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August 4th, 2012
10:00 PM ET
My Faith: The danger of asking God ‘Why me?'
(CNN)–When I was diagnosed with cancer, the question “Why me?” was a natural one. Later, when I survived but others with the same kind of cancer died, I also had to ask, “Why me?” Suffering and death seem random, senseless. The recent Aurora, Colorado, shootings — in which some people were spared and others lost — is the latest, vivid example of this, but there are plenty of others every day: from casualties in the Syria uprising to victims of accidents on American roads. Tsunamis, tornadoes, household accidents - the list is long. As a minister, I’ve spent countless hours with suffering people crying: “Why did God let this happen?” In general I hear four answers to this question. Each is wrong, or at least inadequate. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories The first answer is “I guess this proves there is no God.” The problem with this thinking is that the problem of senseless suffering does not go away if you abandon belief in God. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said that if there was no higher divine law, there would be no way to tell if any particular human law was unjust. Likewise, if there is no God, then why do we have a sense of outrage and horror when suffering and tragedy occur? The strong eat the weak, there is no meaning, so why not? Friedrich Nietzsche exemplified that idea. When the atheist Nietzsche heard that a natural disaster had destroyed Java in 1883, he wrote a friend: “Two-hundred-thousand wiped out at a stroke—how magnificent!” Because there is no God, Nietzsche said, all value judgments are arbitrary. All definitions of justice are just the results of your culture or temperament. My Take: This is where God was in Aurora As different as they were, King and Nietzsche agreed on this point. If there is no God or higher divine law then violence is perfectly natural. So abandoning belief in God doesn’t help with the problem of suffering at all. The second response to suffering is: “While there is a God, he’s not completely in control of everything. He couldn’t stop this.” But that kind of God doesn’t really fit our definition of “God.” So that thinking hardly helps us with reconciling God and suffering. The third answer to the worst kind of suffering – seemingly senseless death – is: “God saves some people and lets others die because he favors and rewards good people.” But the Bible forcefully rejects the idea that people who suffer more are worse people than those who are spared suffering. This was the self-righteous premise of Job’s friends in that great Old Testament book. They sat around Job, who was experiencing one sorrow after another, and said “The reason this is happening to you and not us is because we are living right and you are not.” At the end of the book, God expresses his fury at Job’s ”miserable comforters.” The world is too fallen and deeply broken to fall into neat patterns of good people having good lives and bad people having bad lives. The fourth answer to suffering in the face of an all-powerful God is that God knows what he’s doing, so be quiet and trust him. This is partly right, but inadequate. It is inadequate because it is cold and because the Bible gives us more with which to face the terrors of life. God did not create a world with death and evil in it. It is the result of humankind turning away from him. We were put into this world to live wholly for him, and when instead we began to live for ourselves everything in our created reality began to fall apart, physically, socially and spiritually. Everything became subject to decay. But God did not abandon us. Only Christianity of all the world’s major religions teaches that God came to Earth in Jesus Christ and became subject to suffering and death himself, dying on the cross to take the punishment our sins deserved, so that someday he can return to Earth to end all suffering without ending us. Do you see what this means? We don’t know the reason God allows evil and suffering to continue, or why it is so random, but now at least we know what the reason isn’t, what it can’t be. It can’t be that he doesn’t love us. It can’t be that he doesn’t care. He is so committed to our ultimate happiness that he was willing to plunge into the greatest depths of suffering himself. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Someone might say, “But that’s only half an answer to the question ‘Why?'” Yes, but it is the half that we need. If God actually explained all the reasons why he allows things to happen as they do, it would be too much for our finite brains. What we truly need is what little children need. They can’t understand most of what their parents allow and disallow for them. They need to know their parents love them and can be trusted. We need to know the same thing about God. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Timothy Keller. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor’s note: Timothy Keller is senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York and author of The New York Times best-selling book "
Reading these articles is unnecessary (I haven't read it) because I know exactly what they are going to say, how god is mysterious and testing our faith and all that, not that I haven't heard that a million times. Glad I saved myself a couple minutes.
Why bother ( mia culpa, i read the crap), they all end up with the same thing, it makes no sense but you have to believe the mystery that is religion and if you could make a contribution, salvation awaits.
Man o man! What a bunch of illogical thought in one article. Where can one start pointing out the follies?
And all for what? No real solutions. Just more confusion and excuse of ignorance. But that's where religious belief thrives; in the gloomy shadows of ignorant thought.
Once we start realizing that goodness is an evolved quality and that violence has been a part of survival strategy for species (not just for humans but for almost all animals on this earth) then we would be able to make real progress.
