Julius The Problem of Suffering & Evil Why do bad things happen to good people?
The Problem of Suffering & Evil Why do bad things happen to good people? By Julius By Julius Jewish thinkers have always been bothered by the existence of suffering and evil, but in modern times, as a result of the Holocaust, it has taken on a central role in the thought of almost all contemporary Jewish theologians. For Jews, the problem of suffering is twofold: there is a universal problem and a particular problem. The universal problem is a philosophical one; it is not just a problem for Jews, but for anyone who conceives of G-d in a certain way. If G-d knows everything, then G-d knows about all evil. If G-d is all-powerful, then G-d can prevent all evil. If G-d is perfectly good, then G-d should prevent all evil. And yet, evil exists. How can this be true? Historically, Jewish thinkers did not articulate the problem of evil in this way until the Middle Ages. Earlier Jewish literature conceives of G-d as powerful, good, and knowledgeable, but not ne...