JUSTTHINKING - Ravi Zacharias International

32 Pages·2014·4.36 MB·English

VOLUME 23.1 I WWW.RZIM.ORG
THE MAGAZINE OF RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES
JUST THINKING
+
WHY SUFFERING?
PAGE 02
AGNOSTICS
WELCOME
PAGE 20
WHERE
GOD IS
PAGE 24
LIGHT IN THE
DARKNESS
PAGE 26
Just Thinkingis a teaching
resource of Ravi Zacharias
International Ministries and
exists to engender thoughtful
engagement with apologetics,
Scripture, and the whole of life.
Danielle DuRant
Editor
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries
4725 Peachtree Corners Circle
Suite 250
Norcross, Georgia 30092
770.449.6766
WWW.RZIM.ORG
of
TABLE CONTENTS
23.1
VOLUME
2 24
Why Suffering? Where God Is
Ravi Zacharias shares a chapter Reading a memorable story by Leo
from his book (co-authored with Tolstoy is an annual observance for
Vince Vitale) Why Suffering?: Stuart McAllister and his family,
Finding Meaning and Comfort for it prompts them to consider God’s
When Life Doesn’t Make presence in unlikely places.
Sense, published by FaithWords
in October 2014.
26
Light in the Darkness
Ravi Zacharias suggests that only
20
Agnostics Welcome when we surrender to the light of
God’s truth in our own lives are we
Nathan Betts relates an encounter enabled to truly see and then be a
between an agnostic and the writer beacon of hope and healing in our
F.W. Boreham and concludes that dark world. Truthfulness in the
there is great encouragement to be heart, said Jesus, precedes truth in
taken from the Bible in how God, the objective realm.
in Jesus Christ, relates to those who
don’t know Him.
Why Suffering?
By Ravi Zacharias
At the core of the Christian response
to suffering is a relationship with
God—the freedom to enter into that
relationship and the empowerment
to live in the fullness of life that only
that relationship provides.
[2] JUST THINKING•RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES
[ m e a n i n g, c o m f o r t
a n d h o p e ]
JUST THINKING•VOLUME 23.1 [3]
The following is Ravi Zacharias’s Chapter One from Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning
and Comfort When Life Doesn’t Make Senseby Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale
(FaithWords: October 2014). Used by permission.
I
grew up in a neighborhood in New mother to explain it. Knowing why I
Delhi, India, where communities was asking, she simply said, “Something
defined friendships. Houses were terrible must have happened and this
close to one another, we played man no longer has the ability to face life.
together with the neighborhood His constant crying shows he cannot
kids, and we often crossed one another’s control the pain in his heart and the tears
front or back yards on our way to the from his eyes.”
store or to school. It happened to be I was quite young but was jolted on
government employee housing, and so all the inside: One could reach a stage where
the homes were identical inside and out. they could no longer control the pain in
Our parents were all friends, and meals their heart and the tears from their eyes?
were often shared in each other’s homes. I thought about that often. Certainly,
There was never an issue of finding pain was a reality. I could not even get to
babysitters because either the servantsin the convenience store without having to
the house or the neighbors were there to admit that. The only difference seemed
meet the need. We knew one another’s to be who controlled and faced it better,
pay scale and place in society. and why. How does one endure grief and
We also knew our neighbors’ hurts. pain? How does one manage it in life?
The pains that each bore were, in effect, Where do we go for answers when we
community knowledge. I had a close suffer ourselves or when we see those we
friend who lived about six doors down, love suffering?
no more than a three-minute walk. Often “A Baby’s Funeral” is an essay by one
I would cross his backyard as a shortcut of my favorite authors, the Englishman
to go to the neighborhood convenience F. W. Boreham. He tells of a time as a
store. His father was a good friend to my younger minister when he looked out his
dad. When I was about fifteen years old, window and saw an anxious woman walk-
I remember a scene that bothered me a ing back and forth in front of his home,
lot but that I never quite understood. but never quite making it to the doorway.
