--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The difficulty over the question of…" description: "\"The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God.\" — Samuel Clarke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg" --- # The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies… ![“The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God.” quote by Samuel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg) > “The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God.” Samuel Clarke ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Eternal suffering conflicts with the notion of a benevolent deity, presenting a theological paradox. **In simple terms:** Eternal torment clashes with God's goodness. Key Takeaway Question divine justice. Themes Theology Philosophy Suffering Goodness Paradox Mood thoughtful serious Type Difficulty:1 Eternal:1 Goodness:1 Goodness of god:1 Lying:0 Suffering:1 Torment:1 Goodness God:0 Eternal Torments:1 Irreconcilable Goodness:1 Irreconcilable:1 Lies Irreconcilable:0 When to use this quote - ethical debates - faith discussions - philosophical study Key Concepts Eternal torment Divine justice Moral problem Questions to Reflect On - How can suffering exist under a good God? - Is eternal torment a literal or metaphorical concept? A Different Perspective Human concept of goodness may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Goodness of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-of-god/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Torment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torment/) ## Related quotes > [(The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in) how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God, to put any Persons at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it/) Samuel Clarke > [A man obtains the fear of God if he has the remembrance of his unavoidable death and of the eternal torments that await sinners;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorotheus-of-gaza/a-man-obtains-the-fear-of-god-if-he-has-the-remembrance-of-his/) [Dorotheus of Gaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorotheus-of-gaza/) > [You will have completely wasted today if you do not stop & behold the glory & goodness of God. For this is the meaning of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-have-completely-wasted-today-if-you-do-not-stop-behold-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But for I am a woman should I therefore live that I should not tell you the goodness of God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/but-for-i-am-a-woman-should-i-therefore-live-that-i-should-not-tell/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [“Even the things we don't understand are a display of the goodness of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-curtis-higgs/even-the-things-we-don-t-understand-are-a-display-of-the-goodness-of/) [Liz Curtis Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-curtis-higgs/) > [If you feel alone just think of the goodness of God in your life and the people who really love you. Don't forget God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/if-you-feel-alone-just-think-of-the-goodness-of-god-in-your-life-and/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [The goodness of God to mankind is no less evinced in the chastisement with which He corrects His children than in the smiles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/the-goodness-of-god-to-mankind-is-no-less-evinced-in-the-chastisement/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Oh, how great is the goodness of God, greater than we can understand. There are moments and there are mysteries of the divine mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-faustina-kowalska/oh-how-great-is-the-goodness-of-god-greater-than-we-can-understand/) [Mary Faustina Kowalska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-faustina-kowalska/) > [In accordance with the divine wisdom, genesis can only take place through destruction, and without destruction of the individual members of the species the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/in-accordance-with-the-divine-wisdom-genesis-can-only-take-place/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Our obedience to God’s commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/our-obedience-to-god-s-commandments-comes-as-a-natural-outgrowth-of/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“Every one of us can look back and see times where God has left us handfuls of blessings on purpose, something we didn’t deserve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/every-one-of-us-can-look-back-and-see-times-where-god-has-left-us/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [It's a great responsibility before God, the judge who guides us, who draws us to truth and good, and in this sense the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/it-s-a-great-responsibility-before-god-the-judge-who-guides-us-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-goodness-of-god-is-infinitely-more-wonderful-than-we-will-ever-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Then the shimmering opened like a door to the other side, and I saw that the gate led to another dimension of heaven on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-c-loren/then-the-shimmering-opened-like-a-door-to-the-other-side-and-i-saw/) [Julia C. Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-c-loren/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## More by Samuel Clarke > [(The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in) how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God, to put any Persons at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it/) Samuel Clarke Explore all 2 Samuel Clarke quotes ## More Difficulty quotes > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [By the time you have no difficulties in your life, you have achieved Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brown/by-the-time-you-have-no-difficulties-in-your-life-you-have-achieved/) [Charles Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brown/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [One of the difficulties of photography is that it is much better at being explicit than at being reticent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/one-of-the-difficulties-of-photography-is-that-it-is-much-better-at/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [We're also fairly stubborn, I think, fairly independent. We have our share of difficulties with our federal government, although I've tried to as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/we-re-also-fairly-stubborn-i-think-fairly-independent-we-have-our/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Dominion is a spy novel, a love story, and also I hope gives some sense of the difficulties faced by dissidents under any totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/dominion-is-a-spy-novel-a-love-story-and-also-i-hope-gives-some-sense/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The further You go away, more difficult it will be for You to come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghav-singh/the-further-you-go-away-more-difficult-it-will-be-for-you-to-come-back/) [Raghav Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghav-singh/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) Browse all 3,282 Difficulty quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Difficulty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/samuel-clarke-99846_difficulty_the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eter_1632565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The difficulty over the question of eternal torments lies in how it is irreconcilable with the Goodness of…” — Samuel Clarke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The difficulty over the question of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-clarke/the-difficulty-over-the-question-of-eternal-torments-lies-in-how-it-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```