I hope you won't mind the question, especially since you've said you no longer believe in God (I'm agnostic).... I hear/read a lot of religious people question the "evil" in the world--why "good people" suffer. And I can't stop wondering why our suffering would matter more than the suffering of the billions of other living things so many of us (not at all suggesting you or anybody else here) willingly participate in. If we who are like gods to other beings clearly capable of suffering often choose not to intervene to lessen their suffering, why must a being like a god to us intervene to prevent or lessen our suffering?
Hope I'm not offending you by asking. Please PM me if you'd rather. Thanks for at least considering my question. Best to you...
I don't believe my suffering matters more than others, and if I had the power to end any ones suffering I would. To have the power and do nothing in my opinion is one of the greatest acts of evil. God is supposedly the creator of everything there is. Yet this supposedly Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God requires from us, according to his followers, to beg him for guidance and assistance through prayer at the time of our suffering. If we don't love and obey this supposedly supreme power, as punishment he will throw us in the pits of hell to burn for all eternity - pure narcissism. I am not offended at all by your question, but somewhat confused. You are asking me something that I have not made any claims of, nor have the power to intervene in the suffering of humanity. This God wont stop a child from dying from hunger, even though he can. This God won't stop child abuse, rape or murder, even though he can. Being the creator, shouldn't this God take responsibility for the mess he created?