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That’s a difficult one Brookesy and perhaps your sister doesn’t have the answer because what you have said about wars and abuse and all the rest of it applies to us all whether we are Christians or not.
This is my personal opinion you understand. So let’s look at it from a human perspective rather than a religious one because we are all in this together. The first thing is we are all agreed that the things you mention are all wrong, hang on though, I think the things people do to each other are wrong like war and child abuse but I don’t know if we have much control over illness other than leading a healthy lifestyle to try to minimise it?
So, on a minimalist level and leaving God to one side, being a Christian is about healthy living in all its aspects and there is advice on diet, hygiene, our emotional happiness with those around us, and how to have a stable, contented and happy marriage and I think every aspect of our existence is covered.
I have a rule of thumb that if anything I say or do has the POTENTIAL to hurt, offend, or harm someone either physically or emotionally, then I try not to do it. This is far removed from everyday life and the selfish behaviour we see around us which in the worst cases lead to those things you have listed and bringing God back into the picture it must grieve Him immensely. So that leaves the question what is God going to do about it, well if God intervenes like He did in the Old Testament that will only lead to complaints although it seems strange to me that those who complain about Old Testament justice are the first to talk about a “Just and Holy war.”
So my own view is that there are guidelines for us all to follow and really those guidelines could come from society itself, and of course there are always those who will disregard them or make up their own guidelines like the Satanists and others do. All I can say about the Bible is that it shows God’s loving care for all of humankind and it is down to US to follow His teaching, and if people are suffering then that is also taken care of because we are told to care for others, the widows and the fatherless for example and as far as I can see everything has been thought through and every circumstance taken care of, if we are obedient, and therein lays the choice. Our choice.
I am sure God is grieved and I think if we ignore His teaching then we will suffer for it in this life and for those who believe in soul life and the resurrection then there will be the judgement later. There are people who say this life is a testing ground, I’m not sure about that but I do think it gives us the opportunity to glorify God and to bring honour to His name and personally I think this should be the Christian’s hope and aim in life and that requires a steady growth in the Christian faith which is a learning curve like any other.
I hope this answers your question at least in part. Thanks, but basically I think it is down to us in this life and the judgement will come later.
P.S. God only forgives those who repent so what you say about God only forgiving of the bad people around us isn't quite true. He is there for everyone.
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