This is a common question out there in the world today.
While @papa-pepper will in no way even pretend to know everything or be an expert on every subject, I do have my beliefs and ways that I view the world around me. In attempting to answer this question, many people have arrived at many different conclusions. All that I can do is to offer up my own current conclusion at the moment.
Please excuse the fact that the video is a little blurry. I am still figuring out how to use my new camera. Hopefully, it will not distract you from the words that I share.
WHY IS THERE SO MUCH EVIL IN THE WORLD IF GOD IS GOOD?
I appreciate and respect the opportunity that you have all given me by allowing me to share my sincere thoughts about such a touchy subject. I have at least one more vlog I plan on recording dealing with a similar issue, so I'll try to get it out in the near future.
For those of you awaiting the next post in my "End-Times" series, we will try to have that out for you tomorrow. I'll be heading to bed shortly, but I'll try to reply to the comments that you may leave here eventually. Thank you.
Until next time…
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I'm a firm believer that God is good and we are not! We are naturally inclined to sin and God doesn't want little robots that do his bidding because they have no choice, he wants us to want him....to choose him. As such he gave us free will and most people use that freedom to fullfill their own selfish desires rather than follow God.
Well said, thank you for chiming in!
Thank you.
Very true!
I really like your analogy of using the chain. It does make sense to what you are saying. Committing one sin has just the same weight as committing four sins.
I think that the reason there is so much evil in the world is because it is publicized...it makes the news...it draws in more of a response for the public. How often do we hear of good things being broadcasted? Not much.
We have a GREAT and LOVING GOD! We read in Genesis, when sin first occurred, our God is a loving and forgiving God. You would think that we (humans) would have learned the first time and not disobey the Lord, but once again sin crept back in and he was patient, very patient. Still we did not learn. Then after the entire world was fill with sin; except for Noah he took action. After wiping out the Earth it was up to Noah, his three sons and their wives to repopulate the Earth once more. Still we have sinned again. And it keeps happening over and over again.
I think this is a test. A very long test. God is giving us the choice to establish that relationship with him. He wants that from us, and we should want that personal relationship as well. He is always there with a loving heart and an open ear. When we establish that relationship and we know that it is good, it is our jobs to spread the word, bringing more people closer to God. It is our job to set the example. Maybe if there were more followers of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, maybe the amount of evil and sin that we see is reduced. We have ALL fallen short of his glory, we have all sinned, but he also forgives us and sets us on the right path to be closer to him, to be an example of what we should be doing to and for one another; TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER and GLORIFY HIM!!
I am hoping that in our lifetime the amount of sin and evil is drastically reduced. I would hate to see what our future hold for my children if sin and evil is left unchecked by us.
After the flood God made the promise to never harm us again and God's word is unwavering and steadfast, so it is up to us, up to us all to be the example and spread The Good News!
Thank you for sharing and posting @papa-pepper. It is always enjoyable to review, read and watch your post. God Bless!
Kenny
Pfeiler Family Farm
i guess you are right on this,a sin is a sin no degrees to it, the way man thinks isnt the way God minds work,looking forward to the end time series post
Thanks! We will try to get it out tomorrow!
Also, I would like so share a story about a believer boy and and unbeliever barber. This is story is like an answer to the questions "If God does exist and if He truly is Almighty, then why is there so many suffering in this world which He created?". The story goes like this:
One day a boy went to a barber shop to get a hair cut, he sat on a chair and the barber prepared to start, with a sigh the barber started "boy, do you believe in God?", the boy politely answered "yes sir.", "Then tell me", the barber continued, "If God does exist, then why are there so many people suffering? Didn't He created man in His own image, then let his own image suffer?". The boy looked in a far distance, a moment of silence, then the boy asked, "Sir do you believe barbers exists?". Dumbfounded and confused, the barber almost gave a loud laugh, "What do you think I am kid? The candy man? Of course barbers do exists, I'm right in front of you am I not!?". The boy then asked, "Sir, if barbers do really exist, then why does that old man over there from a distance have very long untidy hair and untrimmed beard?". The barber confused again, and said with confidence, "Well it's his choice, if he decides to come to this barber shop and have a haircut and have his beard trimmed he won't look untidy, right?". The boy then smiled, "It's the same with God sir, all of us who are suffering and all of us sinners, should learn to build a communication with God, we should learn to visit Him once in a while, and build a strong relationship with Him, and I am sure, there will be less suffering and all sins will be forgiven".
I've seen this story a long time ago, I think when I was still in high school, and it really gave me a real eye opener. I hope someone gets to see this and have their eyes opened as well, as it did mine.
Wow!
