How does religion exaplin wide spread poverty and suffereing?

[Skipper]

In my other thread asking "how religion explains birth defects" godschild stated that....

For years, 30 to be exact, I have asked God to help me choose a vehicle be it car or truck that would be nearly trouble free and He has. In those 30 years we have only had to purchase four vehicles and none of them has given us much of a problem.

Now, assuming that god did help him with his shrewd purchases and it wasn't just as a result of years of humans learning and mastering of engineering, how does religion explain why we have widespread poverty across the whole world and yet god has no problem ignoring all that and instead wastes his time going through Auto-Trader magazine to help believers in rich countries get a reliable 4x4?

Millions, if not billions of people are stuck in poverty and suffering, some very religious ones, who no doubt pray their whole lives to be free of all the suffering that surrounds them as a result of war or sickness...why does god ignore these prayers? Why can't he help them and yet finds the time to help with trivial matters such as car buying?

Is this another case of people being punished because of the sin they are born with due to the whole talking snake, apple, tree set up? Or are they part of gods plan? I'm sure the latter will be of great comfort to them while they struggle to find food and water for their next meal for them and their families. WHAT A PLAN!!!!

Discuss.

[Lethe]

There is only one answer: God is a troll.



The most common theistic responses I've found to this dilemma is that without suffering, there would be no compassion. This is technically true, as compassion's literal meaning is "with suffering", but if there were no suffering, compassion wouldn't be required.

As far as God's divine hand deliberately helping others, in thriving societies where poverty and famine seems so far removed from the self it's easy to fail to consider them when processing the world around oneself. So while I can understand the desire to attribute positive outcomes to a higher authority, I've had the same thoughts as well, and could never manage to ignore them. I'm actually curious as to the religious responses.

[Thor]

In my other thread asking "how religion explains birth defects" godschild stated that....

For years, 30 to be exact, I have asked God to help me choose a vehicle be it car or truck that would be nearly trouble free and He has. In those 30 years we have only had to purchase four vehicles and none of them has given us much of a problem.

I can top this! In another forum I saw a post from a believer that gave "God" credit for supplying her with cleaning supplies! She marveled at how she "never seemed to run out of paper towels!". So, apparently, this deity is too busy resupplying paper towels and helping folks get a good deal on a vehicle to help those who are blind, paralyzed, or living in poverty and starving.

[Ace Otana]

Let's see....

God demands worship (likes to have his ego stroked. He's an Attention seeker).
God only helps those who are high up in society and ignores those on the bottom (SNOB!)
God doesn't like it when people lack belief in him, so he sends them to hell. It's his way or hell! (Dictator)
God does not forgive nor does he take responsibility for his creation. (Heartless and irresponsible)

Why?....Why is it that god has all the traits we humans have? Why does he behave so much like a human?
I think it's because humans created god and so god thinks and behaves like his creators (us).

If this god is real, then I can't really call him a god. Since he doesn't really behave like one. A being that supposedly smart enough and powerful enough to create the entire universe and to be that stupid at the same time makes me seriously doubt his existence. God (based on people's description of him) is a total faggot. A bully, dictator, snob, fool and heartless tyrant.

[Shell B]

That's easy. Free will.

[theVOID]

That quote is priceless!

For years, 30 to be exact, I have asked God to help me choose a vehicle be it car or truck that would be nearly trouble free and He has. In those 30 years we have only had to purchase four vehicles and none of them has given us much of a problem.

My atheist parents have only owned two cars in 30 years, God must love them more than you.

[lrh9]

Religion has always had zero explanatory power. Just like Zeus never truly explained lightning, religion does not explain the universe.

[Rayaan]

The following is one of the best explanation that I've seen (according to the philosophy of Islam).

Suffering and Divine Wisdom:
http://www.shadhiliteachings.com/tariq/?...ticle&id=2

[Minimalist]

I have asked God to help me choose a vehicle be it car or truck that would be nearly trouble free and He has.

G-C is one fucked up duck...I have to say.


I attained the same level simply by avoiding domestically built pieces of shit. I'll take Nissan design and engineering over his silly, fucking, god any day of the week.

[Jaysyn]

For years, 30 to be exact, I have asked God to help me choose a vehicle be it car or truck that would be nearly trouble free and He has. In those 30 years we have only had to purchase four vehicles and none of them has given us much of a problem.

That's one of the lamest things I've ever read. Odin has made my Neon last 12 trouble-free years on the same engine & drive train, surely your weaksauce "God" can do better than that?