The "progress" to be made is to recognize that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and in Him alone do we have life..
@pg13 –
In case you're not aware, Chad is full of nothing but nonsense and B.S.
Cheers
This is the right answer. "Original sin" has nothing to do with talking snakes and fruit (how can otherwise intelligent people actually believe this?) and everything to do with the fact that humans are basically animals. "Sin" is nothing but the conflict between our primal animal instincts and our evolves sense of what is right. And right means what is best for the evolution of a social species. "Morality" is nothing but our evolving sense of what is best for humanity. No gods required.
The gospel is the breath of life to those who are living (and saved) and the clear stench of death to the dying. Dead things can't accept Christ. God is the One who saves. Those of us who know Christ can pray for those here who do not. May God have mercy on those who are His enemies, as has been His way from the beginning. In Jesus' Name.
After reading this I can only say, wow.... A lot of words but nothing said at all.
Well said BJ. Even though these atheists are so angry I feel for them knowing their fate.
So Repent... You believe so that you will be saved in case there is a god or do you have some concrete evidence that a god exists?
Another topic that CNN just loves to talk about.......thus proving another breeding ground cest pool for atheist and others who get so upset over something they dont believe in..........have questions just read the bible...stop making atheist look like angry children!
Atheists know more about the Bible than Christians do. And that is why we are atheists.
The fact is, believers have treated non-believers badly.
Imagine if the president of the USA said Christians were not citizens of this country.
Imagine if some states had laws forbidding Christians from running for public office.
Imagine if the majority of people believed Christians deserve to burn in hell for their beliefs.
This is what atheists have to deal with.
Believers deserve the same respect they have for non-believers.
I will match you verse for verse from Genesis to Revelation and best you at all of the Bible. You seek to hate and discredit, I know the author personally.
Rick James is right. We are super 'Jesus' freaks.
@One one,
c'mon. In what states are there 'laws forbidding athesists from running for public office'?
Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas are the ones I know. I think North Carolina may as well but I'm not sure.
@Yaweh LOL.
Still ... in this day and age? Staggering! Of course it would be mostly the south.
His answer to “I guess this proves there is no God.” was sophmoric at best.
After reading all of the posts to a thoughtful article, I asked what could I possibly share that would lead to a meaningful and respectful dialogue around what seems to be some hostility or hurt regarding what has been described as: "The Christian God" and the "Bible". First, the Lord, Jesus Christ, loves everybody! As you read this, know that He loves you! He does not force you to acknowledge Him, although there are benefits of acknowledging and walking with Him, and there are consequences for living our lives apart from Him! We may not like this, but we are not God. He is the creator of the universe and the creator of you and I, and He wants the best for you! He wants you to live a life of faith and trust in Him and look to your future with Hope! Some do reject God and the righteousness, peace and joy he offers. Keep in mind that we all have faith. The question is who or what do we have faith in! Some have faith in the big bang theory and self, which has caused much suffering in the earth. Many have used religion as a Cloak to perform attrocities, but James 1:27, in the Bible says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says this: "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Verse 13 goes on to say, "13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
The Lord is calling us to a higher way of thinking and doing! The question is: Will we respond to His call on our life to trust Him, in the midst of our pain and the things we don't like that we see in this world."
amen!
Amen brother
@VoiceOfConcern,
I am not interested in challenging your faith. It is entirely your business.
Anyone who truly lives according to the teachings of Jesus, can doubtless like a 'good' life.
Not everyone is willing to accept your defintion of reality. If someone rejects the notion of God yet still lives according to the general principle of 'love thy neighbor' are they then 'bad'?
Ooops – 'live' not 'like'. (I'm typing too quickly.)
Reply to question: "If someone rejects the notion of God yet still lives according to the general principle of 'love thy neighbor' are they then 'bad'?"
I appreciate the fact that someone would embrace Jesus call to "Love their neighbor as they love themself" even if they are not a believer in God. Living out this principle does have positive imprint in our world. However, because I am familiar with what Jesus says there in the Bible, in Mark 12:30-31, I would encourage a person to simply investigate the Bible and get to know God for who He really is and benefit from all of His words. For example, first He says, "30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
There is great joy in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that "we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God" and Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord."
Because God is holy, He required a sacrifice for all of us. Jesus took our place on the cross because of His great love for everybody to reconcile us to himself for those who receive His sacrificial love. This is the Love of God. Jesus said of Himself as recorded in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." And, in 1 John 3:16 the Bible says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."
