To answer this question we first need to understand what the word “bad” and “good” mean to humanity. Bad is defined as unfavorable, disagreeable, unpleasant, harmful, unhealthy, diseased and evil. Good being the opposite of bad is defined as favorable, agreeable, pleasant, honorable, loyal, wholesome and benevolent. Things we label as bad evoke negative emotions from us. They make us feel hurt, angry, disappointed, irritated, depressed. And good things evoke positive emotions such as happy, joyful, cheerful, wonderful, pleased and blissful. What we need to understand is that these are labels that we have placed on circumstances, people and situations we encounter in our lives. The Universe does not label things in such a way.
Now Christianity will tell you that we shouldn’t try to comprehend God’s plan. Our brains were created with the rest of our bodies by God therefore, we can only use them to the extent that He allows and to try to question his motives is truly presumptuous on our part. The Christian beliefs remind us that just by being human we are tainted by sin and are consequently not innocent. There are no good people. We are all bad and should not expect to be excused from the wrath of God. We all deserve to be thrown in hell for eternity. We are here only because God is merciful and gracious. And any suffering we endure here on earth is pale in comparison to the misery we would experience in hell.
Judaism tells us that bad things happen for a variety of reasons: discipline, punishment, being made an example for others so that they might change their ways, by personal or cultural history which brings about the circumstance, by choice or by removing oneself so far from God that the individual is no longer under His protection or guidance.
I discovered that some religions believe that bad things happen to everyone, good and bad people, for no reason at all. There is no meaning behind it. It just happens – like excrement. God didn’t make it happen. The individual that it happens to didn’t make it happen. The Devil didn’t make it happen. So there is no answering the question of why it happens. However, if you so choose you could assign a reason - if that makes you feel better and gives you motivation to endure through the bad.
There was a web site that I stumbled upon that informed me that I really didn’t want an answer to this question because if I had the answer then it would be easy to rationalize all human tragedy. I would become callous towards it and “tolerate others pain because I could neatly explain it away”. It tried to convince me that I should take my anger at the injustice and use that for a force for good. I should channel this outrage and “combat the pain in the world with goodness” to alleviate any suffering I witnessed. I disagree with this concept. Negative energies attract more of the like and just because I understand why bad things happen to good people doesn’t make me indifferent to their suffering. Just because I comprehend how to alleviate the pain others experience does not mean I am callous. In fact, the answer encourages me to help others help themselves. Understanding the why has even brought me closer to The Divine because I understand that s/he isn’t about punishment or judgment or pain and suffering. Yes, all those things originate from the Creator just as all things are the Creator however I understand that Source is love.
So, why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is simple. Bad things happen to good people because they made it so. They created it. It wasn’t a judgmental God who brought it down upon them. It wasn’t a disciplinary action or punishment for something they did or didn’t do. It wasn’t a chance occurrence. It happened because that individual manifested it. They are responsible for the bad thing. Difficult to believe, I realize that. You’re probably asking yourself, “Why would a good person want, for example, to be hit by a car? Or be diagnosed with cancer or any other disease or illness?” Well, notice I said that the individual manifested the bad thing not that they wanted it but that they created it. Most times individuals manifest things in their lives unknowingly. They create by default. They attract people, things and circumstances that they are thinking about or that they are focusing on and have strong feelings concerning them. This means that an individual could most certainly manifest things in his or her life that he or she does not want nor ever would want.
Let me illustrate this with a common example that I encounter frequently when doing Tarot Readings for my clients. A woman is interested about her love life. She desires a relationship with a “good guy” and she believes that she’s being positive about it and is open to a new relationship.
“I’m out there and meeting guys. I just want a nice guy!” my client will say to me.
But if you truly listen to what it is she is feeling. You will hear. “I am out there and dating but I catch all the jerks. I guess that’s what I’m bound to get – a jerk. Or be alone for the rest of my life! All the good guys are taken!”
And because her words and her feelings don’t match up she attracts that which is stronger – her emotions. Because of this she will manifest either jerks or no one at all.
If you focus on and constantly worry about: being assaulted or getting in an automobile accident or falling ill or losing your job or not having enough money … you will by The Law of Attraction, manifest these undesirable circumstances into your life experience. Spending energy (both mental and emotional) thinking about scenarios and circumstances you don’t want will attract that same energetic vibration – the one that matches your thoughts and feelings. So if you are worried about the safety of your home and someone else is planning a robbery – these two energies could easily attract each other therefore manifesting in your life that which you do not want but are actively thinking and worrying about.
