The whole range of human miseries, from restlessness and estrangement through shame and guilt to the
agonies of daytime television-all of them tell us that things in human life are not as they ought to be.
Cornelius Plantinga Jr., theologian (1995)
I still think the Christian response to evil is better than the naturalist's. People look around, see the evil
and suffering and think that something is warped, something is out of whack. The Christian responds by
agreeing, yes, the world is warped-here's why, and here's what you can hope for.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present
time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for our adoptions as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
St. Paul, Letter to the Romans 8:22-23
The naturalist, it seems, can't really say that the world (excluding human behavior) is warped. The
world is just the way it is. All the pain in the animal kingdom, the combat in the insect world, the
parasites in the treesit's alljust natural and there's no use feeling good or bad about it. That's the
naturalist's answer, but it's not a satisfying answer. It's even less satisfying than "God's ways are
mysterious."
Well, I planned just on writing a couple paragraphs. My responses to four other points you raised will
have to wait. As you're telling me right now (via my stereo speaker), "everything must cease"-including
this e-mail.
Take care, bud.
Preston
Dear Preston,
I really appreciate your clarification. Your answer is a lot more satisfying than "the ways of God are
mysterious." But I must take on your suggestion that a naturalist would answer "there's no use feeling good
or bad" about suffering. A naturalist would acknowledge that sufferings exists, feel terrible about it, and
search for a way to cure it!
I would add that any God who is all-powerful, who presides over a religion that claims effective
communication with him, and who ignores the suffering of babies is a total hard-ass for punishment. All
because Adam ate a f** apple? Wait, Eve ate the apple; it was womanhood, of course, that ruined
humankind! Give us a break, big guy in the sky!