Why do good people suffer?

Philosophy Forums Religion and Spirituality
1

This is one of the greatest problems that troubles philosophers around the world. (and one of the greatest arguments of atheists around the world…)

Why do good people suffer?

I think the problem can be solved if we understand that it is not really a problem.

Who are we to know that suffering is “bad” ? Who are we to know that being “happy” in this short material life is our purpose on this planet?

As C.S. Lewis said:

The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.
The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts…

Suffering could be an indication, a reminder, that there is more than meets the eye in the world. What do you think?

2

We are the ones who suffer. We should know.

I think that suffering is generally an indication that something is wrong and needs to be remedied. It’s invaluable in that respect. It is primarily a problem when it is caused unnecessarily or excessively.

3

But this should not be the only “solution”. If for example someone has a fatal desease and “suffered”, one could say that he suffers because he mistakenly thinks that living in this body is all there is…

4

You think belief in an afterlife would keep good people from suffering through a disease?

5

That quote in blue. I was going to make a thread about gradualism. I also think that some of the worst things can happen simply because they are gradual.

In short, morality is a restriction, a bias, a favor, a filter, but nature does not restrict itself. We live in a natural anarchy. That is why good things are destroyed at times or suffer.

6

All you have to do is withhold judgment on the moral category. Even observing that to do so is wise is a lapse into moralism though. It’s easier said than done.

7

There are a lot of reminders of this and I am not sure suffering necessarily even entails any such realization. It might include the (seeming) realization that there is no Point and no rescuing love or hope. Perhaps suffering is an indication of real problems that have not yet, at least, been dealt with. Once we justify the seeming torture handed out by God, we can use the same justification in relation to the torture of parents, dictators, bosses and so on. And I Think the problem of evil - which is very Close to the problem of suffering - can bring out the desperate rationalizations in people who do not want to fear Daddy or Daddy State or even worse, in some ways, get really angry. And so the creative mind often tries to find a way to make it seem really OK. I Think the Abrahamic religions really make this problem harsh, because God in these is supposed to be so infallible and perfect and unevolving, with nothing to learn, a bit like the monolith in 2001.

8

occam’s razor - the good suffer, the bad suffer, we ALL suffer - simply put, it is about human evolution and the workings of the brain - we all have one - and how it affects us mentally, physically, spiritually.

If we approached this question from a biological and neurological standpoint, wouldn’t we have a better understanding and compassion and interconnectedness toward all? The question “Why do good people suffer” kind of points to an attitude that it is really the bad people who ought to suffer…which in turn kind of defeats or dissolves the word “good”, or questions what it really means, imo. :laughing:
:twocents-02cents:

Would a philosopher ask: "Why does the sun shine on the good and the bad?

9

Quite Arcturus everyone suffers, it’s just some people often bad people don’t seem to get quite the audience good people do when they are losing the Vermacht. Suffering is arbitrary, does the sun not shine on me as it does you?

Mind you I do think and I may be wrong in this that good people seem to believe that by some magic they should suffer less than bad people, and that is probably what makes them so vocal about it, but then that is just a matter of perspective, if you are good you look at evil and say why am I suffering when evil like this is prospering, if you are evil, you say why is it that I am so good that evil people are prospering. There’s never been a bad person on Earth who did not believe or justify himself ultimately as being good in some way. We seem to then see only the justification of righteous people not what is actually good or evil. It’s hardly surprising then that what we see of good seems to be skewed towards the so called good people, since you seldom see a self professed evil person make a statement that he deserves it for his crimes.

10

“Rain falls on the just and unjust.”

11

All kinds of people suffer, both good and bad. And we’ll never figure out why.

12

Because our planet is neither nothingness nor Olympus, but what it is: the means by which intellects/souls are tested in the mystical trial-by-battle that is life. Not irrelevant is the so-called “Iraneaean theodicy” here: suffering can either be our path to internal decline, or the phoenix-like ordeal shaping and ennobling who we are –

Villains and heroes, if granted existence, are of the same species – the lesson is the experiential psycho-spiritual palingenesis of “redemption” (exoterically), in which (philosophically) “NOUMENAL-KANTIAN” FREE MORAL CHOICE (previously believed as the particular gift of “GOD” to the encephalized hominized ape-flesh-adorned “ADAM”), is the all-determining factor… FREE MORAL CHOICE, TO DESCEND OR ARISE, SUBLIMATING THE WILL IN BUILDING ORDER FROM DISORDER, – FREE MORAL WILL IS THE LESSON…

13

What is your definition of good, what is your definition of evil? Does it vary from another individuals definition of the same? Is there really good or evil?

Humans suffer because they learn through pain. Without pain they would never learn. Good people suffer because they are out of spec with reality and suffering is teaching them a lesson, when they learn it, their suffering will cease.

You will never find answers, without paying the price required. And what is life but a search for knowledge and answers?

14

Skakos,

Well, it is not a rocket science to understand. On the contrary, it is so straight and simple so a student of 5th standerd can get it easily. It is a simple math like 2+ 2= 4. But, the real problem is that these concepts cannnot be comprehended in bits and peices. One has to keep the complete ontological picture in the mind otherwise it leads to vague arguments.

Actually, the good people never suffer and goodness always plays it part but sometimes it does not reflect at local level.

