If God is good. It's an important issue to discuss in light of suffering in the world. It's an important issue because suffering seems to conflict with the idea of a good God. Each of us must resolve this issue in our lives and in our faith.
I've just started Randy's book and am looking forward to how he resolves these issues. It is a book I think every believer should read. I'll give you updates as I work my way through this book and these issues.
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I went in to Mardels yesterday for the first time since being stateside to buy a copy of "The Hole in our Gospel" for someone and I was looking for something to read - I should have asked you first! Most of what I saw needed to be used to level tables or recycled into free Bibles. But I did get a copy of Chesterton's "Orthodoxy" for $5! I've wanted to read that for some time.
when you get here at the end of the month I'll buy a copy for you, ok?
Mike wrote the following: suffering seems to conflict with the idea of a good God
I disagree.
Suffering does seem to conflict with theists' ideas about God, but I don't think it represents a contradiction in regards to a (general) "good" creator. I think of this a bit like parenting: there are times when a parent simply must let the child screw up and make mistakes.
My opinion is that if God actually came down and made his presence unambiguously known to the entire human race, it would be unhealthy for us. Even without evidence like this, the very idea of a creator causes a massive amount of conflict: people rejecting the notion of being enslaved to a Creator, others claiming to have exclusive/accurate understanding of Him whereas others do not, etc.
I believe it's part of the growing/learning process for us to deal with these disagreements ourselves. By and large, these conflicts are caused by us, not God - to have Him show up would in effect say to us "Don't worry about the mess you've created, I'm here to clean it up".
I believe that if a Creator exists, part of his Goodness involves NOT getting involved in petty human disputes.
Mike, I have a book very similar to this I picked up at the Creation Museum, by Ken Ham. Its called 'How Could a Loving God...?' It deals with powerful answers on suffering and loss.
Important issue indeed.
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