Reddit mentions of Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering

The problem with pain and evil is that we don't really know.

I firmly believe that the Creator didn't intend for any of this, yet that unhinges a whole bunch of presuppositions about what the Creator is like; such as immutability, impassibility, even omniscience.

For me the root question was "If GOD knew the outcome of creation before creation, doesn't that make GOD ultimately responsible?"

There are no definitive answers for theodicy. There are guesses and suggestions, frameworks and world views.

Our conception of GOD; that primary view of GOD's attributes will influence so much of how we understand suffering and pain.

The best framework for me is Open Theism.

Here are some awesome resources for what has proved so vital for my faith regarding pain and suffering:

1)The Crucified GOD - Jurgen Moltmann - an awesome book (if not a little on the academic end) thinking through Jesus and suffering.

2) Is GOD to Blame? - Greg Boyd - a much easier to read book exploring these very questions.

3)The Openness of GOD - Pinnock et. al. - for me this is the gold standard. It isn't too dry and heady but isn't weak on research either.

Awesome question and I love that quote from your brother.

I don't find Lee Strobel hyper convincing either.

I think there are inherent limitations to a youtube debate format. You may want to read extended arguments in order to get the full "meat" of what's being said. For whatever perspective you're looking for.

Is God to blame? by Greg Boyd is good (for popular level stuff).

He also wrote "Letters from a skeptic" where he conversed with his agnostic father, though I liked it a little less.

A third book Boyd wrote is "Benefit on the doubt" which is about allowing doubts as part of our faith.

N.T. Wright is pretty good for arguments about the ressurection. He has a super long book. Here's a shorter version of the argument.

Tim Keller is popular as well. He shorthands more academic arguments in an accessible way.

But for more in depth takes you're going to have to go to more academic philosophy.
But for more personal stuff, I've found other folks more personally moving than proofs. I mentioned some in another comment.

"Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering" by Greg Boyd. Full disclosure, I've only read a chapter of the book a while ago, but I hate rote answers of "God's allowing evil to teach us a lesson" or "so we can help others who experience evil" or similar notions. I've hated the idea that God could do something like, "Hmm, if this kid got raped by their uncle, then they'll be able to grow from it and help others." Personally, while I think God can make good things out of our bad experiences, I do not believe God wills evil to be done to us. I believe evil is the result of going against God's will, but the good that can come out of it is part of God's redeeming power in our lives.

Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830823948/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yvsXCbH4SYTMV

Academic:

Part 1: God at War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict

Part 2: Satan & the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy

Popular Level:

Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering

Have fun!