The Doctrine of Mortal Suffering: Part 4

This talk on suffering by Francine R. Bennion is longer than expected. She questions general assumptions, making the following statement.

"If we believe suffering shouldn’t exist, but it does; or suffering is God’s way of testing and teaching, but what can a wailing infant be proving or learning; or prayer should cure the problem, but it hasn’t—then it is not only the suffering that troubles us but also the great cracks in a universe that should make sense but doesn’t." (A Latter-day Saint Theology of Suffering: Francine R. Bennion)

Is suffering only an aspect of mortality? When I read this, I made the following simple note: Don't ignore consequences. There are consequences to all decisions. Some have good results, and some have bad results. Most people would think enduring negative consequences is suffering. Negative consequences rarely affect one person; even, personal issues affect others. If this is the case, how can existence in Telestial, Terrestrial, or Celestial Kingdoms be absent of suffering? Telestial & Terrestrial Kingdoms are definitely full of imperfect immortal people, and the Celestial Kingdom is full of perfect immortal people; however, some Celestial beings are part of the marriage covenant, enabling them to have children. Will all of the children of God be perfect? No. It is a common Christian belief that one third of all of God's children chose to follow Satan. Spirit children before mortality exercise agency. How much anguish did God suffer at the loss of one third of his children? It must be tremendous. I expect that God feels a lot if not all that we go through by empathy. This empathy and suffering does not destroy all happiness and joy.

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