Good People, Bad Results

Rabbi Kushner’s son Aaron died when he was fourteen due to a rare rapid aging illness. Being a Rabbi and having attempted to comfort others when they experienced tragedy, he tried to apply similar techniques to his own tragedy. He found that the words that he used to consol others, traditional words spoken by those who never experienced anything of a tragedy, are far from adequate. His search of why good people suffer leads him to the book of Job.

There are traditional answers one would use because they think there is one. These include “your faith is strong”, “it is worth one life to save thousands”, “God never sends us more than we can bear”, and “what right do you have to cry out?” To person who is foreign to the affair, these answers are perfect because it makes them feel like they are helping. To a person directly related to the affair, these answers are terrible. As Kushner pointed out, if somebody were to here one of these responses, they would denounce their strong faith. It is logical. If their faith is so strong, why should they still feel pain?

Rabbi Kushner found the answers he was seeking in the book of Job. In the book Job is a righteous man whose life falls apart. There are three ideas that are necessary to the story. The first is God is all-powerful. The second is the God is good, fair and just. The third is that Job is a good man. These ideas are only logical as long as Job prospers. Once Job begins to suffer one of these three cannot apply. Deny any of them and Jobs suffering makes since. Job’s friends think the third is false. They feel that there must have been some sin in Job’s life, which he did not mention. This is like the parable that Kushner brought up; if you see a blind man, kick him since God wants him to suffer and who doesn’t want to help God? Job himself denies the second one. He feels that God, being all-powerful, should not have to be fair because this limits God’s power. According to Kushner, this is a terrible answer. Who would want a God who does not care about his people? Kushner denies the first one. He feels that there are things that God cannot control.

This response was not popular when Rabbi Kushner expressed it. Most people who believe in God were raised with the belief that God was all-powerful. They immediately questioned Kushner, asking why couldn’t God do things that we do not understand. Kushner said God does plenty he cannot understand, but suffering is something that people understand all to well. He says that a lot of suffering has to do with chance. The laws of nature cannot distinguish between good and bad people.

Rabbi Kushner does wonder about one thing, when people pray to God how do they expect God to answer? He says that God answers with people. He says the real miracle is not a storm, or a sea parting, but when the weak become strong, when ordinary people do extraordinary things. He says if there is ever a time “you know someone going through a tough time, and you are not sure whether or not to intrude” reach out to them and show that person you care. There is a simple three-step process that Kushner recommends. Step one; say “I’m sorry”. Step two; stop talking. Step three; listen. Kushner says that when we used up all our strength, we turn to God and he gives us more.