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From: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: God and suffering
Message-ID: <275@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Sep-85 12:15:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.275
Posted: Thu Sep 12 12:15:24 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Sep-85 04:44:56 EDT
References: <389@decwrl.UUCP>
Reply-To: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 34
Summary: 

>	It is ludicrous to say that suffering brings us closer to Christ. 
>The Bible tells us that Christ suffered for our sins in order that we might
>no longer suffer, and this illustrates the love of Christ for mankind. The 
>. . . .
>Paul was a fanatic and a sadist of the worst type. I cannot understand how 
>his writings found their way into a holy book like the Bible. The 
>fellowship of Christ lies in forgiveness and peace and harmony, not in 
>suffering.
>
>				/Phil Ward/

Christ suffered for our sins *in order that we might be forgiven our
sins.*  I've been a Christian for some years now, and I haven't quit
suffering yet.  Suffering is a fact of life in a fallen world.  If the 
Bible said nothing about suffering, we could easily be lost and despair.
But it is not silent on the subject!  Read the first chapter of 2nd 
Corinthians.  Read Job.  Read Habakkuk, especially the last chapter.  
Read the Acts of the Apostles.  (Ever heard of Stephen?)  Not only Paul,
but also James (try 5:7-11) and Peter (1st epistle, 4:12-19), and the 
Gospels tell of suffering, innocent suffering.  They do not say that God
makes people suffer, or that we should *try* to suffer (self-flagellation
or the like).  Rather, they accept suffering as a fact.  They say it
will happen.  And I don't know anyone who has lived more than a few
years who cannot testify to that.

So try your rose-colored theology in the Soviet Union, Albania, Nepal,
Iran, or some other place where Christians suffer *because* they are
Christians.  It doesn't work.  Or try it here.  Christians and non-
Christians alike have heart attacks and cancer.  We all are subject to
injury.  We are not spared lay-offs.  We may have a parent or a child 
die.  Read Ecclesiastes, or the Gospels.  You aren't promised a life
free of suffering until you obtain the resurrection.

		charli