Why Do Bad Things Happen If God Is Good? (Rhodes, Ron) download epub

Ron Rhodes has recently become one of my favorite Christian authors because of his direct and clear writing style and pointed biblical references to make his case. This book provides a thorough treatment of the problem of evil using biblical evidence to answer objections. It also hits on so much more discussing various other theological topics, the attributes of God, and other views on the problem of evil and sin. Rhodes also keeps a very compassionate tone throughout the work in regards to suffering and trials the reader and all humanity face.

I wholeheartedly recommend this work for anyone wrestling with the problem of evil.

One of Ron Rhode's best books. Almost any book he writes is well done, informs, and is clear. I've read many of his books.
This book is by far the best book I've seen. on the discussion of evil on Earth vs. a good God.
Ron Rhodes is excellent in his ability to give new facts in his books--not typical of most Christian authors.
Do read this book. It's well worth your time.

Pastor Rhodes tmakes easy to understand what sometimes seems so complicated. Using day-by-day exemples and strong biblical support, he tackles with the problem of evil in a very clear and even emotional way. This book will help every christian to realize how God is every moment with us, even in the utmost hardship!!

Loved it

This makes a lot of scense!

ok

GREAT BOOK FOR PEOPLE WITH QUESTIONS ON WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO THEM INSPITE THE FACT THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR ALL HAVING PROBLEMS AND TRIALS!!!

Ron Rhodes is currently President of "Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries," and sometimes teaches cult apologetics at various seminaries. He was formerly Editor/Associate Editor of the Christian Research Institute's Journal and Newsletter, and a frequent guest on the "Bible Answer Man" radio program. He has written many books, such as The Complete Book of Bible Answers,New Age Movement,The 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Jehovah's Witness,Challenge of the Cults and New Religions,Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons,Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims,Answering the Objections of Atheists, Agnostics, and Skeptics,Halloween: What You Need to Know, etc.

He wrote in the Introduction to this 2004 book, "As this book unfolds, I will address these and other errant explanations for the problem of evil. I will also offer what I believe to be a biblical perspective on the issue..." (Pg. 15) He adds, "My goal in this book is to examine some of the tough questions about evil and suffering from a Christian vantage point. I want to provide an adequate view of suffering that is faithful to the biblical testimony... The book you are holding in your hand contains a summary of the wisdom I have gleaned from Scripture on this issue... I am approaching the subject from several different angles. At times I write as a theologian... At other times I write as a philosopher... Yet at other times I write as a pastor or perhaps as a friend, sharing heartfelt counsel to help you get through the pains and toils that all of us inevitably face in day-to-day living." (Pg. 17-18)

He acknowledges, "The Bible teaches that our all-good God has a good purpose for allowing evil---at least on a temporary basis. Between eternity past and eternity future is a tiny dot of time in which humans live on a temporal earth. During this tiny dot of time, god allows (not deterministically causes) evil for some eternal good." (Pg. 46)

He criticizes the views of Rabbi Harold Kusher in When Bad Things Happen to Good People, saying, "Kushner's finitism fails to consider that God's timing is not human timing. The fact that God has not defeated evil TODAY does not mean He is not eliminating it IN THE FUTURE... It is shortsighted to conclude that because something evil has happened today, God must be limited in power. God may have reasons for allowing something evil to happen today, reasons that we know nothing about and that God is using to bring about some greater good in the future... when we get to heaven, we will likely say, 'Ahhh, I get it now,' and we will understand why God allowed certain things to happen." (Pg. 67)

He argues, "What if God dealt with evil, not by instantly snuffing all human beings out of existence but by simply stopping them from sinning the moment before they were about to commit the act? Would such a scenario be possible? This would mean that God, just in the nick of time, would stop the car of the drunken driver so that it would not crash into the bus full of school children... Likewise, God would deflect the bullets of the would-be murderer... Can you see where I am going with this? Such a scenario would ultimately mean that human beings would no longer be free to make choices, and their personal responsibility would evaporate since God would be thwarting all evil before it erupts. The world would be even more unpredictable because we'd never know when God was about to step in out of the blue and intervene in the affairs of humanity. Such a world would be chaos." (Pg. 87-88)

He adds, "Even natural evils---earthquakes, tornados, floods, and the like---are rooted in our wrong use of free choice. We must not forget that we are living in a fallen world, and because of that, we are subject to disasters in the world of nature that would not have occurred had man not rebelled against God." (Pg. 95) But he advises, "we can easily conclude that whenever we see brothers or sisters in the Lord suffering, God must be disciplining them for their sin. Let us not be quick to judge, for we do not know all the facts ... Sometimes people bring suffering on themselves because they've used their free wills in an inappropriate way, but people can also suffer because of the consequences of freewill decisions made by other people. At other times, people suffer because of spiritual warfare or something else." (Pg. 134)

He rejects the explanation of reincarnation and karma, saying, "One must ask, Why is one punished, via karma, for something he or she cannot remember having done in a previous life? And how does a person become BETTER by being punished for a sin he or she does not remember? More pointedly, if a young child develops cancer and dies, what possible healing can be brought to that baby's soul? The child has no recollection of sins committed in a previous life, and even if the child did have some such memory, he or she would not have the mental acumen to make sense of the hardship before he or she died. Where is the divine justice in that?" (Pg. 215)

Rhodes' book will be of interest to anyone struggling with this difficult question.