Why Doesn't God Love Hugh Hefner?

Father Jonathan Morris, a catholic priest, wrote a book titled The Promise where he tries to explain human suffering and disasters from God’s perspective. The gist of his argument is that even in the midst of great suffering and trauma people going through these painful trials often become better because of them. Better meaning more mature, more patient and more accepting of trials. Through our trials God is actually saying he loves us and wants what is best for us and that is why he permits us to undergo all this pain. I don’t envy Father Morris in his effort to explain this, as any human effort trying to explain what God has in mind when tragedy strikes will undoubtedly lead to cynicism and maybe even bitterness from some readers.

I will attempt to explain the Father’s position and remind readers the position is not exclusively his own it is actually shared by numerous Christian writers including Philip Yancey, Peter Kreeft and C.S. Lewis just to name a few. In short they argue that God allows suffering to take place for reasons that make no sense to us now but will at some later date either in this lifetime or the next. The main crux of their argument is that in spite of everything God is in control, He loves us and He is good.


Father Morris quotes several writers to make his point. Augustine of Hippo, a fourth to fifth century theologian wrote in his Enchiridion “God is so good that he would never permit anything evil to occur, unless he were powerful enough to be able to draw good from every instance of evil.” Peter Kreeft who authored numerous Christian apologies writes in his book Making Sense out of Suffering, “In a universe created and maintained by God powerful enough to abolish all suffering at once, loving enough to want only our blessedness, and wise enough to know always what makes for our blessedness, the only reason serious enough to justify God’s continued tolerance of suffering is our need for it.” Father Morris explains that our need for it means for our fulfillment as human beings. In other words suffering makes us better at being what we are, human.


Rabbi Kushner writes in his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, “ I am a more sensitive person, a more effective pastor, a more sympathetic counselor because of Aaron’s (his son) life and death than I would have ever been without it.” Rabbi Kushner goes on to say that he would gladly give all those attributes back if he could have his son back but he doesn’t have that option. C.S. Lewis writes in his book The Problem of Pain, “We are not merely imperfect creatures we are rebels who need to lay down our arms.” His point is that pain helps us do that.


The apostle Paul, not to be left out, has a similar position when he wrote to the first century persecuted Christians living in Rome under brutal rulers. “Not only that, but we even brag about our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)


The argument that all the writers present is that we need to hurt, we need pain to bring us to our senses as to who we really are in God’s eyes. Pain keeps us from getting too big for our breeches, from forgetting that we are no better than anyone else. Paul wrote of the need for this in his own life when he wrote to the church at Corinth (a town in Greece) “…to keep me from being arrogant there was given to me a thorn to irritate me so I would not exalt myself too highly.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 my translation) Paul is saying that because of his many visions he could see himself the same way others may see him, as above everyone else in the Christian church but God allowed a painful trial to enter his life and that experience humbled him. As a result of his humiliating experience he could not feel superior to fellow Christians because they would merely point out his infirmaries and say, “If God thinks you are so high and mighty why are you still in pain? “You suffer just like everybody else.”


All these writers are saying the same thing; God loves us enough to allow us to suffer. To this conclusion I have two questions: one, what is heaven like? Two, why doesn’t God love Hugh Hefner?


My point about the first question is if heaven is a place of peace and tranquility where no pain exists than why doesn’t God love us enough to cause us pain in heaven. This is said tongue in cheek of course I have no desire to see pain in heaven or anywhere else. My point is if, as the aforementioned writers suggest, pain is so necessary for our continued growth then in heaven we will not grow at all without it. That means that ten trillion years after going to haven we will still be struggling with nasty habits like chewing our fingernails or burping out loud. I can’t believe God will put up with that.


My second point is if God gives us pain because he loves us why did Hugh Hefner miss the pain bus. Hugh Hefner is the founder of Playboy magazine. Mr. Hefner’s life epitomizes what most male’s desire, money, women and power. I think it can be argued that Mr. Hefner and pain rarely see each other; it may be true that they have yet to be introduced. Either way it is safe to say that pain and Mr. Hefner are not on speaking terms.


I am saying all of this to point out that if God freely gives pain for our benefit than why are some benefited more than others. Why do some see great trials while others see little in the way of difficulty? Hugh Hefner started his magazine with a few thousand dollars and it is now worth one hundred million. Vincent Van Gogh died penniless and Mozart was buried in a pauper’s grave, if both men were alive today they would be billionaires.


So while I appreciate the writer’s perspective on God’s intent for our suffering and his ultimate love for us I also think they may have missed something; apparently God loves some more than others. Personally, I feel very loved and would appreciate the opportunity of seeing others enjoy the love of God as much as I do, especially, those who don’t love God at all.