Am I losing my faith or just becoming more realistic?

[tyroneweaver]

What I see is proportionality. As the world has become more corrupt, tolerate more injustices, more forms of immorality. The planet is rich enough to make every person a billionaire
Is there any wonder when we need God's protection He turns a blind eye to us because of our sins

 

[Meriweather]

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

Just as we, as a world, have grown in our knowledge of science, so have we grown in our knowledge of God. We now know that floods, volcanoes, and the like are natural disasters--not events caused by God. Jesus taught us that birth defects are not sent by God for punishment of the parents. Likewise, do we believe God punishes a King (i.e. King David) by killing 70,000 citizens for taking a census? We no longer believe our rulers were chosen by God.

I learned early on that God does not cure sore throats, clear up acne, or move a single mountain in Nevada (despite all my prayers). Early on in Scripture, the Book of Kings tells us that God is not be found in major events, but in tiny things, a very small whisper. That very tiny whisper works with our spirits, and who we are. God's love and care for us is not eclipsed by natural disasters or accidents that result in grave injury or becoming quadriplegic. God's love transcends acne, deformities, even what we might consider personality defects. God's love is majestic for each and every one of us--it cannot be distracted by outside events. And, we find we can still serve God, answer His calls even if we are injured, ugly, or terribly shy. That is where His whispers come in.

It helps to ask ourselves, Whose will are we trying to accomplish--our own, or God's? Once we get our minds off ourselves and become more focused on the daily events He lays before us (often very small events that still serve to make life easier or more pleasant) we come to know God and understand His work in our life.

 

[Blackrook]

What keeps me on track believing in God is the difference between those who believe in God and those who don't.

 

[harmonica]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

there is no god--plain and simple ..religion is made up by man = fake/etc

 

[Votto]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

Read the book of Job.

As for not getting your prayers answered, you are in good company. Jesus prayed to be delivered from the cross after a life time of oppression and abuse, but got no answer.

So the question begs, was God just ignoring his one and only Son? No, he was simply playing a complicated game of chess.

 

[Vastator]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

Then your query is flawed, straight out of the gate. You're looking for a comfortable explanation. Not an answer...

 

[Votto]

Its about faith...

Faith in what?

If God didn't make the priest's sister quadriplegic, then who did?

Is the universe governed by a huge set of dice?

And if it is, what's the point of praying to God?

If you read the book of Job, you will have some insight into what goes down. God did not inflict suffering on Job, rather, he simply allowed it to happen.

Why did he allow it to happen? Job asks this as well and got confronted with impossible questions from God to answer, such as how were the foundations of the world laid?

The basic gist of it that I walked away with was that only God understands everything, some things men are not able to grasp. If we could, we would be God.

This is why faith is necessary. We will never know everything but have the option of trusting in a God that does and who will see to it that justice is served, whether in this life or the next.

I once heard a Rabbi say that the hardest thing for those of faith to explain in this world is suffering. But if you are atheist, the challenge is even harder because they have to explain everything else.

 

[Votto]

I always viewed Christ hanging between the two thieves to be the best representation of all human suffering. Here we have three men who are going to die, nothing can change that as all 3 are suffering unimaginable pain. The thief on the left says, "If you be the Son of God, get us down and save us!" as he begins to curse at him. The other asks Jesus to remember him when he enters paradise as Jesus grants his request.

Those are your choices.

 

[buttercup]

People die, people have crippling injuries, disasters destroy cities.

If God isn't doing this, who is?

We live in a broken, fallen world. When God first created the world, according to the bible it was nothing like the way it is now. There was peace and harmony, no killing or death or disease or poverty or disasters or anything like that. It was near perfect. Everything began to change when sin came into the world, and it has just gotten worse, as far as the corruption goes, and the mess we've made.

Also, the bible is clear that the temporary "god of this world" is the enemy of God, aka satan. So another reason why this world is so screwed up is because the powers of darkness are temporarily able to wreak havoc, and there is always a spiritual battle going on.

Don't blame these things on God, because if God micromanaged and controlled every thing that goes on, none of us would have free will, we would be like marionettes on a string. The important thing is the bigger picture. The bible is clear that GOOD and truth win in the end. God is going to restore the peace and harmony and goodness that He created in the beginning, the way things were meant to be and should be.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4​

PS: Stay far, far away from the Jesuits. But that's another topic.

 

[Blackrook]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

there is no god--plain and simple ..religion is made up by man = fake/etc

Right, but I asked atheists to stay out of this thread. So, you're trespassing.

