I know time place and context, and my empathy kept me from blasting the attendants of my mom's friend's memorial. My mom's friend died almost two weeks ago. She(my mom's friend) suffered chronic health problems.

My mom has already suffered the death of her husband back in 81. She suffered the death of her housemate whom she was best friends with, a few years ago. She suffered the death of a friend and fellow teacher last year whom she knew since I was a kid. AND now the death of her lunch friend whom we ate with every Tuesday for the past 4 years.

Not to mention all the crime, illness, war and natural disasters that have killed billions in human history, and yet these people still think that suffering is part of a divine plan.

I will miss my mom's friend because I knew that she loved my mom, and she always kept her lunch dates with her, and was always willing to spend time with her. I lost it when the speaker mentioned her garden where she grew cherry tomatoes and gave us a bag full every spring.

I understand the mourning process. I certainly have empathy for those I disagree with when they lose a loved one. MY PROBLEM is the logic they use in defending this claimed being.

The logic fails in the omni-claim of "all loving" because anyone who could have that power would not allow or cause such suffering. I cannot call this use of logic credible or consistent.

This woman was nothing but kind to my mother and I am quite sure her husband is suffering.

So why does suffering happen? The theist would have you believe that it is a magical Super Hero vs a magical Super Villian. But the goal posts seem to move and they want it both ways.

"It's all part of God's plan", then how can we change it?
"You only have yourself to blame".

So God's plan is to blame us for something he didn't have to allow in the first place?

Or, "The devil made me do it".

My mom's friend died because of illness, not magic, not a plan, not because of a devil. For me, to postulate such magical claims in her life to me is to cheapen my mom's friend's REAL PROVABLE contribution to my mom's quality of life by merely being her friend.

The reality is that life happens and good and bad happen, and IT STINKS that my mom lost yet another one of her friends, but there is no magic or "plan" to it other than nature.

Cherry Tomatoes By Brian37

Some red, some green
Diced in a sandwich
Or a Pluribus of Unum
She made them sweet

But of time
And alas
This bitter fruit called time
Brings wrinkles to us all

Though her harvest
Of Tuesdays
Has met baron soil
Her memory trumps all

Her feisty tang
And soft center
Brought us love
To our spring

With Zifandel in hand
Making her rounds
Uncensored opinion
In tow

She'd tell you life
Is full of tomatoes
Rotten
And in Bloom

With withered vines
And hearty mind
Life goes on
And new crops grow

Viva Tomatoes
Fighting the wither
Until the end
The "good night" won't win
(end)

Many don't know that "E-pluribus Unum" refers to a line in an ancient poem describing the ingredients of a salad (metaphor for human pluralism, later to be adapted as the original motto of the United States)

My mom's friend was a mental powerhouse who didn't take crap from anyone, and would tell you what she thought unabashedly. But at the same time was generous and giving. I know my mom will miss her. I know I will.