suffering

[stokeace]

if there is a god who loves mankind how can he warrant such suffering in the world and have little children go missing and be hurt by such evil people?

[Pippa68]

That's the thing cascarelli..they often don't.

Many people have questioned their faith or even lost it all together when a loved one has died in horrific circumstances or before their time. What answer given can make anyone feel better?

[Supernick]

Most people believe these 2 things about a 'God'.

He is all powerful
He is all knowing

There is the age old pholisophical debate about how you reconcile this with the problem of evil. Perhaps he's all powerful but misses bits, or all knowing but can't do a damn thing about it. Neither of these represents a Christian God though.

So, it's argued that free will helps to build our souls.
Or we need to experience evil to understand and enjoy good.
Or we need be able to choose the path of goodness, which means the possibility of evil exists.