What a marvelous way to explain the key concept of a loving God! Thank you so much for posting this!
there is a negative as well as positive side to give more value to to positive there is negative people should follow the right path so god had given him the choice to choose between right and wrong.
If God had created the universe perfect, you would have nothing to do, nowhere to go, and nowhere to avoid going.
As it is, God created an imperfect world, so you can have the ability to be a good person, looking towards an eternity with all the other good out there, avoiding an eternity of nothing but death and suffering.
If we go as per brahmakumaris spiritual organization we are in kaliyuga or a period of time before the end of the universe so after this end then again new period starts called satyayuga. There is no evil only goodness and piece. In present period population is also high so more struggles for existance.
I think we are making it all up. All of it. But the start of it, we made the Law of Attraction, and it drives the world. Problem be, so many mistaken wanting for having. Or fear for love. They worry. There is a reason to live on the sunny side of the road. Feels better ; )
Once you see God everywhere, then you know, your not alone, and nothing happens outside of this. I've come to see it as my bubble of influence, not that there aren't things that enter a bit unexpected, life will always be until the end.
Why do bad things happen to good people? because they spent to much time believing in the horrors of the world. we are literally programming our minds with doomsday, then wonder why we find it?
think it would be better to dream what we want to see happen in the world..
I like your chain analogy. That works. ;-)
But I have a different view of how God works.
God judges you on your DEEDS (and God is the only one who can) not on what you say or how many times you go to church.
If you live your life true to YOURSELF, you are doing what was destined for you. It may be that you task, your mission, is to make life difficult for others so they can grow and learn. if that is your mission, given to you by God and you do it true to yourself, then you are not in fact sinning, you are following God's will for you.
It is not up to us to decide what is sin and what is not. That's is God's job. it is up to us to live our lives in a way that makes sense you US as individuals.
And you can see for yourself what happens when you commit yourself to living the way God intended you to live. You get blessed with a beautiful family, and a wonderful life. (long may that continue)
I live my life in a way that is true to my nature. It annoys the crap out of some people. But that's just the way it is.
I don't go to church or rely on someone else to tell me how to live. I do what feel TRUE to me.
And God will judge me for it.
Seems somewhat contradictory:
"It is up to us to live our lives in a way that makes sense to US as individuals. And you can see for yourself what happens when you commit yourself to living the way God intended you to live."
I agree that you that mouthing pieties and attending church regularly has little to do with "living the way God intended you to live". Deeds are what counts, but how do we decide which deeds are OK? It is extremely easy to convince ourselves that our actions are ethical: our "feelings" can easily mislead us.
How do you decide?
It's not a clear cut thing. There is lots of ambiguity in life. Often I won't know it's the right thing until after I do it.
But when i do the right thing, I get a feeling within that I have indeed done the right thing.
It's hard to describe.
I don't convince myself to do the right thing. If I have to do that then it is probably the wrong thing :-)
What makes me feel good, what make me feel right, is helping people. The action itself is the reward. That's what makes me feel that it is right.
I'm sorry. I can't articulate it better right now. I think if you are being true to your nature, the things that are true to your nature come easily to you. They are effortless. And in that space the world just feels right to you.
I probably need beer before I can really explain it ;-)
I understand what you're saying, but we should remember that (for example) Germans who helped murder Jews, gypsies, homosexuals and mentally retarded people also had “warm fuzzy feelings” fostered by a daily, unrelenting diet of government-sanctioned “information” and social approval that convinced them that they were doing “the right thing” to help others and make the Third Reich strong.
Vague “feelings” are comforting, but they can easily mislead. Study of moral literature (especially the Bible), unremitting introspection, and constant questioning of one's motives are ways to strengthen one's sense of ethics.
On one hand you have human nature, descending from hundreds of thousands of years of "evolution". The instinct to hunt and kill is hard to control. On the other hand, you have religion and God, two notions that try to control that instinct and incite goodness in people. But you don't need God to realize the universal value of species self-preservation. In other words, an animal is not inclined to kill its own, unless there's fierce competition and fighting to procreate or defend its turf. On a large scale, when humans were scarcely spread across the globe, that wasn't much of an issue, but with an overpopulated planet, this primal instinct to defend or even conquer breaks the moral compass. And that's why humans kill each other for oil, resources and land, to create more turf and defend it at all cost. Sadly, I think Evil will keep the upper hand in this overcrowded planet, whether God likes it or not.
We can certainly see a lot of evidence for that! Thanks for sharing @drakos.
We like to think that humans are uniquely evil ("An animal is not inclined to kill its own"), but this is not true. Many animals, even primates (gorillas, chimpanzees etc.) kill and sometimes eat their babies:
Why Do Animals Sometimes Kill Their Babies?
