In my (not so) secret life, I follow the blogs of Christian mommies. One thing they all have in common is believing that everything happens for a reason. And that their God is directing it all with some grand plan in mind. I sometimes want to believe that everything happens for a reason. It can be a comforting thought when things seem particularly difficult or painful.
But, really, how can it possibly be that everything happens for a reason? If you subscribe to that theory, doesn't that mean that bad things happen because someone deserved it? Because someone was bad?
In senior year of high school, several of my friends and I took a class called Theory of Knowledge. Many of the brightest students in my high school were part of the class as it was required to get the IB diploma (don't feel like going into that now and most people that read this either a) have an IB diploma or b) know what it is). One day during a philosophical discussion in class, one of the guys I thought was particularly bright said that bad things don't happen to good people. At the time, I found it so offensive. Really? Did he really think that? As an aside, it turns out this guy is extremely bright (think Ivy League including a Post Doc at Harvard. Yeah.)
Anyway, when he said that, I felt a firm conviction that I believe the exact opposite. Sometimes horrible things happen to very good people. In fact, most bad things that occur happen to good people. There are a lot of bad things. More bad things that bad people, certainly. And there are a lot of good people. I will venture to say that most people qualify as good. Not necessarily smart, funny, and of strong conviction (which are my top criteria for friendship) but nonetheless, good. So, if you believe that, then it is only logical that bad things happen to good people. And if bad things happen to good people, what kind of God is out there directing that?
As I write this, I am pretty sure I have blogged something very similar before. This seems to be a recurring theme that I ponder: how I cannot reconcile wanting to believe that things happen for a reason and the reality that a lot of bad things happen to good people.
2 comments:
Couple thoughts on this topic...
I think you partly answered your question in your first paragraph. People believe and have faith in things (whether is has religious connotation or not) because it makes them feel better. And life is hard, so sometimes faith in something/anything can be important.
Secondly, in answer to your question about bad things happening because people deserved it I would have to say that's completely false. Because "bad" is a relative term. Sometimes the best things- compassion, strength and learning- come out of difficult situations. So when people say things happen for a reason you can argue that a seemingly bad thing can end up being good. You yourself say that your parents divorce made you a stronger person and that you're grateful for that. That's a great example here for two reasons; one it proves that "good" can come out of "bad" situations, and two, it proves that "good" and "bad" has little to do with a situation and a lot more to do with peoples reaction to/perception of it.
That said, I still can't make sense of kids who get cancer. Some things are just too big to get my head around.
You might enjoy the book "The Shack" by William Young. It touches on these topics and more, but it kind of religious so be prepared. But really this is a discussion that should be had sitting around a living room with some wine. :)
Also, I think it's so funny that you keep looking to the christian mommy bloggers to be rational and make sense to you. Ha!
why do you need an answer beyond what kind of god would be so unfair? either god has taken a totally hands off stand on the world or god is way too cruel. you know how often parents of disabled kids are told- 'oh you are so strong- god knew you could deal with a son who can't walk, or talk, or vote, or read, or feed himself, or go to the toilet.' well is there really a god who takes a child to test the mettle of a parent? come on.
where is the discipline of thought you worked so hard to secure? you have it.
Post a Comment