Why should we believe that God is a loving God when He put man on the same planet with Satan knowing full well the pain and suffering it would cause?

Answer 1

Why We Should BelieveGod put us here to allow us freedom of choice, his hope is that we all choose him of our own free will. With free will comes the whole gambit of human emotions and desires; temptation, greed, lust, etc. that cause pain and suffering. If the pain and suffering were eliminated, we'd be basically in heaven already and belief in God wouldn't be a choice, but a foregone conclusion. If all the bad choices were eliminated, making good choices wouldn't be very meaningful.

Here are more answers from WikiAnswers contributors:

• It's not about why you should believe, it's either you do or you don't. Either way it's important to understand that there are many stroies about creation and the beginning of the world/existence. So believe that the creation of God created the devil, that creation of humans was impossible without God and the creation of God impossible without Satan. Some view it as yin and yang or the balance between good and evil, etc.

• Can you suggest another scenario where God can relieve Himself of boredom, being alone in the Universe? did God created the Universe and the Galaxies too?

• How can I possibly start to comprehend a power that is God you might as well urinate on a hurricane day!!!...also if we have free will then I am very sorry but I believe we would be extinct by now or less probable blown the planet up!!! that is what we are capable of and would be without God a bunch of blundering Idiots there is a saying that rings with me here that goes "If there is no such thing as God, then God help us" If I was God then I would certainly not give the human race free will not unless I wanted to introduce another set of totally original creatures to rule the earth I think that God lets us do what we are allowed to do and that is it!!! when God's retractable lead chokes our neck then back into the perameter we must come...and how do we know that Satan lives on the earth anyway he would'NT tell you if he did...

• From the research that I have done on the subject, I am of the opinion that those characters who came up with this God-Satan combination did not expect that the society would one day demand such an explanation as you have.

The creators of a God in their own image and likeness also created a greater villain as every great thriller novel.

This God they created demanded unchallenging servitude and blind obedience to the laws and commandments established by the imperially ordained religious heads.

Satan on the other hand was a villainous character, created for the convenience of having someone to blame for the pains and suffering experienced by the slaves. Satan was depicted as the great punisher (Hangman) of God. Those slaves who transgressed against the imperial rules of the established religious doctrine were deemed to be servants of Satan and thereby condemned to eternity in Hell.

I wonder if some of the religious fanatics want us to believe that God is merely a toy-master with Satan as his opponent in a sadistic game where all that exists is simply for their childish entertainment?

If we are to accept some of the religious inventions then the pain and suffering of the world can be interpreted as one big sophisticated video-game.

• Besides there was no Satan in the original text. The concept of the fallen angel only comes from a misinterpretation (that is a nice way of saying they made him up) of a story out of The Bible where one of god's heralds had to talk to a king about him mistreating and enslaving his people. The Harold said that the kings clothes were bright like the morning star. The story got changed pretty much from there. I think it's funny though that morning star means Lucifer, and that is the name of the devil, but Jesus himself claims he is the morning star.
• Man was put first on the earth which we are told God 'created to be inhabited.' It is indeed a perfect place for life, despite man's efforts to spoil it. Satan only came along later, and successfully 'spoiled the party.' However, it was man himself, by a wrong use of his free-will that allowed Satan to have his way. Thus, although Satan was the tempter, and a clever one at that, man chose to take the bait and disobey God's command. A number of answers above demonstrate that man is still today in rebellion against his loving and wise maker.
• Further to this, if there was no possibility of pain and suffering there would also be no free will either and we would all be programmed to follow God without question. There would be no love in that and no real relationship either.
• God Himself entered into our suffering by sending Jesus to live on this earth and to suffer and die in our place. This is indeed the perfect remedy to all those who receive it. God is not aloof, but He cares for and loves everyone, even those who hate Him.