海角大神

It was an eye-catching headline amid the current flood of news: 鈥淎mericans overwhelmingly do not blame God for the pandemic, or any suffering.鈥澛�

The 聽that followed summarized a new of how Americans 鈥� believe in God as described in the Bible or a higher power 鈥� have thought about life in a difficult year that has also seen destructive wildfires, flooding, and tornadoes.

Pew conducted the survey to solicit 鈥渧iews on why terrible things happen.鈥� About 70% of respondents, religiously affiliated or not, supported the idea that people鈥檚 own actions as well as our institutions play a role. But 61% also said hard times present 鈥渁n opportunity for people to come out stronger,鈥� and majorities indicated that troubling events made them more grateful for the good in their lives and more compassionate toward those who were struggling.

Pew then homed in on the 91% 鈥� a number that remains high, despite the rise of 鈥� and asked about the effect of hard times on spiritual faith. Some 15% said that suffering indeed raised questions about God鈥檚 all-power or love. But far more said that 鈥溾�榦nly a little鈥� (22%) or 鈥榥one at all鈥� (46%) of the suffering in the world is punishment from God.鈥�

For David Lamberth, a Harvard Divinity School professor who helped design the survey, it reinforces the idea that the dominant religious view among people 鈥渋s of or source of salvation from suffering in the long run.鈥�

As one 聽said, 鈥淕od has not promised us that we will not have hard or difficult times in our life. He HAS promised us that He will ALWAYS be with us.鈥