With the amount of suffering in the world these days it certainly seems that way. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. (2 Peter 3:3, 4) First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” (Jude 17-19) As for you, beloved ones, call to mind the sayings that have been previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 how they used to say to you: “In the last time there will be ridiculers, following their own desires for ungodly things.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, animalistic men, not having spirituality.
Suffering is a part of life. As is joy. Expecting one without the other in at least some form or with at least some frequency is to be deluding oneself.
The only thing that changes is the variability of these things in each human life.
Hello MrWitch. You're agnostic, right? I know that you don't accept the Bible as God's word but will post an article anyway. This article would be more appropriate for those that believe in the Bible but don't really know what it says about suffering as most seem to believe that it's just part of God's plan to get them to heaven or something like that? Do you have any specific question about the Bible?
I did a quick search 'pain and suffering ' ; one can learn to develop an attitude to avoid suffering. Never occurred to me that it could be a possibility , it is something one can learn if given an opportunity .
'Course a lot of people simply do not have access to a pain clinic or sources of information.
This post was edited by Kittigate at January 2, 2017 8:46 AM MST
I would imagine it's pretty hard to develop an attitude to avoid suffering when you're running with your family to merely keep yourself and them alive. All this is easily said by someone who's sitting in a warm home with plenty to eat.
Okay, thank you for letting me know. I wasn't raised in a religious household myself. Fulfilled prophecy's in the Bible like the one in the following link are what made me think that there was something to the Bible. I invite you to peruse for yourself if you like:
Hello MunchkinakaCottonCandy, thank you for answering. Quite a long user name. lol From the way things have been going especially the last few decades, I can see why you feel that way. Are you a Bible reader?
I wasn't raised in a religious household. When I first started studying the Bible as an adult I was skeptical. Initially prophecy's like the one at Daniel 9:25 are what made me think that there was something to the Bible. If you get a chance, read the verses in this link and see what you think:
Suffering is largely of three causal types - natural [earthquakes, droughts floods, epidemics, illnesses etc], human external [wars, oppression, injustice, domestic and other violence] and human internal [mental, psychological, emotional etc]
We are on the road to removing or controlling or defending ourselves from the effects, as appropriate. However, we're light years away from eliminating them. Perhaps when we do we'll find ourselves in paradise or utopia.
The positive aspects are they present us with challenges and opportunities to learn and develop. Another positive is that they teach us patience perseverance and gratitude.
Mr. Bromide 