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Douglas Geivett said, “A great deal of responsibility for suffering or for evil generally in the world today is rooted in how we exercise the freedom we have.” What are evidences you have seen of the connection between the freedom to choose and human suffering?
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There are countless. The choice in many things we as humans use that impact our own body and the bodies of others; smoking, drinking, over eating, eating unhealthily. The choices we have had to make use of natures reserves-oils, gas and more-we are now experiencing the suffering that comes many years after those choices have been made and practiced over and over.
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I chose not to use condom because of pleasure in having sex without condom. I end up with HIV. My free will cost me my health. I suffered because of my own choice.
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When we make good and wise choices, we can help reduce pain and suffering. When our choices are more selfish in nature, we can actually increase pain and suffering in both ourselves and in others. How we respond to circumstances make them better, or make them worse. Turning a blind eye to social problems does nothing to improve them. Choosing to be involved and proactive and help minimize consequences, even if for one.
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This is demonstrated when a person chooses to drink and drive and then kills someone because they were drunk. They then must live with the consequences of their choice. God does not stop them from making that choice but he also grieves for them and the others involved because of the choice made.
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As someone in education I see it far too often in the students under me. Parents who have the freedom to choose to anger over love is the one that gets me the most. I use the word “anger” here rather than “abuse” because not all anger is seen as abuse and I do not want to limit the scope of my response. It goes as deep as showing anger and disappointment in a child’s actions or results rather than trying to dig deeper into the reason behind the actions/results. The assumption that the child had control over everything often leads to anger and disappointment. I am not calling for a lack of discipline or consequences – the world certainly does not need more of that, but the willingness to chose love and understanding when approaching our kids as we discipline them.