Chapter One

Is God the Problem?

Traditional Christianity Falls Short

Have you ever asked, or heard anyone else ask: “If God is so ‘loving,’ why is there so much suffering in the world?” Or, “Why is life so unfair?” Or, “What have I done to deserve this?” Or, “How can God allow babies to be born deformed?” Or, “Why doesn’t God do something about all the misery of humanity?” (Of course, some people say Heis doing something—He’sadding to it!).

Traditional Christianity has failed to provide satisfactory answers to these questions.9 Today, a great deal of what is represented as Christianity is, in reality, “religion,” that is, the doctrines and commandments of men.

“Religion” does purport to answer the above questions. For example: “The bad things happening to you must be because you’re a bad person or because you have sinned, and God is punishing you.” Or, “This sickness is God testing your faith.” Or, “God allowed that tragedy to humble you and strengthen your faith.” Or, “This terrible situation is how God is breaking your pride.” In reality, such “answers” only add to man’s already unbearable burdens.

Millions of people accept such erroneous ideas, and it is not because atheists tell them so, unless perhaps they are atheistic lawyers or insurance agents who, acquiescing to the jargon of their trades, often describe many natural catastrophes as “acts of God.” Sometimes it seems that just about the only folks whodon’t hold God accountable for human suffering are atheists. Well, at least they have one thing right.

How sad that so manyChristian people also attribute to God these traumatic occurrences, as well as accidents, persecution, disease, and death. One reason they do is because other sincere but misinformed Christians have failed to understand God’s wo