 

[james bond]

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

there is no god--plain and simple ..religion is made up by man = fake/etc[/QUOTE]

How do you think the ancient kings of Israel figured out what was valid? They did their due diligence. The believers know how, but you don't. All you got is post #24 forevaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Like being pushed off a cliff.

 

[harmonica]

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

there is no god--plain and simple ..religion is made up by man = fake/etc

How do you think the ancient kings of Israel figured out what was valid? They did their due diligence. The believers know how, but you don't. All you got is post #24 forevaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Like being pushed off a cliff.[/QUOTE]
still you provide NO proof of god = no god
hahahhahahahaha

 

[harmonica]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

there is no god--plain and simple ..religion is made up by man = fake/etc

Right, but I asked atheists to stay out of this thread. So, you're trespassing.

....1. you said keep stupid comments out--my comments are facts- can't be stupid
...2. believers in what?
...3. no such thing as an atheist because you can't not believe in something that is not real
...= are you afraid of the truth/facts?

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

Everyone's been there
You may even get mad and curse him ...he can take it ...
Maybe hes waiting on you for something? ...eh?

 

[Gdjjr]

I don't think any of the bad things that have happened to me have made me a better person.

I've not read the entire thread yet, but, I had to chime in here- have the bad things that happened to you made you a worse person? And too, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Every experience is just that. If you keep getting up when knocked down you are a success - you define your success, and likewise your failure not an outside entity or person.
Giving up is a sin and I'm not religious in the least. Life happens. What you do with happenings is what determines your strength of character. Your strength. You, the Individual.
It seems, to me, people want something to hang their hat on that is bigger than they are so they can be comfortable, belong to, be a part of and God is handy, generally respected and 'believed' to be benevolent- who wouldn't want to be like that? There are those who, for whatever reason (human in nature) want to be seen as something they ain't- special, because they can't accept just being unique is enough. They want/desire something that only comes from within and insist only "faith in God" can 'bring' it to them when it's already there, inside them.
I read this in a book, a novel of all places, titled, The Echelon Vendetta, by David Stone. Its a CIA 'spook' book, but, as with all knowledge it isn't biased in its origin- the saying; the sole cause of a man's unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.

 

[Gdjjr]

But if you are atheist, the challenge is even harder because they have to explain everything else.

A rabbi said- so what? A rabbi is an indoctrinated 'man'-

 

[Care4all]

One of my main problems with God is that he did not answer my prayers and many things have gone wrong for me.

Seeking answers, I read a book called "Where the hell is God?" written by a Jesuit priest.

He explained that he and his family had a faith crisis when his sister had an auto accident and became quadriplegic.

His answer to the question "Where the hell is God?" is that God, in his view, doesn't CAUSE these bad things to happen, so there appears to be no point in praying to God to fix the bad things that happen.

His example is the long drought in Australia, which people have been praying to end, but the drought just goes on and on.

I guess the problem with this priest's resolution is that it has weakened my faith to believe that God isn't the CAUSE of bad things that happen, because if he ISN'T, then there is something more powerful than God in the universe, another God, or an impersonal force that controls random chance.

And now I find myself thinking: What's the point of a God who is a passive bystander to the events in the universe? Why pray to him for anything?

Christ teaches we SHOULD PRAY and if we knock on the door, the door will open to us.

So really, this Jesuit priest is saying something that is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.

But my experience with prayer is that some of my prayers have NOT been answered, and I've been praying for many years.

Atheists, please keep your stupid comments out of this thread, I'm seeking answers from fellow believers.

Read the Book of JOB(e) in the Bible, it teaches that there is more going on than you think...

Use the NIV Student Bible, it gives a summary and overview of the Book.

 

[Gdjjr]

I'm glad I saw this thread before I started another- it lends credence to this whole "faith" thing.

Read the Book of JOB(e) in the Bible, it teaches that there is more going on than you think...

Yes? Knowledge isn't biased in its origin.

Use the NIV Student Bible, it gives a summary and overview of the Book.

No. The bible, thus the summary, is man's words translated over a couple thousand years from different languages and just using 'our' different interpretations in today's climate proves people interpret as they see fit to shape their agenda- to be God's words when that is rubbish at it's core. It's what 'man' says is God's word.

 

[james bond]

still you provide NO proof of god = no god
hahahhahahahaha

I just did, but if you want proof from Jesus, then you'll have to wait. It will be like being pushed off a cliff.

 

[harmonica]

still you provide NO proof of god = no god
hahahhahahahaha

I just did, but if you want proof from Jesus, then you'll have to wait. It will be like being pushed off a cliff.

that's some damn good proof!!! hahahahhahahahahahha