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Job Vs. The Book Of Job

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Why do good things happen to bad people? Do our actions have an impact on the external and physical world? These are the kinds of questions that have been commonly asked in regards to what it means to endure misfortune in an otherwise seemingly good world. The concept of evil and why we suffer have been interpreted in numerous ways and from various perspectives. Judaism was dealt the complex and contradictory dilemma of trying to reconcile a loving and just God, with the phenomenon of evil and suffering. Why if God is loving and just would he allow us to endure misery? The concept of evil has always been fluid, and had undergone significant transitions in Christianity as it developed off of Judaism. The Christian understanding of evil would become a critical element in the establishment of the dogma of the early modern European witch hunts. The Book of Job, from its Jewish origins to its Christian interpretation was influential in the establishment of the Christian dogma the Witch Hunts for its evaluation of the concept of evil, the relationship between God and Satan, and how our actions influence the natural world and cause our suffering. …show more content…

It is a story meant to explain why if God is just that we experience suffering. The story of Job takes place in the Land of Uz, which is outside of the land of Israel. Due to Job’s comfortable living standards, it is inferable that the Book was approximately in a time when the ancient Israelites were living in an independent kingdom and had not been invaded by the Romans yet. The story is meant to teach us in God’s just world, there is suffering that we cannot understand that is part of some universal system. The idea of Satan is introduced and what purpose he serves in God’s practice of justice. Job’s prosperity and suffering introduce this notion that the actions of humans have an effect on natural world around

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Throughout humanity, the idea of suffering played a major role in human lives, in some cases by ending it. Nevertheless, according to popular religious traditions, the first humans, Adam and Eve, were placed on Earth to suffer for their sins in a life of misery. All humans are a part of this “original sin,” thus there is no such thing as innocent humans suffering in the world. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Popular religious themes are centered on the idea of continual suffering in life, like the Israelites who continued to suffer through the Holocaust.

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He argues that God compensates for the evil that people suffer in this life by giving them rewards in the afterlife. Beaty's argument is based on the idea that God is just and merciful, and that he would not allow his creatures to suffer without compensating them in some way. Beaty's argument is creative and thought-provoking. He provides a new way of thinking about the problem of evil, and he offers a possible solution that is both plausible and consistent with traditional Christian beliefs. However, Beaty's argument is also controversial.

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In addition, how can humans treat each other as though another human is just a bug that needs to be exterminated? Through the shocking stories, the reader also begins to question where God is; however, there needs to be a separation of blame. Human’s evil actions are not the responsibility of God. It must be recognized that humans have freewill to choose to do good or evil. Evil is of the world, but since God is not of the world, God is not responsible for the evil in the world.

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Evil is permitted as a test of the character of humanity and the faithfulness of evil’s victims. Salvation for them is enlightenment, is only granted by god’s grace. Suffering is

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by Thomas Warren is a product of the final chapter of his doctoral dissertation in Philosophy entitled “God and Evil: Does Judeo-Christian Theism Involve a Logical Contradiction?” (Pg. xii). The book begins with a survey of the attacks atheists launch against Christianity on the problem of evil. He includes excerpts of quotes from prominent antagonists to Christianity including; J. L. Mackie who stated in so many words that there is no rational proof for the existence of God because evil exist, David Hume who argues that the existence of a good God and existence of evil demonstrate a logical contradiction, and others from further back like Epicurus whose belief is like that of Mackie. The existence of evil and human suffering is perhaps the strongest argument atheists have brought froth to create some doubts in the minds of Christians, specifically those who are weak in knowledge because of lack of study.

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The issue of why God allows suffering has long been the theme of theologians, philosophers, and believers alike. It delves into the complex relationship between a benevolent, all-powerful deity and the existence of pain and suffering in the world While there is no definitive answer, various perspectives shed light on this profound. One viewpoint suggests that suffering serves as a test, shaping individuals' character and fostering spiritual growth. Adversity can lead to virtues such as resilience and compassion, contributing to personal development. From this perspective, suffering has a purpose in the spiritual evolution of

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The former, when armed hastily, dissolves hastily, but the latter produces increasing dependence on the Lord. To this point, I’ve argued that there is meaning in all suffering—not only when we can’t understand it, but especially when we can’t understand it. However, not all suffering is impermanent, and if anguish is everlasting, it cannot produce the goodness which makes it somewhat bearable. This morning I attended Jonathan Storment’s lecture on apologetics. His concept of eternal damnation intrigued me: “The fires of hell are started by the hands of men,” he said.