Jesus died for all of us that we might be free from the power and penalty of sin that destroys so many lives. He came to redeem us. This is good news. We just have to come to the awareness that we need to be redeemed and by faith receive His redemption. This is good news and brings great joy for those who accept Jesus sacrificial love by faith!
Hope this was helpful. Check out John 3:16. A short but powerful verse of HOPE!
GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Father Robert Barron suggests that evil can present itself where one allows a lack of God in their life... And then imagine how adding colors in a pixelated painting (like Sunday In The Park) creates a greater picture that we may not be able to see or comprehend because we only see such a small portion of the lights and darks coming together. I really love his explanation.
I wonder how much of today's evil could be overcome by unifying the Body of Christ. I grew-up in an athiest/agnostic household and I grew-up agnostic myself. When I realized there is a God and I need to be a Christian the Holy Spirit lead me to Catholicism not that I realized it at the time but that nagging pull toward something and then when I started to learn about Christianity I was astonished that anyone would divide the church, the Body of Christ. If there was a problem with the little toe the hand does not leave the body...it stays and helps heals the toe...and I see every division of Christianity is just another wounded part of the body abandoned by some other part. The more Christianity divides the more decay there is the rest has to mend and the less there is to do it with. As an example to my children I give them the challenge that their little toe is hurt and your left hand has abandoned you and then I ask them to try to put a band-aid on their little toe with one hand. If even a 4 year can understand the problem, I don't understand how it has gone on this long. To see Christ's body cutoff and scattered in parts is enough to make anyone want to cry. Christ graciously hear us, Christ have mercy, Christ help us.
Fishcer: sorry but you have it backwards: the body cut off the gangrenous part back in the 1500s. Don't cry...learn about Christ from His word...stop trying to be Dr. Frankenstein and putting something 'dead' back on the Body. BE in peace.
I don't know what you thought of when you were agnostic, but I doubt it was what I thought of. Because your back with organized religion. Either way, good luck with life.
You are fighting an uphill battle Because god and religions are created by people, and people simply disagree with each other. That's why there are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity. Then, there are all the other gods and religions that people still believe. In the end, the claim of "one truth" in the face of thousands of "truths" will be the demise of religion.
... says the IJ, who believes his group as a whole to be gods.
Seriously the one body of Christ is his word. Read the Bible, it is in there. Do not discard the body of Christ (Christ's words). The church has reformed since the 1500's and is very healthy, thanks to the good saints that stayed to mend it... Ask the poor in Calcutta who were cared for when no one else would. Ask the orphan children in China who were cared for when no one else wanted them. Ask the Native American and African American's who were cared for and educated in the early 1900's late 1800's when others miss-treated and hated them. Ask the ministries across the world...one for every Catholic Church in America who feed the poor and build schools for the needy children...
No matter what, if God will not manifest a way to send an indisputable message to mankind of his existence, and the bible is the truth, he's depended on the few he did show himself to, to save us all. A book isn't enough. Words are not enough from the mouths of humans.
Thank you God he manifests himself. I just heard on EWTV about the spiritual virtue of knowledge as being able to identify God's presence and graces in our experiences and surrounds. To know a miracle when you see it, to see a prayer answered, to listen to the Holy Spirit...
I heard about the virtue of knowledge just yesterday evening and happened upon your post. That's how the Holy Spirit guides.
I won't believe in ghosts until I see concrete evidence that they exist. Ghost stories are not enough anymore. And if ghosts do exist , why are they not in heaven or hell?
tifischer, do you believe eating starfish prevents all cancers? Do you believe that Tide gets out all grass stains? Why are you so quick to check your skepticism at the proverbial door?
Oh please do ask exlonghorn : ) I have seen many prayers answered and I have seen the Holy Spirit working in my life. Believe me I was a skeptic. Raised in an atheist household and agnostic for 26 years. Then something amazing happened...a miracle. But, I still did not get the Holy Spirit. That took 6 more years...a lot of hurt, then an enormous amount of praying and then the Holy Spirit showed me something amazing, astounding, miraculous, the answer to my prayer. Sigh. Thank you God, I love you.
Heaven was very awesomely described to me in terms of dimensions. Father Barron talks about it and does a beautiful job...check out this book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-6ZitQDEc and find water in the desert. Being trained as a scientist logic, rigorous testing, and critical assessment of facts and reasoning are natural. Going from agnostic to Christian was not an easy step. It can be difficult to step out of critical analysis mode to admit, yes this is God working in my life.
I thank God for men like Tim Keller.
I thank God for Pete's wicked ale.