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140328-sloth-bear-zoo-infanticide-chimps-bonobos-animals/
Indeed animals exceptionally do that by instinct, whether it's survival or competition, but not as much as humans. Animals do not prep us for wars and gang up against weaker ones of their own. Humans do. They kill each other by the thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and millions. And they don't do is by necessity, but more because of ideology, which led many times to ethnic cleansing and genocides. Our history is bloodied by wars for millennia. Animals do not do that, savages do.
I don't want to turn this into a “yes … but” war (this is, after all, @papa-pepper's blog) but human beings are not uniquely violent.
Ethologists have found that chimpanzees, for example, do "gang up against weaker ones of their own" and do engage in "ethnic cleansing and genocide" (cf. Jane Goodall's decades-long observations).
We humans are too smart and devious for our own good: we are adept at finding ingenious ways to quickly and easily harm large numbers of other humans. Luckily, we also have ways to tone down or channel our evil impulses into productive endeavours that benefit others.
in the Bible it is written that tests are given to man by God to test his faith in him. although I do not understand why
Either god doesn't exist or he doesn't care.
Yeah.. God wants us to love him from our own will and why he gave us free will..
We chose sin and seeded over the authority to the devil.. 2chor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..........
However through Jesus Christ we have the victory even in this wicked world..
nice post
@resteem
resteem this important post!!
thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for that!
his vidio is good friend ..
Thank you very much for all the lessons from @papa-pepper. I really like your style in making posts. Being always creative, giving proof of authenticity and always providing useful lessons. I try to do my best although there are still many shortcomings. Good luck always for you @papa-pepper.
In my own opinion I can only think of one reason, co-existence. If one gets eliminated, then the whole balance will crumble. Dark is required for us to appreciate light, death is the ultimate reason why we should cherish life, the knowledge of death being around the corner and waiting to gets its grip on us makes us cherish our own precious life, that's how I see the case you have presented, God created both goodness and evil, not as a punishment for us, but more likely a challenge, He wants us to see the beauty of goodness as we witness ourselves the ugliness of evil. All of these of course are just my opinion, and I do not claim to be an expert as well, or someone enlightened, I'm just giving my mere opinion on the subject. Have a blessed day friend.
The common argument for non-believers is that if God existed, He would never allow such terrible suffering in the world.
Yup, that is a very common claim.
This is the same question that always pops up in my mind.I thank you for bringing this into discussion.I think it is because we are not pure black or whites.What I mean that w are not pure good ones.We have an evil side too.But it is us who decides whether we should let that side sleep for the entire life time or are we going to take it out.But being humans we take that side out from time to time.But our fear to do sin keeps us away from making a mistake.But not all have that fear with them
-cheers-
good luck in finding out how to use the camera
I'm working on it, but at least it is working, unlike my other one. Thanks!
What are you needing help with on your camera? I have a very similar model that I use daily and would be happy to help.
@mama-pepper is currently on the job, but thanks for the offer!
Glad you have someone to help you learn how to use it to the best of it's abilities. I'm always excited when someone gets a DSLR....I remember how giddy I was when I got my first one. I ate up every tutorial and blog and manual and tried every technique I could find. Here I am 6 years later a professional photographer.
ouh good luck
This is good stuff. I truly appreciate you explaining this to us as it offers a new perspective. The idea of a the chain in relationship to one sin. Thank you for sharing this ministry with us as I am growing through your chat. Blessings.
Wow, thanks for letting me know that you appreciate it!
Evil was created to balance the good and evil so I think .....
Evil was created to balance the good and evil so I think hmm
Our definition of good and evil is very small and self centered.
And, God loves us so much, he/she/it has given us free will.
This is why this question is so hard to answer.
Why could you take little Jimmy from us, oh lord? He was so young!
Well, little Jimmy enjoyed his final bike ride very much and is not diminished in any way now that he has left that body.
If you could not risk your life. Life would be very boring.
If you could not risk a broken heart, love would not be worth loving.
If you could not make that ultimate sacrifice, life and love would be so much less meaningful.
(sorry cannot watch videos right now)
Even without being able to watch the video, your opening sentences touched on my view. Thanks!
People turn from God (sin) > Not part of God's Will > Lost > Susceptible to evil > Still capable of doing good
Option A:
Predestination > God's Will > Righteousness > Chosen People Only > God designed Good people and Bad people for some strange reason > God is the Demiurge
Option B:
Free Will > God allows people to choose good and evil > It's our own weakness that we do evil sometimes > God made us all unable to be perfect beings, but gave us a capacity to become good and pure > There is so much evil in the world, people begin to question God's Will/plan > God is mysterious and it remains hard for us to understand why great evils in the world aren't prevented > So...
