One of the most common criticisms of Christianity is its struggle to explain how an all-loving, all-powerful, and all-knowing God could permit so much evil, pain, and suffering in the world. However, this issue is not unique to Christianity because everyone eventually wrestles with this triumvirate of tribulation. I would even argue that explaining evil, pain, and suffering is the foundation of every worldview. We should commend each perspective for addressing this issue, but we also need to assess whether their explanations truly reflect reality. I want to examine some of these competing grand narratives and demonstrate why ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ offers the most coherent storyline and the most satisfying resolution to this shared conflict.
Palette of pain
Atheists often find themselves in the awkward position of condemning the cruelty of natural selection while still admiring its creative power. They appropriately recoil from evil, pain, and suffering, but then are forced to admire the tools of the evolutionary trade. They criticize evolution’s use of a monochrome, ‘red in tooth and claw’ palette of pain, yet praise its remarkable ability to brandish an artistic brush.
If natural selection is the inspiration behind the portrait of biological life, then floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are art studios bustling with activity. If random changes in the genetic code add texture to the scientific sketch of the tree of life, then Three Mile Island and Chernobyl were artist colonies producing avant-garde mutations radiating with creative potential. The good news is that it’s rare to find a materialist who doesn’t cringe when they see natural selection sculpt the natural world, but sadly, they must admit that only when the chisel drips blood can they be confident that it is doing its job properly.
Most people, however, find materialist explanations for evil, pain, and suffering lacking and instead turn to the heavens for help. Let’s explore several religious options and see how they address this troubling trio.
Float downstream
The Buddha understood that suffering is the main problem of life. He believed it stems from unhealthy attachments to permanence in a constantly changing world. He taught that suffering occurs because we vainly try to hold onto an identity that doesn’t really exist—clinging to an illusory atman (soul or self) when there is only anatman (no soul or self). He agreed with Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who famously said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” He believed that the fear of losing our identity as we are swept downstream in an endless current of change causes us to cling desperately to every rock and branch along the way, leaving us emotionally battered and bloodied. He urged his followers to strive for enlightenment by extinguishing the desire for permanence, freeing themselves from worldly attachments, and putting an end to suffering.
While we can respect the Buddha for correctly identifying the problem, we should question whether letting go of our attachments is the best option for our psychological well-being. Mental health professionals would most likely take issue with him because they know that avoiding the causes of suffering has a very poor therapeutic track record.
For example, alcoholism, at its most basic level, is essentially a chemical form of Buddhism. Devout drinkers try to avoid suffering by detaching from the world, but instead of following the eight-fold pathway, they adopt a six-pack strategy, diligently practicing “right intoxication.” Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), arguably one of the most successful addiction treatment programs in the world, recognizes that detachment is a recipe for disaster. Instead, AA promotes an anti-Buddhist approach to suffering by encouraging people with chemical dependency to engage with the world by confronting their problems, accepting their inability to fix them alone, reflecting on the harms they’ve caused, and working toward making amends.
Karmic pounds
Hinduism also rightly acknowledges the problem of pain and suffering, but attributes it to putting on unwanted karmic pounds. It encourages its adherents to jump on the elliptical trainer of reincarnation and keep peddling until they are svelte enough to squeeze their fat atman back into its designer Brahman (Unknown God). Recognizing that finding motivation for their daily spiritual workout can be tough, they turn to divine personal trainers like Krishna, Shiva, or Vishnu for encouragement. The problem with a karmic explanation of suffering is that no one seems to know the ideal target weight so that when people arrive for the afterlife weigh-in, rather than receive praise for shedding some sinful cellulite, they are fat-shamed and told to head back to the Samsara (cycle of birth and rebirth) gym for another spin class.
Happy thoughts
New Age spirituality also recognizes pain and suffering but attributes them to negative thoughts. It teaches us that the universe wants the best for us but won’t help unless we also desire the best for ourselves. The problem with this approach is that whenever we try to speak success into our lives, we all too often end up uttering disappointment. Encouraged to align our thoughts with the universal force of benevolence, we find ourselves helplessly turning to the dark side. The problem with the power of positive thinking is that cancer strikes the happy and the hopeless, the selfish and the sacrificial. Tragedy affects the hard-working and the lazy, the diligent and the indifferent. Unfortunately, New Age practices, while designed to minimize suffering, only work when things are going relatively well. They are only efficacious if you have the financial resources to afford the video series and the leisure time to view them. You won’t find New Age literature in addiction treatment centers because the residents have already spent their lives chasing the high, only to find themselves hitting bottom.
Last Word
For the atheist, pain and suffering are the price of admission, and death is the ticket out. For the Buddhist, pain and suffering result from a worldly flirtation, which can only be resolved by rejecting the material hook-up culture. For the Hindu, pain and suffering are the penalties for breaking karmic codes of conduct, which are handed down in consecutive life sentences. For the New Ager, pain and suffering are the result of a bad attitude, which can be fixed for just $19.95.
The Good News of the Gospel is that the triumvirate of tribulation has met its Trinitarian match. A God who so loved the world gave His only Son, Jesus, to redeem it by suffering and dying on a cross, thereby making it possible for the Holy Spirit to pour His love into our hearts. God doesn’t turn His back on suffering; instead, He takes it on, redeems it, and makes it globally salvific. Stunningly, while evil, pain, and suffering are do-not-enter signs for every other worldview, they are welcome mats for Christians.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
Evil, pain, and suffering are the central conflicts in every life story—a narrative tension that longs for a happily ever after. However, it is a tension that is only resolved by the Author of our faith, who, in the Greatest Story Ever Told, gives us the final WORD on the matter.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:4-5)
Photo by Road Trip with Raj on Unsplash
God's Screenplay 