Religion Is A Fairy Story For Those Afraid Of The Dark— The Late Stephen Hawking

I think I have one or two articles on the problem of suffering, but I feel strongly that I need to revisit it.

Studying the Bible, particularly the New Testament, I noticed how Paul looked at the problem with much understanding. Each time I come across him speaking about the problem, he's speaking out of knowledge. He says something like, ‘I know’ or ‘we know.’ Part of the reason(s) we claim, as Christians, that our worldview makes sense of the problem of suffering is the knowledge we have.

Just listen to someone ask about the problem of suffering. I find that he's looking for an answer that would ultimately take away his ignorance. Just like John Lennox, I find Stephen Hawking’s view of religion wrong. (I can only speak for the Christian faith). He said, ‘religion is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.’ No, no, no.

The Christian faith is not like that. Like I already said, those asking about the problem of suffering are looking for answers that would ultimately take away their ignorance. They are not, as suggested by Stephen Hawking, people afraid of the dark. Rather, they're people willing to step into the light.

Isn't it amazing that Paul’s first encounter with the light changed his entire worldview? Like many, Paul wasn't preparing to step into the light. Perhaps that's why he calls himself one abnormally born. He, when the light shone on him, was exposed to the knowledge and truth of God.