Three options:
God is not powerful
God doesn't want to prevent global suffering, so God is kind of Evil.
God is mysterious! We can't possibly understand how hard/confusing it is to run the universe. It will all make sense some day.
in my little thought, God gave us will and he cannot force his will on us, so people can choose to be good or bad. But there is reward from God for being good or bad, and the bad reward is not funny because its painful and filled with punishment. Good morning from nigeria and thanks for sharing, waiting for the end time series
Excellent and fantastic post this quality friend greetings contribute for comment
Hi @papa-pepper,
'Man has control over the physical world but God has absolute control over the spiritual world', this statement by our Methodist minister makes complete sense when one reads Genesis 1:26 - 'God has given authority over the earth to humans'.
Why we ask, but as you said, we have been given the freedom to choose by our father God. We know some choose to follow God and others sadly reject Him and follow the world.
I've personally encountered two awful and unthinkable tragedies and asked why, but those words answered my questions.
I found an excellent blog, sure you will find it fascinating reading - Spiritual Realms
Thank you @papa-pepper!
Your logic is inspirational... best answer I've heard to this question!
Wow! Now that's a compliment. Thanks @otage!
I totally agree with you on
Like truly that's the point of free will. I learnt recently not to blame people for evil they perpetrate. I am not free of sin yet but I believe and choose to believe in Jesus Christ and hence I see myself delivered from sin. Others who do evil with there choice should listen to the gospel of Christ.
So I will try to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as much as I can.
Thanks so much @papa-pepper for sharing this. God bless.
Lol...papa pepper just made me speechless...still trying to figure out my own answer to the question
The heart ofva man is just too wicked generally. If God could regret the creation of a man after wasting his precious time and knowledge on man, he still regret it.
_"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?".....jeremiah 17:9
Wow, a really good talk on the power of choice. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for a really insightful video. What I am really enjoying are the comments that it has produced. I have often tried to work out for myself why there is evil in the world, your analogy to the broken links is very powerful. We all need to take personal responsibility for our lives, our actions have consequences that are far reaching.
It is not about God. There is no good and bad, there is your attitude to the situation. All we do we do for emotions. We need to get certain hormons. As science guys tell all we do we do for neurons in the brain core. Evil is like fastfood or sugar. It is easy to obtain and it will feed you emotionally faster then good.Yes If you consume it a lot, you become fat and sick in your soul, but it is your choice, not God's.
The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.
Amen brother!
Thanks @provider!
Que buen post hermano. Buen video. Saludos desde Venezuela.
lovely post @papa-pepper! i will drop my own view with a short story. there was a christian man who went to a barber shop to have his hair cut. but along the line the barber start complaining that God is bad, He is not kind and if He is a loving and caring father why is there so much suffering and death He ask.... The christian man look around and saw a mad man with a bushy hair, he told the barber that there is no good barbers around. out of shock the barber reply if there is no good barber how come you are having your hair cut? the christian man told him if there are good barbers how come the mad man hair is bushy? the barber reply that the mad man did not come to his shop to cut his hair. The christian man reply it is the same with God if you draw close to Him he will draw close to you. We will have to be born again to be under his protection.
Yes! Thank you @papa-pepper! That is how I like to start my day. I love some nice, heavy perspective. I loved your picture of the chains. The painted a very clear picture on the idea of which sin is worse. It seems that the world always give God the credit for all of the bad.."why would God let babiea die"... but they don't give Him credit for the good.."oh, i know that is a super complicated organism that we eat and our bodies know just how to break it down and use it..but that is just science".. Thanks again for the sweet video.
You're welcome! Thank you for checking it out!
this is very good friend, albeit a little blur this is cool @papa-pepper
In the movie Wonder Woman there are three male characters that are about to take on a mission and they share a moment saying "May we get what we want. May we get what we need. May we never get what we deserve!" That struck me deep since the reward for sin is death. Ultimately since all have sinned and fallen short... death is what we deserve. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your heart here.
We have to choose to love and follow God, if we are forced to love God then what kind of Love is that? He wants all to come to Him with a heart that wants to serve Him only. And how do we love God?
Hi dear, am your good upvoter forever, please follow and upvote me. thanks
Your reputation is already dropping... Please do not make this type of comment or it will get worse.
Did God say there wouldn't be evil in this world?
If everything was good, why would we need a God?
You don't understand the Bible.
For me, everything has a reason why God allows that scenario. We have always a chance to see the beauty of God's plan in our lives...