Each time I would cross my friend’s yard, So he stepped outside and asked if he
I could hear his father sobbing uncontrol- could help her. She said she needed help
lably, muttering away some words of plea from a minister, and asked if she could
for hope. His wife would be there, sitting step in for a few minutes. So he ushered
on the bed beside him, just stroking his her in and she sat in his study looking
back, oftentimes with tears running terribly nervous and tongue-tied. She
down her face. finally spoke up: “I have a newborn baby
I wondered what this was about, that has just died. I need a minister to
considering it was a common scene and perform the funeral.”
an obviously disconcerting situation. I Boreham asked several questions,
asked my friends what had happened and took down the details, and said he would
was told he’d had a “nervous breakdown.” help in any way he could. She left and
I had no clue what that was. I asked my plans were made for the burial a couple
[4] JUST THINKING•RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES
of days from then. Boreham and his wife As he journeyed back that day,
left after that conversation for a picnic Boreham’s thoughts returned to the
that they had planned. But he couldn’t get woman with her baby. Years had gone by
the woman’s story out of his mind and since that funeral, but every Sunday he
said to his wife, “Something is not right. could be certain of one face in his congre-
Her story just doesn’t add up.” They gation. It was that woman. The first time
headed back home at dusk, and to their he met her, her face was tearstained and
surprise, the woman was still pacing her eyes fearful. As the years went by, the
outside their home waiting for them to tears were wiped away and the eyes spoke
return. They invited her in. of belonging to a message and a hope and
“I have not told you the whole truth,” a people that carried her through.
she said. “Actually this baby was born Seldom in one life do all forms of
illegitimately and deformed. She didn’t agony converge–a moral struggle, a heart-
live very long. I just want to give her an break of grief, a little one at the heart of
honorable burial with just her name on the story, the ultimate desolation of being
the stone.” Boreham was deeply moved buried in an empty cemetery, nature
and the funeral was planned. pouring its “tears” in a pounding rain,
They arrived at the cemetery and and yet the words of Scripture, the caring
he was surprised to find that nobody had heart of a minister, and the years of
been buried there before. It was pouring belonging to a loving community all
rain, and he and his wife, with this woman coming together in one life. What cradles
and the baby in a small casket, were all a heart when such griefs converge?
who were present at the burial. An Somewhere in the community of those
illegitimate child, deformed, the first in who have set their hope upon God, this
a cemetery, under pouring rain–that was woman found comfort and meaning amid
the funeral at which he officiated. the hardest question she ever had to face:
Years later Boreham took a train Why suffering?
journey with a veteran bishop who was In each chapter of this book, my
making stops to meet the pastors of small colleague Vince Vitale or I will outline
churches in the towns along the route. a different response to this enormous
Boreham would stay a little distance away question. Some of the chapters will take a
to let the bishop have some private time fresh look at an ancient response. Others
with these ministers. It was obvious that will propose new responses for your con-
they were sharing the stories and chal- sideration. The responses are of course
lenges of ministering to people in their deeply related, but by looking at them
respective congregations. Boreham separately we hope to show that the
remembered well the closing words of resources of the Christian community for
the bishop in each instance: “Just be approaching this ever-present challenge
there for them . . . just be there for them are both richer and more numerous than
in their need.” typically assumed.
What cradles a heart when such griefs converge? Somewhere in
the community of those who have set their hope upon God, this
woman found comfort and meaning amid the hardest question
she ever had to face: Why suffering?
