Today I read a review of two books that had been written on the existence of God. I was once again "astonished" at the remarks that were made regarding the two books. One of the books was written by a man who had been trained and lived as a minister, but had finally concluded that a benevolent, all-powerful god could not exist in light of the evil and suffering that exists in this world. The second, a former atheist, had concluded that only a god could explain the self-contemplation and awareness that exists in life.

Most of the comments supported the former position, and hinted that the latter was the result of the onset of Alzheimer's in the former atheist.

The fallacy of the argument that a benevolent, all-powerful, loving god could not possibly allow pain and suffering to exist is a great example of the perverse nature of Satan. First, one must conclude that what happens in the brief interval of physical life is more important than eternity. Second, one must conclude that a benevolent god would take away self-determination in order to alleviate pain and suffering. Third, one must conclude that "truth" is impossible to discover or is relative. NONSENSE! These assumptions are all the consequence of succumbing to the temptation to determine right and wrong for oneself. The hubris, the arrogance, the self-aggrandizing thought processes that lead one to even begin to think that understanding life is possible while ignoring the implications of eternity are simply astonishing. The problem of human suffering and its source are well documented in Job, as is the promise that God can make it all worth while, both on this side of eternity as well as on the eternal side. It takes a fundamental disbelief in God and His promises to embrace the belief that temporal suffering is unacceptable. It also takes a heartless approach to Christianity to fail to have compassion for the suffering and the oppressed. It takes head and heart to be made over into the image of Christ, who was the very image of God. Still, our primary mission in life MUST be to assure that the opportunity to eliminate eternal suffering is made known to all. The real source of suffering, EVIL incarnate, exists. Why it exists may very well be beyond our comprehension. Why it cannot defeat us is well within our grasp.