Theodicy Explained

Theodicy. The "ace in the hole" for atheism. How can a loving God allow the innocent to suffer so terribly?

There is an answer, but it requires us to abandon a long-standing assumption about who we actually are.

Does the existence of movies that contain conflict or suffering also raise theodicy questions?

Do you ever read a book or go watch a movie with conflict or suffering in it? Why? Why not (as so delightfully parodied in the movie version of "A series of unfortunate events") just go watch a movie about a happy little elf?

If it's all right for you to go watch a movie and vicariously identify with the characters, their lives, stories, pains and triumphs, why do you complain that God / Awareness does the same thing and creates / lives the universe through you and every other apparently separate being?

Theodicy is answered because every joy, every sorrow, every love, every hate, every life, and every death is experienced by the One Consciousness / Brahman / God. You think that you are separate, but that is the dream-character believing in the identity provided by the dream.

God allows the innocent to suffer because God wanted to experience all of it, everything, beautiful and horrible, as part of this grand story called life -- and that innocent child suffering is actually God suffering.

A wise man once said:

"Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these, ye did it unto me".

He meant it. Literally.