Good article in giving a strong case for the problem of evil. Even as a Christian I appreciate an honest baring of how torturous life is. No need to whitewash it. My response, in brief, is that this is the price of creatures truly having free will. God could have created all His creatures to be benign Stepford Wives, but He decided to let us have a choice. The choices effect everyone including the innocent. Secondly, there will come a day when righteousness will reign and death, pain, and sorrow will be no more. Finally, God is not detached -- He took on flesh and suffered the horrors Himself. So He knows. He knows more than us.