Why Are the Good Allowed to Suffer From Senecas On...

It is perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions of all time: if there are gods who have control over humans’ lives, why do they allow good followers to suffer? How can there be any justice in that kind of world? Philosophers and thinkers like Seneca and authors of the Bible have debated and written about these questions since ancient times. Perhaps because hardships affect every person, many people continue to debate the same topics today. Seneca writes extensively about the topic of suffering in his essay â€Å"On Providence,† which is contained in The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca. Likewise, Paul writes about how to face hardships in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians, and the book of Job in the Old Testament contains†¦show more content†¦Although they provide different rationalizations for why gods allow humans to suffer, Seneca and writers in the Old Testament and New Testament all agree that suffering is always beneficial in the end. The writers agree that without suffering, humans would not be able to live successful lives. Seneca writes, â€Å"[Hardships] benefit the individuals to whose lot they fall, and, in the second place, they benefit the whole body of mankind† (â€Å"On Providence,† 32). Humans are at least partially responsible for this positive outcome, however. He further writes, â€Å"[Good men] must not shrink from hardship and difficulty or complain of fate; they should take whatever befalls in good part and turn it to advantage† (â€Å"On Providence,† 30). By identifying the greatest men who are best able to turn their sufferings into positives, the entire community will improve, according to Seneca. Without suffering hardships, humans are not able to live the best lives possible for them. Seneca uses soldiers as an example; â€Å"[T]hough those who returned from the fray unhurt may have fought as well,† he writes, â€Å"the man who brings back a wound is more respected† (â€Å"On Providence,† 37). In life, those who face the hardest struggles and still live productive lives should be honored and stand as an example to the whole community. Similar to Seneca’s belief that all suffering is beneficial, Christian writings in both the Old Testament and the New Testament