The Beatles And Suffering

What caused the Beatles to descend so deeply into immorality? I've already discussed no male Christian role models, and finding the wrong crowd. The next factor was; they were affected by suffering in their younger years which left them disappointed in the Christian understanding of God.

While young, John lost his mother and closest friend. When Paul, at age 14, lost his mother, he said he had prayed hard for her to be healed, but she died anyway. That was the end of his interest in God.

The fact that suffering affected their faith should not surprise us. Of people who consider Christianity as an option, the biggest and last hurdle they have to overcome is suffering. It's even a bigger stumbling-block than hypocritical Christians.

I have seen this firsthand in working with college students. Some refuse to believe, and some walk away from organized religion, because they decide a good God would not let bad things happen to people.

I do not know how we should try to stop this danger. My first thought is; we should do more teaching to our youth about suffering. But who wants to do this? It seems a subject too heavy for them. I will have to think on this one.

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