The difference in this life between the tragedies that befall a believer and those that befall an unbeliever? We know they are for our good and His glory and we 'use' those painful times and grow and learn and become kinder and gentler. You will use those bad times to 'curse' or mock a 'god' you don't believe in.
What a terrible waste. Christians are the ones who celebrate dying to self and know that God died for us. What a shame you miss out on the Good News and the only important thing in life: our Triune God.
I have never once blamed god for anything, even when I did believe. I still don't blame god for anything, now that I know that there is no evidence to support belief in god.
Why do you make things up about people you don't know? Don't you realize that all you're doing is lying?
words omitted from the brains of men , do not make god true or untrue. Just live as righteous as you can, mammals.
Please stay quiet, f tard.
Did I say something wrong, Plucky? Grow a spine.
That would require evolution, which he doesn't believe in.
The danger is either you are talking to yourself or asking some phony preacher to make up some nonsense. Either way there is no answer expect made up bs.
Actually, there is a answer, sh!t happens.
Wow, What a load of crap. So that's it, we're nothing but children to god and we can't begin to understand is mind? That's the best Timothy Keller pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York can come up with, truly a sad pathetic man.
I had the same reaction. If this is the best they can come up with, Christianity is doomed to extinction.
100 years from today you will be gone and forgotten and Christianity will still be a vibrant life force, unless Jesus returns before then in which case you will be gone and forgotten sooner and Christianity will be all there is forever.
Don't blame the man. He's just peddling it as a way to make a living off of weaker minds. Blame the folks paying him to spread it.
When Jeebus returns will he be riding a dinosaur? Actually, I think he is back already..no carpenter work due to the recession so he is selling hemp products online
If it is the will of "god" to cause or even just allow men to suffer from disease, then it must be the will of "satan" for doctors to try curing them.
BUT
If it is the will of "god" to cure disease (which it obviously isn't because it required man ALONE to learn science ON HIS OWN to determine how to cure disease), then that makes "god" a fickle, bi-polar, schizophrenic !@#$!!!
You can't have it both ways! Either "god" is for or against disease! OR "god" is just a worthless POS not worth anyone's worship! Pathetic, tantrum-throwing child!
And you think you can know the mind of god?
Why not? Man made god.
Who are you to question God? Do you know the fate that awaits you in your current state? The bible says that people who ignore god will cry out for the rocks to fall on them when Jesus returns. You can turn from your sin tonight and believe in Jesus and he will forgive you.
God made man. You just refuse to believe in him even though his existence is made plain to you. You will be without excuse on judgement day.
Oh, yes! Can I get a Hallelujah?! I have seen the light tonight! Wow! I can't believe I never saw it before! You have really led me to the one and only true answer to the Universe: Jeezus!
Ah ha sha la zeb byug guh hatya welop the ha lal lala ya rer qwertyuiop.......
sorry I can't help but to speak in tongues because the LORD has done overtook my soul at this moment..,....
ah hah hah ahkj jek jiejroie rjil jseior 89s u3jrlk sjrlks enfkjs nefuis ejkf selkmf esf
Amen. Can I git a Hallelujah?! I have been saved! OMG, I have to share this message with the world because it is the only correct answer. I know all the right buttons to push to make GOD like me now. WOW!
Sorry I would have typed more but I was interrupted by GOD making me convulse on the floor and pass out! Whew! That GOD sure does like giving man his freedom of choice, which is why HE doesn't mind possessing us during times of salvation. WOW! Can I git a Amen and a Hallelujah!?
The IJs brought us this motley crew as they left their sleeper cells called atheists with us:
Josef Stalin, (Joseph David Djugashvili) Djugashvili means "Jewison"
Adolph Hitler (Rothschild), Father: Alois Hiedler. Jewish Grandfather: Barron Salomon Mayer Rothschild
Winston Churchill (Jacobson), Jewish Mother: Jenny (Jacobson) Jerome
Franklin Roosevelt (Rosenvelt), 1st traceable Jewish ancestor: Claes Martenzan van Rosenvelt
Dwight David Jacob Eisenhower was Jewish, Born in Denison, Texas in 1890, his father was David Jacob "Eisenhower," although his mother was a Stover before marriage.
Zeus, you made me lol. Some funny stuff...And I love hoe the zealots are always asking us to repent. This nonsense about original sin is total brainwashing..we are naturally evil..but if I give you money and blindly believe your ridiculous stories than I can be forgiven over and over again no matter how awful a human being I am..what a crock...
sorry Mister Author. Your explanations are very far from solving the problem. Lets take a look:
to the 1st answer “I guess this proves there is no God.” you counter by saying that if there is no God, all value judgments are arbitrary. All definitions of justice are just the results of your culture or temperament.
