The Problem Of Evil
If we look around us, we see suffering. We see wrongs being done. Many of us get disturbed and wonder —why? Why are people evil? Why do bad things happen to good people? Is God cruel? Can God not prevent evil? Why can’t God eliminate suffering?
Such questions, unfortunately, show our ignorance. To begin with, we do not realize that God is not a person or a saint. God is a power — a power that is Supreme and Immortal. God is birthless and deathless, beginningless and endless. The picture that we have of God — as a person in Heaven who rewards and punishes us is only a figment of our imagination. God is SIP, the Supreme Immortal Power. God is everywhere and in everything. We are all Divine manifestations.
Our ignorance is deep-rooted. We do not realize that this world is an illusion, a cosmic drama.Jagat Mithya, Prabhu Satya. In reality, everything is a manifestation of the Divine. It is our mind that stops us from realizing the truth. Not only that, it is also the cause of our misery. By bombarding us with negative thoughts, it makes us anxious and miserable. We must discipline the mind, transcend it by practicing silence and meditation. It is when we still the mind, when we are without thoughts, in the state of thoughtlessness or Consciousness, when the intellect is activated, that we can discriminate right from wrong, the truth from the myth.
The truth is that all that we see happening around us is not dictated by God, but is the result of our own Karma, our deeds. God has not created evil. Everything is good. God, however, has given us free will. And it is our own actions, our deeds that create misery for ourselves and others, causing unfortunate things to unfold around us and in the world.
Think — can apples grow on mango trees? No, never. Why? Because as we sow, so shall we reap. What we give, we get. If we do good, good will return to us and if we do bad, bad will return to us. This is one of the many universal laws that govern this world. This is called the Law of Karma. Just like the seeds we plant determine the fruits on a tree, our deeds determine our destiny. God does not control the destiny of 8 billion people in this world. We do. We make choices. We act. We create Karma. And it is the Law of Karma that governs each one of us.
Even though it is heartbreaking to see a newborn suffering, we must realize that it is because of Karma. What happens at death? There are two possibilities. If we realize the truth of who we are, we are liberated from all suffering and become one with God. But if we live and die ignorant about who we are, we are reborn to settle our Karma. The body dies but the Mind and Ego, ME is born again in a new body to settle Karma. This is what happens to most of us. Heaven and Hell are not places in the sky or deep inside earth where we go to after death, to be rewarded and punished for our deeds. Heaven and Hell are experienced right here on earth in a rebirth. It is not God that decides the circumstances of our birth. Karma does. Whether we are born poor or rich, in a loving family or an indifferent one, healthy or frail — is all determined by Karma. That is why it is important to do good deeds. Everything we do comes back to us. If we live with faith and acceptance, surrendering to the Divine Will, we will not only accept suffering but rejoice when we suffer because we will realize that our negative Karma is being negated. When we see others suffering, we should help them. For a common man, helping others is good Karma, but for an enlightened or realized person, it is prayer because the latter realizes that each one of us is a Divine manifestation.
If we realize the truth about this world, about who we are, if we are enlightened that we are the Atman, the Soul, a Spark Of Unique Life, a part of the Supreme Immortal Power we call God, then, no longer will it be a matter of reconciliation, sadness and reflection. We will be living in the light of the truth, in bliss and peace.
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