Suffering and the Inescabable God

No, I'm not tackling the whole problem of evil today...though I am touching it.  One short post is not about to address all of my theodicy (I think John Milton, genius that he was, was unable to fully "justify the ways of God to man" and he wrote books and books of some of the English language's most perfect poetry to try to do so.  Though frankly, I don't like the idea of trying to "justify God's ways" as if He was in a court and we sat in judgment...the very image is beyond ludicrous.)  But today I'm not feeling very well, so suffering seems as good a subject as any.  (Nothing serious, but it's not fun.)

Pain, suffering, disappointment, sadness, depression--any way you slice it, each and every human being that has ever lived has experienced pain and suffering.  It's not optional; it is inevitable.

For some reason, when this fact is brought up, what immediately comes to mind is that we so often have a contest:  "who really has suffering the most?"  Or "who suffered the most unjustly?"  Memes circulate on social media on "first world problems" show how often our "suffering" really isn't (and it's amazing how much this "pain" can occupy our minds.)  We want to be able to whine and have sympathy, and really our goal is to "justify the ways of self to Facebook."

But have no fears--even if most of your complaints are true "suffering", pain will come.  No matter how wealthy and care-free your life is, you will eventually face death.  So we avoid it, we avoid pain.  Medical expenses for chronic pain are estimated as $635 million a year, more than heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  But you can't avoid it.

In the science fiction series The 100 (spoiler alert!) there are many who seek to have no pain.  A sophisticated AI named A.L.I.E. offers to remove your pain and dwell "in the City of Light."  Many hear that siren's song and heed it, giving up their volition and even their memory to have no pain.  (Granted, they are living in a post-apocalyptic earth and that seems awful tempting when you're facing fun things like acid clouds, barbarians, and evil marrow-extracting vampires).  But hey, like Captain Kirk, "I need my pain!" (Yeah, the worst Star Trek ever...but funny how this theme is still used.)  In a way (and I have no idea if the screenwriters intended this), A.L.I.E. represents what our society as it is today offers: freedom from pain, as long as you give up your soul.  You, too, can dwell in the City of Light--just listen to us and get What You Really Need (before it's made obsolete by next year's model.)

So...the Metatheme of this blog is God.  Is God A.L.I.E., offering us heaven, freedom from pain, but causing us to lose our volition?

If He is, then reality doesn't seem to support this contention.  We have pain, suffering, death--these come to believers as well as the profane.  And as I have written before, the God we believe in is the one who holds burning suns in His hands--surely He could stop our pain if He desired?  Surely that is not beyond His power?

So why, then, does God allow pain?  If God is inescapable, our suffering does not surprise it, nor is it beyond His ability to stop it?

Ponder that.  Read Job, if you will--but don't be surprised if the reason isn't immediately apparent.  I'll revisit these theme tomorrow, God willing.