Man stands alone in the universe, responsible for his condition, likely to remain in a lowly state, but free to reach above the stars.

Here an attempt is made to explain suffering: the outcaste of traditional Hinduism is held to deserve his fetched fate; it is a punishment for the wrongs he did in a previous life.

For atheism and polytheism there is no special problem of suffering, nor need there be for every kind of monotheism.

Writing is thinking in slow motion.

Faith means intense, usually confident, belief that is not based on evidence sufficient to command assent from every reasonable person.

Job's forthright indictment of the injustice of this world is surely right. The ways of the world are weird and much more unpredictable than either scientists or theologians generally make things look.

Thirdly, even if we assume that the world is governed by purpose, we need only add that this purpose - or, if there are several, at least one of them - is not especially intent on preventing suffering, whether it is indifferent to suffering or actually rejoices in it.