"I knew that one day I would write this book. I would write it out of my own need to put into words some of the most important things I have come to believe and know. And I would write it to help other people who might one day find themselves in a similar predicament. I would write it for an those people who wanted to go on believing, but whose anger at God made it hard for them to hold on to their faith and be comforted by religion. And I would write it for an those people whose love of God and devotion to Him led them to blame themselves for their suffering and persuade themselves that they deserved it."
-- Harold S. Kushner
Rarely does a book come along that tackles a perennially difficult human issue with such clarity and intelligence. Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi facing his own child's fatal illness, deftly guides us through the inadequacies of the traditional answers to the problem of evil, then provides a uniquely practical and compassionate answer that has appealed to millions of readers across all religious creeds. Remarkable for its intensely relevant real-life examples and its fluid prose, this book cannot go unread by anyone who has ever been troubled by the question, "Why me?"
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
oldie but goodie:
First read this many years ago. Ordered several to give to friends who are facing troubling issues and questioning God's place in their lives. Kushner's explanations make such good sense to me. I highly recommend reading this again and again.
Very good purchase!!:
Bought this book as a gift. It was in like new condition. Purchase was a good buy, and was received in a timely manner. Looking forward to my next great deal.
Poor solution to a real problem:
Theodicy boils down to four propositions: God is all powerful, God is all knowing, God wishes the best for His Creatures, Evil exists in the world. Removing one of these propositions creates consistency in this system of propositions. For example, the Hindoos assert that evil is an illusion. How does Rabbi Kushner solve the problem? He denies God is all powerful. It is interesting to note that Kushner doesn't accept the biblical solution, as found in Job, or any of the other Old Testament books. Instead, he... more info
Rabbi's message resonates to all:
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner's "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" is both insightful and comforting. It cuts across religious lines to help people understand and respond to personal setbacks. You can wish for setbacks not to have occurred. You can even anguish over their occurrence. But you cannot ask God to wipe away these setbacks. You can only move forward. You only have "control" over your forward movement, not your past. The resources God gives us - friends, family, medical staff, legal staff, etc. -... more info
