. It often helps us to grow.
In the depths of sorrow we receive light”; “Suffering is not punishment but the prize of fellowship. It is an accompaniment of all creative endeavour”; “Suffering takes us to the centre of things and away from trivialities of life”.
Because of the inadequacy of solutions to the problem of evil, many have used it to argue for the non-existence of God. In Summa Theologica, St Aquinas wrote, “If of two contrary things, one were to exist without limit, the other would be totally eliminated. But God is something good without limit. So, if God were to have existed, no evil would have been encountered. But evil is encountered in the world. Therefore, God does not exist.”
The doctrine of karma offers a satisfactory solution to the riddle of suffering. According to it, God’s creative act is in conformity with the law of karma.
Though He is omnipotent, and can overrule the law of karma, He does not do so because that would be inconsistent with His moral nature and violative of the principle of natural justice.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Economic Times, Speaking Tree, 25th Feb, 2019
Why do bad things happen even to good people? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Epicurus, the Greek philosopher, has articulated the dilemma, “If God is willing to prevent evil but not able, then he is not omnipotent; if he is able but not willing, he is not benevolent; if he is both able and willing, whence come evil?” Some theologians tried to unsuccessfully solve the riddle of evil by glorifying suffering, “Suffering is not always a misfortune. It often helps us to grow.
In the depths of sorrow we receive light”; “Suffering is not punishment but the prize of fellowship. It is an accompaniment of all creative endeavour”; “Suffering takes us to the centre of things and away from trivialities of life”.
Because of the inadequacy of solutions to the problem of evil, many have used it to argue for the non-existence of God. In Summa Theologica, St Aquinas wrote, “If of two contrary things, one were to exist without limit, the other would be totally eliminated. But God is something good without limit. So, if God were to have existed, no evil would have been encountered. But evil is encountered in the world. Therefore, God does not exist.”
The doctrine of karma offers a satisfactory solution to the riddle of suffering. According to it, God’s creative act is in conformity with the law of karma.
Though He is omnipotent, and can overrule the law of karma, He does not do so because that would be inconsistent with His moral nature and violative of the principle of natural justice.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Economic Times, Speaking Tree, 25th Feb, 2019