JUST THINKING•VOLUME 23.1 [5]
THE CHALLENGE logical conclusion to solving the trilemma
Before we get to responses, though, I is that one or all three of these assertions
want to linger on the question–to hear it, must be denied. It is too obvious to deny
to frame it, and to ask what it presuppos- that evil is a reality so, it is asserted, the
es about who we are. This brings the Christian must surrender at least one of
question of suffering to a felt reality and, the first two beliefs and perhaps both–
if properly addressed, gives us the either God is not all-powerful, or He is
prospect of hope. As for the intellectual not all-loving, or He is neither.
side of this debate, I promise I will get In fact, some philosophers go even
to it. But first I would like to focus on further. Not only do they think that
where the darkness of evil and suffering defending these three ideas as compatible
hovers most and where the first glimmer is irrational, they believe that the problem
of light may shine. is so acute that it makes belief in God
It is safe to say that both skeptic irrational. It is no longer merely a defense
and believer alike share one opinion in that theism has to muster; it is an offense
common: The question of pain and that makes theism a violation of reason.
suffering provides the greatest challenge Interestingly, the skeptic seldom
to belief in God. In a discussion between pauses to go where the trilemma logically
scholars the issue of a world torn by suf- and ultimately leads philosophically; if
fering is often described as an insoluble the first two statements are denied, the
trilemma. The argument by skeptics is most empirically evident statement–that
positioned by first posing three basic evil is a reality–will ultimately have to be
claims that are adhered to by a Christian denied as well. But I shall not get ahead
and then showing these claims to be of myself here.
irreconcilable. At least, they insist, these So compelling is this trilemma to
claims as they define them must be held the skeptic that it is often considered
by a Christian: absolute proof of God’s nonexistence.
Killing God–what Nietzsche deemed the
1. God is all-powerful: He can greatest deed–has been accomplished.
do anything He wills. Australian philosopher and strident athe-
2. God is all-loving: He cares with ist J. L. Mackie said it in these words:
an intense value for His creation.
3. Evil is a reality: Suffering is an It can be shown, not that religious
all-pervading part of this world. beliefs lack rational support, but that
they are positively irrational, that the
At face value, it is obvious that the several parts of the essential theologi-
ideas are indeed at variance. An all-power- cal doctrine are inconsistent with one
ful God can do anything He pleases, and another, so that the theologian can
from our perspective, the loving thing to maintain his position as a whole only
do is to ease the pain of someone you by a much more extreme rejection of
love. Yet evil and suffering occupy a reason than in the former case. He
major part of our human experience; must now be prepared to believe, not
God has not removed them. These merely what cannot be proved, but
assertions together make no sense. This what can be disprovedfrom other
is the trilemma. beliefs that he also holds.1
It is almost impossible to find any
treatment of the subject without encoun- To Mackie, and to those who
tering this “obvious” incoherence. So the support his challenge, it is not so much a
[6] JUST THINKING•RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES
critique from a counter perspective that herent as well? That may be irrational to
destroys Christian belief, but that these the skeptic, but does not limitless power
affirmations of belief within the Christian also mean the power to be irrational
faith actually result in its own demise without justification?
when put to the test of reason. So strong- Or take the second premise: Is
ly is this argument held that it is branded eliminating pain always the loving thing
the Evidential Argument from Evil, a to do? Is it a quid pro quo that if you love
counterpoint to theism. somebody you will make their life totally
When a counter to this charge of free from pain? Taking it a step further,
irrationality reveals the incoherence of does love always mean giving one the
the challenge, the question is suddenly freedom to have or do whatever one wish-
repositioned. What do I mean by that? es? Is it love to remove boundaries? Very
Take a look again at the three assertions. quickly one can see that every premise as
stated or implied by the critic makes
1. God is all-powerful: He can assumptions that are actually irrational.
do whatever He pleases. That is why in debates the attacker
2. God is all-loving: He cares quickly shifts the attack in another direc-
for His creation. tion: Why would God have created such
3. Evil is a reality: Suffering is a a world in the first place when in His
real part of our human experience. omniscience He could foresee the extent
of evil that would be done and the depths
Each of these statements dies the to which the innocent would suffer? By
death of a thousand qualifications: Who presenting it this way, the emotions are
said that God can do anything He pleases stretched to the ultimate limit when one
and what does that really mean? What delineates the extent of evil. Now the
does “He pleases” mean? Can He do problem becomes thorny. No thinking,
something that is mutually exclusive? caring person can simply stroke his or
Can He make a square circle? Can He lie her chin and say, “That’s true, but it’s
and state it as the truth? unfortunately the way it is.” The anguish
The challenge is actually quite silly. has to be felt and it is felt, and that is why
If God can do anything, then He surely the question of suffering is raised in the
can even allow evil and call it good. Why first place.
