Reply #21: Well I can't speak for God [View All]

[madison2000]

But it seems like there was a lot more to Jesus than his crucifiction. The life of Jesus is shows what God is like- self-sacrifice, love, charity- these give a concrete example of a godly life. I've noticed that very few people are critical of Jesus and the life he lived even though they may think that Christianity is hogwash. There is more to the life of Jesus than than his death, although thats the center of the Christian meaning of redemption. Catholics tend to emphasize Christ's "passion" (suffering and execution) while Protestants emphasize the resurrection. In a Catholic church you will likely see a suffering Jesus on the cross (a la Mel Gibson), but in a Protestant church there is an empty cross.

I think you're getting close to the problem of why God allows suffering. Nobody has an answer for this that satisfies the heart. If God is all knowing and all powerful then why does God allow suffering? The standard answer for this is that suffering is permitted because God wanted humans to have free will and make choices, rather than making us automatons.

Its a strange idea - taking the only "guiltless" person who ever lived and punishing him for the sins of everyone else who has ever lived. Its a strange idea that a loving God would allow so much suffering in the world he created.