"Are we being punished by God?"
No! God is outside of the universe and time and doesn't meddle in the affairs of the universe.
"Doesn't evil and suffering prove that God doesn't exist?"
No! It only shows that we have no true concept of God, God's plan or man's relationship to God and God's plan.
In contrast to believing in the Bible, i believe:
1. That God is that Creative/Causative Force that exists before the beginning of the universe/time and continues to exist outside of the universe and time.
2. That "Force" created/caused the spiritual/soul entities to come into being.
3. The spiritual/soul entities continued the "Creation" with the "Big Bang". And, through evolution and possibly subtle manipulations, have caused the current state of affairs.
4. The spirits/souls choose to inhabit the various physical bodies that they have created in order to experience physical reality.
5. When bodies die the spirit/soul continues to exist and often times reincarnates into another body in order to continue its growth.
6. The purpose of it all is for the spirits/souls (entities) to gain knowledge and experience and to ultimately rejoin or evolve back into the Oneness of God.
i choose
i chose to be born, – to live or die,
Even the sex, that would be i;
i chose the race, from which to appear,
Also my wealth, my health and my fear.
i chose my trials and stumbling blocks,
And the legs i would use, in all of those walks;
i chose my sadness, my joy and my love,
i chose to serve and not be above.
i chose this life – with all of its dues,
And with each dawn, again i choose;
The experiences for me that wait ahead,
To be alive, or be claimed dead.
And of the future lives i've yet,
It is my choice that i begat;
All the things, however pleasin',
That shall befall me in those seasons.
From my chosen path i stray,
Yet my God ne'er turns away;
For i have learned -- and understand,
That where God is -- is where i am!