Q. If there is an omniscient, omnipotent, all powerful, merciful God who loves us, then why did he create various parasitic life forms that, in order to propagate, cause us excruciating pain and suffering?

A. God loves not only us but also the various parasitic life forms because they were created by God in the same way as we were. Why do you think that only humans are entitled to inhabit the earth? Numerous creatures, both visible and invisible, which we think are causing us excruciating pain and suffering have no intention to harm people. The creatures that we think are beneficial to human beings have no intention to help people either. They merely pursue their survival and happiness in their own ways. They are neither beneficial nor harmful in essence.

We judge them to be beneficial or harmful by our interests and prejudices. Who gave us the privilege of determining whether or not they are worth keeping alive or devastating their habitats as we please just for the sake of human beings? It seems that, judging from a fair and just perspective, no other creature in the world is as cruel and harmful to us as human beings are.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway

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