I used to listen to the monks repeating the Lord's Prayer…
““I used to listen to the monks repeating the Lord's Prayer; I wondered how they could continue to pray without misgiving to their heavenly father to give them their daily bread. Do children beseech their earthly father to give them sustenance? They expect him to do it, they neither feel gratitude to him for doing so nor need to, and we have only blame for a man who brings children into the world that he can't or won't provide for. It seemed to me that if an omnipotent creator was not prepared to provide for his creatures with the necessities, material and spiritual, of existence he'd have done better not to create them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage questions why an all‑powerful creator would create beings without providing essential physical and spiritual needs, implying creation may be unjust.
In simple terms: Why would a powerful creator make beings without providing for them?
Key Takeaway
Consider the moral implications of creation.
Themes
theology
existentialism
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
skeptical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- parenting
- philosophical debate
- religious counseling
Key Concepts
Divine responsibility
human suffering
free will
Questions to Reflect On
- Is suffering necessary for growth?
- How do we reconcile faith with apparent divine neglect?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that suffering can lead to growth, which challenges the claim.