THE ISSUE OF SUFFERING
One of the arguments often raised to question the existence of God is known as the problem of evil or the problem of suffering. This objection stems from an erroneous view that evil in human life is God-made, which is untrue. While suffering in the human world is man-made, this misunderstanding leads to misattributing the suffering in human life to God.
The actual reason for this misunderstanding is that when people observe human suffering, they seek an explanation regarding the concerned individual. When, in many cases, this explanation is not immediately observable within the person, people start alleging that either no God is controlling this world or that if there is a God, He is unjust. However, this attribution is incorrect.
Suffering in the human world is man-made. This suffering in a person’s life is sometimes caused by themselves, their parents, the society in which they live, and the broader social system they are a part of. Sometimes, suffering has an immediate cause, and sometimes, the cause of suffering can be traced back over several generations.
The reason for these misapprehensions is that people study situations from the wrong angle. They look at a phenomenon as if it is related to God rather than to man. This goes entirely against scientific facts.
Scientific studies show a clear difference between the human world and the rest of the universe. That is, while the eternal laws of nature control the rest of the universe and are, thus, evil-free, man is free and leads his life according to his free will. This difference is, in fact, the real reason for what is called the ‘problem of evil.’ All the evils of this human world result from the wrong use of human freedom. Corruption in social systems results in many kinds of diseases. Likewise, wars, global warming, pollution, ecological problems, etc., result from the misuse of human freedom.
Misinterpretation Due to Incorrect Reference
The reality is that this doubt arises from misinterpreting the actual scenario, i.e., viewing a phenomenon that should be seen concerning humans from the perspective of God, which is contrary to scientific facts.
For instance, the issue of AIDS is considered a grave problem in today’s era. However, according to medical research, it results from the incorrect use of human freedom. Medical science also acknowledges that several diseases are inherited from ancestors. These are known as atavistic diseases. Likewise, various epidemics spread, causing thousands of deaths or ill health. According to medical research, these are also primarily human-induced.
A famous personality in Delhi, Dr. Arun Shourie’s son, is paralyzed. This suffering occurred due to a wrong injection he received in a hospital in America at a young age, which resulted in his physical paralysis. Similarly, numerous people die or become disabled due to violence and wars; all these are also the result of human actions, etc.
The fact is that attributing human suffering to nature is entirely unscientific. The study of all branches of science tells us that nature is devoid of anomalies. Nature is so precise that its operations can be predicted. If there were no predictability, all scientific activities would suddenly halt.
Comparative Study
The first principle of scientifically studying the problem of evil is understanding things in comparison. Comparative study reveals that the problem of evil is mainly limited to the human world, whereas humans represent a tiny fraction compared to the entire universe. In all its vastness, the rest of the universe is an entirely zero-defect universe. Innumerable activities constantly occur in the universe, but no form of evil appears.
There are diseases in the human world; accidents occur; injustice, corruption, unfairness, exploitation, wars, hatred and enmity, rebelliousness, crises, crimes, and many other evils can be found in the human world. However, apart from the human world, the rest of the universe is entirely free of such evils. This difference proves that the problem of evil is man-made, not nature-made. If it were a problem created by nature, it would undoubtedly be found throughout the universe.
Scientific Study
A scientific study of this issue reveals a clear difference between the human world and the rest of the universe—that definite laws of nature control the rest of the universe. In contrast, humans are free, and they map their lives with this freedom. This difference is the root cause of what is referred to as the problem of evil.
A deeper study of this issue reveals that all the evil in the human world results from misusing human freedom. Medical science tells us that diseases are not caused by nature but result from human errors. The errors that cause diseases are sometimes of one’s own making, sometimes the result of a hereditary legacy, and sometimes it is owing to the corruption of the societal system. It is worth pondering that linking disease to nature is an atheistic theory and is not based on any scientific discovery. Likewise, wars, global warming, ecological problems, etc., result from misusing human freedom.
In this way, all the issues of suffering or the problem of evil result from the misuse of human freedom and are, thus, man-made.
