Ah, Uncle Dave - 'tis the crux of the matter exactly. When we are in the midst of a crisis, however indiscriminate or "unfortunate" in your words, it is difficult not to label it as "evil". But, in the words of a famous book of the same title, the question is about God's role when "bad" things happen to good people. The book was written by a Rabbi whose son contracted a hideous disease and died at a young age. I forget the name of the author, but his ultimate conclusion was that God cares, and cares deeply, but is not all-powerful and is thus unable to do anything about it. (A position I happen to disagree with, however.)

I really do not wish to sound trite here, but a major influence in my thinking can be found in Joseph's words to his brothers once they were reunited after they (his brothers) faked his death and sold him into slavery. He told them, "you meant it for evil, but God meant (or used) it for good." As I age and *hopefully* am able to see the world through a little more clear prism I increasingly turn to the power of humans to overcome both the unfortunate and the evil through conscious, willful and deliberate choices. This can be seen in the holocaust survivors, the victim of rape, the lone survivor of a murdered family, etc. Some, and I would count myself among them, attribute this ability to their faith in a just and all powerful God. Others, who discount God, are still able to rise above the status of "victimhood" and are able to use their experiences in a positive, constructive manner. The power, from a human point of view, lies in the ability to rise above common definitions and the tendency to fall into confining "pigeon-holes" and to look above and beyond our own immediate injuries.

For some the question is philosophical, for others it is metaphysical/religious. Regardless of the orientation the question is worth asking, and well worth the discussion.

Freightdawg