I would like to put an old legend to explain-

Once there were two twin farmer brothers living adjacently. One was very kind and honest in nature while the other one was just the opposite. The good one was facing all sorts of problems in the life but life was easy going for a bad one. But, the good brother had faith in the God and was contented with his life.

One day both were tilling their feilds. All of a sudden, a big thorn struk in the feet of a good brother and blood started flowing out and he cried in pain. And, at the same time, the plough of the bad brother hit a pot in the depth of the earth which was full of gold.

Seeing all this, the good brother lost his patience. His faith in the justice of the God shattered and thought that there is no meaning of living in this unjust world so he should rather die to end his sufferings.

He went to the top of a hill and as he was ready to jump but an old sage caught him from behind. The sage took him to his hut, consoled him and asked what happened. The brother explained his story. The sage told the brother to have faith in the justice of the God but the brother refused and claimed that there is no justice whatsoever in this world.

Seeing a good man losing faith, the sage decided to help him out. So, he asked the brother to wait for some time and went into the trance to inquire about the issue. Then he told the good brother that-

[u]When you took birth, it was written in your destiny that you should be hanged today but your good deeds throughout this life nullified your bad consequences and at the end you end up just with a wound.

And, when your brother took birth, it was written in his destiny to be the king by today. But, his bad deeds nullified good consequences and he is left with just some coins of gold[/u].

So, still the justice is done. The good brother regained his faith and lived happily thereafter.

[b]It has a long trail. it is just like a ledger where debit and credit balances are carried forwarded and adjusted accordingly. Every life span is a day book and its balances are taken to ledger. Thus, one does not know the previous credit or debit balances which are being forwarded to settle the account.

The issue is that when a soul incarnates for the first time, it bears no balence. So, when it would go back, it must have settle its all accounts earned during all lifespans. It happens specially in the last incarnation when it prepares itself to go back from where it came by setteling its all accounts.

The most cases of “Justice not done” belongs to these last incarnations. This is where some are born with severe deceases and anamalies and suffer during the whole lifespan without doing nothing wrong. And, on the other side, some of bad people enjoy very good life. Thus,it looks like that justice is not done. But, actually, it is justice what is being done.

That is a different issue that we are unable to understand it due to our limited capabilities.

So this is to say that we and each and everything else in this cosmos, are governed by some certain laws. There is absolutely no randomness or chances whatsoever.

That is what Karma is and it never faults[/b].

One may believe it or not. That is a different issue but i think that i have explained enough why even good people have suffer sometimes.

with love,
sanjay

15

I think it’s because all people suffer, and good people are part of all people. Basically, you’re born, and then you start dying, and you don’t want to face the inevitable, so you waste a lot of your life pointing fingers and looking for places to lay blame for the feelings you feel that you refuse to face, and instead of having the best life you could have had, you end up with shit because you wont settle for less than the impossible.

16

Helandhighwater

I think that the word “magic” is probably a good word to use here - since it is part of our belief system - the belief that only bad people ought to suffer ~ as if the Universe contained some kind of protective umbrella which kept evil away - just one more superstitious thought ~ ergo, that belief in effect causes more suffering. It is not quite an easy thing to use our reason and logic when we are feeling physical or emotional pain - so in our grasping at straws, the so-called “good” people would wish the consequences of cause and effect on the so-called bad people. Everything is a matter of perspective and perspective is so important in understanding a thing and then transcending it.

I don’t think, imo, that anyone is ultimately totally good or totally bad. Although I feel hardput to say it, I daresay that even the despots of the world were not totally evil. We’re human (which is a reason, not an excuse) and we sometimes do stupid things out of unawareness or callousness - or to gain the power which we don’t feel within us, and some of us will justify our actions by blaming others. If we could only start from the beginning of our personal journey to the end, we would see what brought us to this place of suffering and chaos. That actually might create more healing and less suffering in us. And there are those who are totally innocent.

I think that part of the reason for the thread’s question is because many look on god as some kind of a personal god or a sugar daddy who must protect the child within. He’s bad - god needs to punish him. I’m good, why does god punish me too? The erroneous narcissistic and disconnected ways in which we perceive, think, and believe things is what molds our brains and our minds and our spirits and causes more suffering.

I say down with all beliefs - well, at least examine them. If they do not work for us or seem to be illogical and irrational, burn them to ashes. The only measurement for a “good” belief (whether it is real or not) in my opinion is if it enhances one’s life toward “real” beauty and meaning and holistic growth and does not harm ourselves - or others.

When it comes to beliefs, we must do Spring cleaning. :laughing:

17

Because the world is not to be understood in terms of “why”, only “how”.
There is not reason why there is a differential between evil and good people suffering; in fact I do not think it is even evident.
Suffering visits all of us good or bad.
To even ask the question you have already set the answer inside the premise: as you are assuming that their ought to be justice. Says who?

18

Wise words suggesting that your god does not have a sense of justice.

19

Water,

I am agree with you on this.
But, i want to add something to it.

[b]Sometimes we use to pretend to others that we are good yet on the receiving end. But, let me tell you and i am quite sure of that, each and everyone of us, in the bottom our hearts, knows very well whether we are good or bad.

We can lie to everyone else but not ourselvs. We all are naked in front of us.[/b].

with love,
sanjay

20

This is ridiculous as good and evil act are not the same for everyone.