When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1981) by Harold Kushner


When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1981) by Harold Kushner

This was a bit of a heavy subject for my “lunch-break reading”, but my extended family has been going through a lot of rough situations lately, and Kushner’s book presented a good opportunity to frame and reflect on things.

Kushner makes two core arguments here. The one I agree with is that God is not the source of our suffering, but rather the source of our strength to endure it. The argument that I fundamentally disagree with, however, is that the reason bad things happen in the world is because God is not all-powerful, meaning He can’t prevent all hardships. Kushner is quick to tear-down the logic of other common explanations for suffering (like “God is testing our strength”), but he seems to overlook the fallacy that God being “all good” and God being “all powerful” are mutually exclusive in a world where suffering exists.

While I support the idea that suffering is not caused by God, I believe that He consciously allows it (not that He is unable to prevent it) as part of a greater plan beyond the scope of our reasoning. And to try parsing His reasoning on the level of our own is presumptuous at best. Just as God allows us free will that can be used for good or evil, He allows for nature to have both positive and negative effects. It isn't within our capacity to question it, but rather to thank God for the good that befalls us and to rely on Him to help us through the struggles that we face.

There’s a great chapter here on sympathizing with suffering friends. Kushner advocates against saying things that paint pain in a positive light or try to diminish it (which I’m often guilty of doing). Instead, it’s best to let our friends vent and just agree that their situation is hard and unfair (at least in the outset). As Kushner says, there’s time for advice later. Focus on compassion in the moment.

I also like Kusnher’s take on the practical function of prayer as it relates to suffering. It isn’t a means to ask God to solve our problems, especially by trying to bribe Him with good behavior - but to ask Him for the strength to face those problems. Prayer framed in ceremony is also an opportunity to put us in touch with our community - a source of comfort and aid when we need it most.

I may not agree with Kushner’s core reasoning for why bad things happen to good people, but I definitely advocate for how he proposes that we respond to those bad things. With sympathy, with earnest appeals to God for strength, and with a frame of mind that allows us to grow from our experiences, however difficult they might be.

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