Nobody supports cancer.

But there are cancer patients (past and present) and/or survivors that touched lives, and have made a lasting impression on their community and the world. These are situations that change people, and perhaps, there is something gained from these experiences. These are situations that force people to step back, and to really reevalutate themselves and those around them.

Can life be tough? Yes. Can life hurt? Absolutely.

These are times where people look beyond life, and quite often, themselves. There is no question that cancer can be a powerful expression, and it can be a double edged sword. It is one that has been voiced throughout history. It is one that pleads to compassion and humanity, and one that provokes something good.

There are people that have spent their lives looking to better the world through research. There are people that volunteer on a consistent basis to bring encouragement and strength. There are people that want to make a difference, and they are fighting tooth and nail for it.

Can pain and loss be a catalyst for change, and change that might bring good? I think so.

Life is an incredible thing. The human eye is incredibly improbable. There is more activity in a cubic centimeter of brain tissue than in all the stars in our galaxy. There is incredible pain and loss.

Now, I am not saying I have the answer. But I think there is more than, “This sucks, so it makes no sense.” Even if we construct meaning for ourselves, it can lead to something constructive and beneficial. It could mean a cure and/or more human compassion in the future. While a rose is beautiful, it has thorns.

By saying that it is ok for cancer to exist because it may "benefit others" is ludicrous. We can benefit others in the ways you speak of in other manners. We do not need to evoke pain and suffering in order to "change lives".

And my argument is not "this sucks, so it makes no sense." That is ludicrous in itself. My argument was that a benevolent god would not allow this to happen. But through the previous posts, it seems like we have stumbled upon seemingly unanswerable questions: How do we prove or disprove the existence of god? What kind of being is "god"? I don't really know where to go from there.

This post was edited by OnlyD3 on May 5 2013 09:47pm

Trials and tribulations are for everyone. How you deal with them is what determines Gods justice.

How does a 4 year old deal with lukemia?

You're essentially recapitulating the argument of Peter in the Pseudo-Clementine Literature: Evil must exist if Good is to exist.

let me quote from what i gave as comment in your other thread

What is it that you are worried about? God won't do injustice. The final saying is with God. This life is so pointless compared to whats ahead. It doesn't matter if you have every disease in the world for 90 years. Its insignificant. God does not misjudge.

I disagree.

God had a purpose for us. He wanted to live in community with us and talk with us. In the garden of Eden, God did that with Adam. He "walked" among the garden and basically placed on identity on Adam. But their was problem, man sinned. I have sinned, you have sinned. Sin is anything that we do/don't do that breaks God's law. I know I have lied, and cheated in the past and so I deserve punishment. a just God needs to punish, right? But he had a plan, that is where Jesus comes in. Jesus lived a perfectly life and died to take away the sins of the world. There was an infinite sacrifice required because the entire human race sinned against God, the only one sufficient to be a sacrifice was perfection, Jesus. So with Jesus we can be reunited with God and bask in his love. Now the reason's there are problems in the world is side affects and residue of sin. People living imperfect lives. So why doesn't God just heal everyone and save everyone? He wants relationship! If everyone was healed immediately, there wouldn't be a relationship that he so longs for. So yeah!

If Jesus' sacrifice was for everyone who ever was, is and will be then why is there a Hell, and why does God only seek out a relationship with a few?