Pondering Evil

I was going through some old emails the other day...some posts I made to the discussion lists I was a member of then. Several were from early 2005...two years ago yet I am still pondering the same questions about evil and suffering..... although not with the same degree of torment that I was then. Evil and suffering is one of the contrariansims that has dogged me for years. John Gavazonni introduced me to the concept of a contrarianism...two sides of the SAME coin that conflict...are contrary...seemingly opposite. This contrarianism is the age old Good God/Evil and Suffering coin. If there is a good God, it does not seem that the other side of the coin could be the presence of evil and suffering in the world. Yet...there is...and that is the contrarianism. He did not really seem to provide answers to Job when he cried out for the reasons...and I do not really expect that he will answer me....but I still ponder. And as John G also believes (and has experienced).....even though the answers are not forthcoming, oftentimes God gives us peace about an issue even without the answers. I do have a tentative peace about the issue, perhaps realizing my role as the created...not the creator.

I realize that God and I are not on the same developmental plane. I cannot create worlds or maintain the universe. I do not hold the power of life and death in my hand. I cannot do miracles.....or change the course of the future.......or heal disease etc. Neither am I ever present.....all present......all knowing. So really, in my heart of hearts I know he does not have to answer to me. I expect "Because I said so" to be ample explanation for my children about certain matters.......so should I not expect God to tell me the same thing sometime??? I don't think I like it any better than they do....