Frederica Mathewes-Green asks readers to imagine a world without suffering. Excerpt:
So you think that the existence of suffering proves that there is no God. But can I ask a question? How would you eliminate suffering? What would a world without suffering look like? You have free rein--make it any way you like.
She then takes you through the thought experiment, showing how suffering is inseparable from our mortality, and our nature. It's a fascinating piece, and brought to mind a wise if despairing line from a recent Anthony Lane review of a fantastically violent film: that we've gotten to the point where we "know everything about violence, but nothing about suffering."
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Actually, Hephaestus is the Greek god...
Gesundheit.
I was once a Jovian Witness.
O, excellent!
But I had to give it up. The orgies were wearing me out.
You were clearly given no knowledge of Dionysus. He was the patron god of stamina, amongst other things.
Franklin Evans: Gesundheit
LOL!
Dionysus. He was the patron god of stamina, amongst other things.
You're right. What can I say? I can't drink. Aphrodite's my girl! And never a hangover. (Well.... almost never.)
"Your penchant for Jesuitical casuistry is showing, Rob."
No, seriously. The essence/energies distinction in Eastern Christian theology goes back at least to the Cappadocians. Later you find it in Maximus Confessor and then most notably in Gregory Palamas.
"we then are confronted with God's recently energising a Pakistani earthquake, just to cite the latest in a long line of catastrophes from Noah onward."
Travel with all possible speed to amazon.com or Borders and secure a copy of David B. Hart's book 'The Doors of the Sea.' It's the only book on theodicy you'll ever need, until someone, perhaps Hart himself, writes a bigger one expanding on his thesis. In case you didn't know, Hart is the premier Orthodox theologian/philosopher of our time, possibly the premier American theologian, period.
Re: amputees, God apparently didn't perform that particular trick even in Bible times, unless you count the healing of Malchus' severed ear. It's never been a problem to me, therefore, why he doesn't do it now.
Excellent point, Rob. I had totally forgotten about Malchus' ear. Although it's a hapax iatreuomenon (if that can mean, one-off cure), it does give the lie to my thesis.
Thanks for the recommendation on Hart's book. I will look into it. Also for the information on the writers on essence/energies.
No problemo.
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