Analysis: GOD is itself a product of each society's culture and temperament. That's why we have different set of values from culture to culture
To the 2nd answer “While there is a God, he’s not completely in control of everything." You counter by saying that " that kind of God doesn’t really fit our definition of “God.”
Analysis: This explanation starts from the premise that our definition of GOD is the correct one. Mr Author that definition is EXACTLY what is put in question here.
To the 3rd answer :“God saves some people and lets others die because he favors and rewards good people.” you counter by saying that the Bible refutes that. i agree that it wouldn't be fair. However, is the Bible the right source for finding sense to senseless situations? Ireally dont want to get started on the Bible.
You counter the 4th answer with the same Bible so i am gonna skip that.
One last thing: you say "Only Christianity of all the world’s major religions teaches that God came to Earth in Jesus Christ ".
Duhhh!!! Thats why it's called Christianity!!! This statement is an insult to the intelligence of the reader. Am disgusted..
Your blog is a breath of fresh air. Thank you.
Bravo lingus..well said...
The path to self realization is anallingus.
Too bad that so called men of the cloth men who claim to know what the Bible teaches and the word of God know nothing of what they preach. The Bible does tell us why God allows pain and suffering for now. Any clergy that tell you we can't know the will of God is lying to you. It's easily found in the Holy Scriptures why man is living in pain and suffering right now. These so called preachers of the Bible do not want to acknowledge the simple truths that the Bible shares nor what Jesus spoke about. They are not following the will of God nor doing his preaching work here on earth. They are just human men living by worldy standards and teachings of men rather then teachings of God. Open your own Bibles and read and you will find the answers you seek. Do not rely on worldy men of the cloth who teach things that God did not speak. If your clergy or priest or rabbi tells you they can't know the will of God that is a lie and it's contrary to what the Holy Bible teaches.
Please shave your taco. It's got to be pretty gross down there.
it would have been much more to God's will if you had cited passages from the bible to back up your claim instead of throwing a bible at us and telling us to read it...
" If your clergy or priest or rabbi tells you they can't know the will of God that is a lie and it's contrary to what the Holy Bible teaches."
Well, at least you seem to know.
There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity. Each one professes they know the will of god.
That means either; one is correct, the rest are wrong, OR they all are correct, OR they all are wrong.
All are wrong because there are no gods is the obvious answer.
"Do not rely on worldy men of the cloth who teach things that God did not speak"
Wait a second...didn't worldly men of the cloth actually WRITE the Bible???
No, exlonghorn worldly men of the cloth did not write the Bible.
@truth be told,
If it wasn't written by mean I assume you believe it got magicked onto the vellum or papyrus it was written on? Do you believe in some kind of divine Harry Potter-esque 'quick quotes quill' for the composition of the bible?
Muhammed claimed that Allah came to him in a dream. At least the Muslims admit that Allah is the author of the Quran.
Ooops – 'men' not 'mean'
Okay truthbetold, I'll bite...then who DID write all the books of the Bible, and how do we ensure their accuracy, since clearly many of then are not firsthand accounts?
Anyone interested in the topic of God and suffering should (simply) read the bible and...repent and turn to Christ.
Only poor gullible fools turn to the bible for answers, your deluding yourself thats thiers anyone listening.
How many hours would it take to read the bible? To read it and really understand it. A thousand? More? Why not put that time and energy into spending time with your family and friends, developing your skills and interests, and generally LIVING this life instead of obsessing over laying yourself prostrate to something that may or may not matter (with all evidence suggesting that it doesn't matter).
exlonghorn, you will develop a deeper relationship with your family and friends by reading the Bible. I only read maybe 5 minutes a day and it is extremely beautiful and amazing and I love every minute of it. If someone had told me how amazing it was I would have read it a long time ago. John 6 (especially the Bread of Heaven) is awesome. If you have never read it I would start with Matthew and read through the Gospel. I also love the powerful story of John the Baptist and Paul... I so look forward to the rest of the new testament, Wisdom and Psalm.
I meant start with the new testament. I was thinking that was Matthew but now I think there is something before that...so start with the new testament : ) 5 min a day.
My reading last night was I think meant for you...
Hebrews 3.7-11
Warning Against Unbelief
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
Is there any danger in asking god to plow my but hole?
God is indifferent to your butthole
Anyone interested in the topic of god and suffering should read christian scholar Bart Ehrmann's "God's problem".