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Bert Ehrman's book "God's Problem" is a thought-provoking exploration of the problem of evil in the world. Ehrman asks the question of how an all-powerful and loving God can allow suffering and pain to exist in the world. The book is divided into several chapters, each examining a different aspect of the problem of evil. Ehrman begins by exploring the biblical accounts of suffering and how they have been interpreted throughout history. He then looks at various philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God in light of human suffering.

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God knows Job is flawless and upright, but he hands Job’s status over to Satan who wants to give Job pain and take away his all of possession to test him. Here, there is a theological confliction between the viewpoint of traditional Wisdom literatures and Job’s viewpoint. Dell focuses on theological issues that are the disinterested righteousness and the doctrine of retribution. According to Dell, “Proverbs has the view of life as a path by which the right choices lead to the right outcomes. However, Job’s experience of suffering leads him to question this assumption – again it is an ethical assumption that good is always rewarded, but it is treated in a profound theological manner in the dialogues of Job such that the problem of innocent suffering comes to the fore as the main theological theme here, and arguably of the whole book” In this assumption of Job, it is hard for readers to have certain conclusion of why God gives a virtuous man suffering, which is still arguable.

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This brings up the questions; “What constitutes evil or the punishment of sin?” In addition to, “What is evil exactly?”. Evil is a phenomenon experienced as a result of society’s teachings; what behavior is okay or, in a religious sense, approved by God; people experience evil when they fail to meet the conventional definition of evil. People look for justification as to why evil exists in the world and often struggle to comprehend why innocent people suffer. People desire things to be explainable and the ability to see cause and effect.

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Why does the innocent and/or the good person suffer? The suffering of innocent people is the foundation of religions because pain and suffering is part of the human conflict, but it is recognized in religions by blaming themselves, others, or they considered it to be the way of life. Suffering of the good person is still in effect in this world from worldly events to everyday life, but is there a answer? To find a some answers to suffering of the good person, history, religions perspectives on suffering is required. Theodicy is a branch of philosophy and attempts to solve the issue of evil with ideas of philosophy.

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Job owns seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yokes of oxen, three daughters, seven sons, and a wife-in short, prosperity. In addition, he is a respectful and religious man who worships God and lives a chaste life. However, God chooses to test Job and sets a list of punishments for him, who undergoes these challenges throughout the book of Job. There is a certain contradiction in a deity that punishes those who obey, and the story emphasizes the omniscience of God’s unique role in Job’s life. God’s seemingly capricious nature demonstrates the usage of power by an omnipotent figure, in terms of beneficence, retributive justice, and exploitation.

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Whether these evils be moral or natural, humans have the free will to react to them in whatever manner they choose. Therefore, God’s test lies in a human’s reaction to the suffering they receive from the evils inflicted upon them. Often times, in cases of illness or natural disaster, when one deals with extreme loss, they also may lose God in the process. Essentially, there are two reactions that can occur when humans deal with worldly evils. When one suffers from acts of evil, they may question God’s existence because of his permittance of these evils, and may even denounce God.

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Another main idea of Christianity is the problem of evil, how it came about, and how it hurts God’s people. The Bible gives many reasons as to why God would allow evil for a greater purpose, but it does not answer every question that

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But it is important to note that the book of job presents us the best way of accounting and understanding the holocaust. His suffering is not mainly caused by his sinful nature but somewhat by his righteousness. The suffering ends in a happy note because job was compensated for being faithful to God by receiving double blessings. Though God did not give any answer to job’s questions he preserved his life but still his wife and family died even when it was not their fault. This shows that God has long term good plans even in the face of evil.

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