Let's get back to those questions, shall we?

As I mentioned that I would a couple of days ago, I have answered the questions posed by the Velveteen Rabbi.

Question 1. if the nature of god is omnipotent, benevolent, and anthropomorphic (that god is a person, who sees suffering as wrong, and can change all of it), why does god not act to relieve all suffering, or at least the greatest amount of suffering for the greatest amount of people the greatest amount of time?

Answer: There are a couple of things to consider...

A. Much of our suffering is inflicted by other people, by Satan, or by ourselves. If I build my house in a flood plain is God responsible for me being flooded? If I choose to attack my neighbor should God take away my will? Would it be better for everyone if we were all stepford wives? Should God lobotomize us? I think not. As for Satan, well, we do not know what is going on between Satan and God, but from from what the Book of Job and 1 Kings 22:20-23 says it seems a bit more complicated that most people think. There is not much we can say about it except that Satan enjoys hurting people, God restrains him, but God sometimes uses him to achieve His own ends.

B. God has acted several times in history to relieve suffering. The Flood is one time. The judgments on Sodom and Gomorrah, on Nineveh, and on Egypt are all examples of God intervening in history to mitigate suffering. Of Course, God's #1 all time greatest accomplishment in the relief of suffering department is when the Son became one of us, lived our life, died an unjust death, and defeated death by death. God does better than merely remove suffering. He suffers with us and participates in our lives, and allows us to participate in his life. And this transforms suffering in to joy. In the Orthodox Cristian faith we even call mourning a loved one's death "bright sadness" because of this participation in the life of God.

Question 2. if you were god, and you were omnipotent and benevolent, how would you respond to suffering?

Answer: Not as well as God has.

Question 3. if this is not the nature of god, what is the nature of god, that allows suffering in the world?

Answer: As much as we can say God is something, I think the description of God as an omnipotent personal love is not inaccurate. It is insufficient but not inaccurate.

Question 4. if these are the wrong questions to ask, what are the right ones?

Answer: These are the wrong questions. A better response is not to ask God anything. What did that get Job but a terrifying revelation of the might of God? Rather than ask questions about God it is better to ask questions about ourselves:
-How am I going to forgive this person who is hurting me?
-What can i do to be more patient during this time of affliction?
-Did I do anything to cause this pain? If so,what should I do to avoid it in the future?
-Is anyone else hurting with me? If so, what can I do to help them?
-How can this suffering by sanctified?
-What is this suffering showing me about Jesus? How can it help me be more like him?

I'll tag Presbytera Elizabeth, Jeff, Matt, and Fr. Stephen, and Fr. John. Nowit is up to each of them to answer the question and tag 5 people.