E-Paper
Why God allows cruelty?
When I see gruesome killings like that of the American hostage or the Iraqi prisoner abuse, I wonder how God allows that? Mrs Minocha answers.
This question and answer series will help to clear your inner-soul confusion on all matters that are demanding your spiritual attention. Spiritual teacher and Healer Ms Veena Minocha will endeavour to clear the 'fog within' by answering all questions sent to her atveenaminocha@hotmail.com
I am a strong believer in God but when I see gruesome killings, like slaying of the American hostage, the prisoner abuse, killings in holy places, tragedy of war; I wonder how, in a world created by God, something like this could take place?
Besides, if it all boils down to our past karma and its fruit, then how can we justify good action when it depends on what we did in previous births? If everything is pre-decided then there is no concept of free will hence no one should be accused of killing and abusing? And why should the ordinary man/woman go through the trauma of being amidst such tragedy? How do we manage to keep the faith in God in such times and uphold our faith in humanity and good action? Please advise.
Rinku Gandhi
Veena Minocha answers: Dear Rinku, our lives are controlled by two different parameters. One is the concept of karma, through the reincarnation theory, and the other is that we are given the free choice as to how and when we are playing out that karma.
Supposing you had to pass through your school exams. That would be your predestination, or the contract you made with yourself before coming into human life. Now, if you decide that you do not wish to pass the exams, then you have the free choice to ignore them, or fail them. If you decide to ignore the courses, that is the karmic tests you had chosen, then these tests will be placed repeatedly before you.
The challenges will carry on coming in your life, until you have learned to deal with them, and absorbed the wisdom that you intended should be yours, through the passing of these tests. Sometimes we decide, to not only pass the tests, but to go a step further, and accumulate good karma through certain actions which we need not perform, like social service, charity, teaching others wisdom, etc.
Coming to the murderer and the abuser situation, you must understand that at some level--that is at their soul contractual level--they did allow for this sort of thing to happen. This was done, so that the victim could be part of the sorrow involved in the killing, as he wished to experience this emotion in its entirety.
It could be because he had murdered someone, not necessarily the present killer, in a previous incarnation, and this was his reparation and penance, for that deed. It could also be that this sort of deed was required for him to make the transition to a higher level of spiritual growth, for horrible and gruesome acts are our biggest teachers, and we grow enormously wise and strong through these emotions.
When large parts of the population is put through violently horrible scenarios, like in the Iraq situation that you speak of, then please understand that it is done to raise the sensibilities of the whole world into a more compassionate outlook. For if we did not learn of all these terrible acts, how would we be able to distinguish between right and wrong, how would we be able to feel that these things should never be repeated, ever again!
When a tragedy like this occurs, humans rise to the highest levels of goodness within themselves, and the purpose of the trauma is achieved, for the sacrifice of those who underwent it, did not go in vain.
We should be grateful for these opportunities of learning, for they provide us with a huge leap of faith in God and humanity, and its innate goodness.
