The Problem Of Suffering Is: Why Is

To An Even Moderately Sophisticated And Well-read Person It Should Come As No Surprise That Any Religion At All Has Its Hidden As Well As Its Obvious Beauties And Is Capable Of Profound And Impressive Interpretations. What Is Deeply Objectionable About Most Of These Interpretations Is That They Allow The Believer To Say Yes While Evading Any No.

It Is Widely Assumed, Contrary To Fact, That Theism Necessarily Involves The Two Assumptions Which Cannot Be Squared With The Existence Of So Much Suffering, And That Therefore, Per Impossibile, They Simply Have To Be Squared With The Existence Of All This Suffering, Somehow.

Success Is No Proof Of Virtue. In The Case Of A Book, Quick Acclaim Is Presumptive Evidence Of A Lack Of Substance And Originality.

The Great Artist Is The Man Who Most Obviously Succeeds In Turning His Pains To Advantage, In Letting Suffering Deepen His Understanding And Sensibility, In Growing Through His Pains.

Words Signify Man's Refusal To Accept The World As It Is.