does He have to explain it? Surely, if But in demanding an answer for
omnipotence means all-powerful without the reality of suffering, the questioner
even logical or rational limitation, He can is looking for an emotionally satisfying
allow evil to exist and not see any inco- answer as much or perhaps even more than
herence in it. And if God can do anything for an intellectually fulfilling answer. A
He pleases why can’t He simply be inco- person falling off a high ladder understands
Each of these statements dies the death of a thousand qualifica-
tions: Who said that God can do anything He pleases and what
does that really mean? What does “He pleases” mean? Can He
do something that is mutually exclusive? Can He make a square
circle? Can He lie and state it as the truth?
JUST THINKING•VOLUME 23.1 [7]
that he will fall downward in the direction to make her think that he doesn’t know
of the ground. There is no intellectual and she is falling for his ruse. What is
struggle there. But his emotionalstruggle more, this is not the first time he is walk-
is why the ladder was faulty in the first ing into that room. He has done it again
place or why he was not more careful. and again until the director determines
that he does it well enough to make her
IS THE TRILEMMA TOO TRIVIAL? think he doesn’t know what lies behind
The response to this whole series of chal- the door. The storyteller hopes to cross
lenges can be brief or it can be lengthy. the line between imagination and reality
Let me just pose a counter question: Is suspended in time. If we didn’t believe
this trilemma a comprehensive set of in this disjunction, it would be the end of
affirmations? What if we interject just all theater.
one more assertion into consideration But in a so-called “true story,” based
that the Christian faith alsomakes–that on facts, an actor plays a role that actually
“God is all-wise”? Is this really more of happened. In reality there was a time and
a quadrilemmathan a trilemma? God is a place where there was no actor, but
all-powerful, all-loving, and all-wise . . . rather the unfolding story of a person’s
and evil exists. Maybe even a quintilemma? life that was as real as life itself.
God is all-powerful, all-loving, all-wise, God, who exists in the eternal, in
and eternal . . . and evil exists in time. creating time and people, gives us the
Any one of these assertions can be backdrop to the story and enough infor-
defended on reason alone. Why is it that mation so that we can know how this
we finite, self-serving, time-constrained, story will end. The true seeker after truth
so often-wrong human beings think we has enough clues to enable him or her to
have all the wisdom needed in which to endure through time what is of eternal
castigate God and hold Him before the value, and see in reality and experience
bar of ourwisdom within our timetable? the triumph of truth over a lie, of love
Is it simply not possible that though over selfishness. It is the ultimate triumph
thinking we are operating in the light, we of the sacred over the profane. Neither is
could really be operating in the dark? Is it imaginary, and neither can be explained
not also possible that there are character without the reality of the other.
lessons learned in adversity that could Several years ago, there was a
never be learned in any other way? powerful movie titled Not Without My
Take the simple illustration of a Daughter. It is based on the real-life story
person so engrossed in the story while of an American woman who married a
watching a movie that there has become Muslim man in the United States. After
a disjunction between the viewer and the several years of happy marriage, the man
viewed of unbelievable proportions. My took his wife and young daughter to Iran,
mother-in-law is that kind of a viewer. his homeland, on a vacation. But it wasn’t
She becomes so riveted by what she is long before his wife realized that he had
watching that she actually starts talking never planned to return to the United
to the actors in the movie: “Watch out, States but to keep at least his daughter
there’s somebody standing behind the in his homeland, even if his wife was
door!” “Don’t go in . . . don’t go in!” able to leave. The story is full of high
I become so frustrated at times like drama, emotion, and heart-wrenching
these that I find myself telling her that struggle as the mother experiences the
not only does the actor in the movie heartache of living with lies and of
know what is going to happen, his goal is seeing her daughter raised in a culture
[8] JUST THINKING•RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES