Summary of Harold S. Kushner's When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 The misfortunes of good people are not only a problem to the people who suffer and their families, but also to everyone who wants to believe in a just and fair world. They inevitably raise questions about the goodness of the world and God.

#2 We often ask why good people suffer, and why bad things happen to good people. We assume that we deserve what we get, and that our misfortunes come as a punishment for our sins. But Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

#3 The idea that bad things happen to people because God is a righteous judge who gives them what they deserve is a neat and attractive solution to the problem of evil, but it has several serious limitations. It teaches people to blame themselves, and it makes them hate God even as it makes them hate themselves.

#4 The belief that people get what they deserve over the course of time is a attempt to make sense of life’s trials. But it is a false belief, because life may seem unfair and innocent people may seem to be suffering, but if we wait long enough, we will see the righteousness of God’s plan emerge.

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Release date

Ebook: 4 June 2022