Is God bothered by human and animal suffering?

[_Eyepatch]

Is this a serious question? Of course god isn't bothered by animal suffering...he delights in it! How can this even be disputed? God himself spoke on the record to Moses as LOVING the savor of slaughtered and burning animals. Consider the 28th chapter of Numbers:

Numbers, Chapter 28

Sacrifices are to be offered each morning and evening, on the Sabbath, on the first day of each month, at Passover, on each day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and at the Feast of Firstfruits.


1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.

8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

[_Fence Sitter]

I believe LDS theology addresses the problem of evil by belief in a God that is not omnipotent but constrained by preexisting laws.

[_Eyepatch]

As for god delighting in human suffering, consider this: god made the absolute centerpiece of his "plan of salvation" an incredibly violent slaughter of his son. So, yes, I think that god's OK with the idea of suffering.

Oh yeah...don't forget to contemplate all the bloody violence when you're patiently waiting for the deacons to bring you little pieces of his broken body...and little cups of his blood! Isn't it great? Isn't it marvelous??

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Well. You know. God did order the slaughter of the Amalekites.

Kinda screwed up if you ask me...

[_sock puppet]

I believe LDS theology addresses the problem of evil by belief in a God that is not omnipotent but constrained by preexisting laws.

I thought God was only restricted by what the MI could not explain.

[_moksha]

Many of those who suffer find their pain or torment more bearable due to their faith. That part is real and speculation as to whether God approves of suffering is an unknowable abstraction.

[_keithb]

Assuming God exists ...

Is God bothered by human and animal suffering?

No.

Just ask the cows that I eat at Burger King

Also, ask the millions of children that starve to death each year.

Or is God indifferent to it?

It seems that way.

[_sock puppet]

Many of those who suffer find their pain or torment more bearable due to their faith. That part is real and speculation as to whether God approves of suffering is an unknowable abstraction.

Is there anything about god that is not an unknowable abstraction?

[_quark]

Many of those who suffer find their pain or torment more bearable due to their faith. That part is real and speculation as to whether God approves of suffering is an unknowable abstraction.

I've heard this many times and always accepted it as fact. I wonder if now is a good a time as any to question it. Has this hypothesis ever been tested? It appears this has been an area of debate for many years: http://onlinesurgicaltechniciancourses. ... d-healing/

Nothing solid yet...

[_bcspace]

Is God bothered by human and animal suffering?

Not in the sense that He would stop His eternal plan just because of it. We have a hard time dealing with it because we don't comprehend that we exist forever. God can deal with it because mortality is just a blink in time and death does not put an end to existence. That being said, He has gone through mortality Himself and likely sympathizes with your angst. However, with His eternal perspective, He might ask you "What are you doing about it?"

Keep in mind that there are other eternal perspectives, such as agency and justice, to be concerned about it in order to deal with suffering the way God would want you to.