Now this doesn’t mean that because you understand why bad things happen to good people you cannot have compassion for those who deal with negative or uncomfortable situations. You are allowed to feel compassion, sympathy and empathy. What you do not want to do is to allow yourself to begin to dwell on the thought or the emotion attached to the thought that it could be or may be you, because if you do, then that “bad thing” may just happen to you.
Judaism tells us that bad things happen for a variety of reasons: discipline, punishment, being made an example for others so that they might change their ways, by personal or cultural history which brings about the circumstance, by choice or by removing oneself so far from God that the individual is no longer under His protection or guidance.
I discovered that some religions believe that bad things happen to everyone, good and bad people, for no reason at all. There is no meaning behind it. It just happens – like excrement. God didn’t make it happen. The individual that it happens to didn’t make it happen. The Devil didn’t make it happen. So there is no answering the question of why it happens. However, if you so choose you could assign a reason - if that makes you feel better and gives you motivation to endure through the bad.
There was a web site that I stumbled upon that informed me that I really didn’t want an answer to this question because if I had the answer then it would be easy to rationalize all human tragedy. I would become callous towards it and “tolerate others pain because I could neatly explain it away”. It tried to convince me that I should take my anger at the injustice and use that for a force for good. I should channel this outrage and “combat the pain in the world with goodness” to alleviate any suffering I witnessed. I disagree with this concept. Negative energies attract more of the like and just because I understand why bad things happen to good people doesn’t make me indifferent to their suffering. Just because I comprehend how to alleviate the pain others experience does not mean I am callous. In fact, the answer encourages me to help others help themselves. Understanding the why has even brought me closer to The Divine because I understand that s/he isn’t about punishment or judgment or pain and suffering. Yes, all those things originate from the Creator just as all things are the Creator however I understand that Source is love.
So, why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is simple. Bad things happen to good people because they made it so. They created it. It wasn’t a judgmental God who brought it down upon them. It wasn’t a disciplinary action or punishment for something they did or didn’t do. It wasn’t a chance occurrence. It happened because that individual manifested it. They are responsible for the bad thing. Difficult to believe, I realize that. You’re probably asking yourself, “Why would a good person want, for example, to be hit by a car? Or be diagnosed with cancer or any other disease or illness?” Well, notice I said that the individual manifested the bad thing not that they wanted it but that they created it. Most times individuals manifest things in their lives unknowingly. They create by default. They attract people, things and circumstances that they are thinking about or that they are focusing on and have strong feelings concerning them. This means that an individual could most certainly manifest things in his or her life that he or she does not want nor ever would want.
Let me illustrate this with a common example that I encounter frequently when doing Tarot Readings for my clients. A woman is interested about her love life. She desires a relationship with a “good guy” and she believes that she’s being positive about it and is open to a new relationship.
“I’m out there and meeting guys. I just want a nice guy!” my client will say to me.
But if you truly listen to what it is she is feeling. You will hear. “I am out there and dating but I catch all the jerks. I guess that’s what I’m bound to get – a jerk. Or be alone for the rest of my life! All the good guys are taken!”
And because her words and her feelings don’t match up she attracts that which is stronger – her emotions. Because of this she will manifest either jerks or no one at all.
If you focus on and constantly worry about: being assaulted or getting in an automobile accident or falling ill or losing your job or not having enough money … you will by The Law of Attraction, manifest these undesirable circumstances into your life experience. Spending energy (both mental and emotional) thinking about scenarios and circumstances you don’t want will attract that same energetic vibration – the one that matches your thoughts and feelings. So if you are worried about the safety of your home and someone else is planning a robbery – these two energies could easily attract each other therefore manifesting in your life that which you do not want but are actively thinking and worrying about.
Now this doesn’t mean that because you understand why bad things happen to good people you cannot have compassion for those who deal with negative or uncomfortable situations. You are allowed to feel compassion, sympathy and empathy. What you do not want to do is to allow yourself to begin to dwell on the thought or the emotion attached to the thought that it could be or may be you, because if you do, then that “bad thing” may just happen to you.
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