How can a Christian God exist given this?

[mattskramer]

Please help me by giving me your perspective on a topic/issue that has been on my mind for a long time. You might call it a more “down-to-earth and human issue”. Why do bad things happen to good people – and don’t give me that “free will and choice” excuse. Some people are so young that they don’t have free will and sometimes the suffering that people endure is not even the fault of the parents.

I have a series of “yes-no” questions for you and a follow up question demanding an explanation. This has puzzled me for a long time and no one has given me a satisfactory explanation – at least an explanation that satisfied me. It is a key thing that drove me away from God – at least the benevolent, fair, all knowing, and all powerful god that most Christians consider. Please don’t give me a complicated convoluted complex high-brow explanation filled with apologist jargon.

1. Is god all-knowing? Yes?
2. Is god all-powerful? Yes?
3. Is god all-good? Yes?
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? Yes?

Then how the h@II do you explain this?!?!!?

http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/odds_and_oddities/ultimate_in_unfair.htm

Look at the child practically preparing to be food for the vulture. Did the child, with free will and such, make a decision that resulted in this?

In my opinion, if there is a god, he she it or they either don’t know everything that is going on, can’t do anything about what goes on everywhere, does not care what is going on, or is random in the way that he imposes punishment. Explain.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

You may want to learn about the Christian God and why he does what he does. Satan made a claim about man and so God gave earth to him to prove his point. God does not interfere with man because he agreed to not do so until the end of times. After Satan fails we will be all judged and those not found evil will be give a perfect earth to live on with no disease or sickness or death. An earth ruled by Jesus as our King.

You will have to ask a Muslim to explain why God allows bad things to happen from their prospective and a Jew for theirs.

 

[Gentlewarrior]

Please help me by giving me your perspective on a topic/issue that has been on my mind for a long time. You might call it a more “down-to-earth and human issue”. Why do bad things happen to good people – and don’t give me that “free will and choice” excuse. Some people are so young that they don’t have free will and sometimes the suffering that people endure is not even the fault of the parents.

I have a series of “yes-no” questions for you and a follow up question demanding an explanation. This has puzzled me for a long time and no one has given me a satisfactory explanation – at least an explanation that satisfied me. It is a key thing that drove me away from God – at least the benevolent, fair, all knowing, and all powerful god that most Christians consider. Please don’t give me a complicated convoluted complex high-brow explanation filled with apologist jargon.

1. Is god all-knowing? Yes?
2. Is god all-powerful? Yes?
3. Is god all-good? Yes?
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? Yes?

Then how the h@II do you explain this?!?!!?

GW << Number one, you need to understand that your idea of "good" is not the same as God's. "There is only one who is good." (Mat 19:17) referring to the Father.

Secondly, God does not operate on the basis of human understanding. You think in terms of "who dererves what" depending on who does good or who does not do so good. So, in your mind, God is ready to punish those "who do evil" and reward those who do good. Wrong.

If you get rid of that inflamed philosophy that comes from our own mixed up and skewed understanding, you might be able to simply ask questions instead of assuming that God thinkls like you do.

1. Is god all-knowing? Yes?
2. Is god all-powerful? Yes?
3. Is god all-good? Yes?
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? Yes?

Then how the h@II do you explain this?!?!!?

GW >> Explain what? Explain that you want to be a robot so that you don't have to make choices based on your free will?

 

[sparky]

NEW HAVEN, CT–In a diagnosis that helps explain the confusing and contradictory aspects of the cosmos that have baffled philosophers, theologians, and other students of the human condition for millennia, God, creator of the universe and longtime deity to billions of followers, was found Monday to suffer from bipolar disorder

 

[LionSiege]

Your question is centered around the classic case of which all religions grapple with; suffering and the exitsence of God.

All I can say is that though I see the same image as you it doesn't shake my faith in God. I believe we must, one, look beyond the temporal and trust that God shall right what is wrong in the eternal. Secondly, as a believer, it sturs a feeling of compassion for the plight of people so unfortunate. These people have a value in their life being created in the likness of God so we ought help them as we are fit to do so through finacial giving and humanitarian support. I'll be in Africa next summer. Your faith in the goodness of God must be greater than the suffering of a fallen world, or you'll just end up like that photographer and give up.

 

[ABikerSailor]

It's not so much that God allows bad things to happen, it is that people decide to do bad things to each other. It's the conflict between the yetzer harrah, and the yetzer hartov (animal nature vs. God nature).

Now....the thing that happens is that there are lots of people, who, in their desire to pursue their own version of pleasure, end up going down the wrong road and running away from God. But.....they can't really "run away from God" because there is a piece of God in each and every one of us in the form of our soul. You may know it better as your conscience, you know, that little voice in your head that tells you something isn't a good idea.

Now.....some people decide that they don't want to listen to that little voice, and they spend a great deal of time stifling it. After a while, they find a way to ignore it. When they've finally figured out how to ignore it once, every time it pops up afterwards, they've already got a way to ignore it yet again. Ignore your conscience long enough, and you eventually can't hear it. Think of it as adding layers of paint over a light. Eventually, whether or not the light is turned on, it won't glow. Same with ignoring your soul......eventually, you "shellac" it to the point where God has lost all contact with you, because you've spent so much time running away from Him, and you're no longer able to hear what He's trying to tell you.

When that happens, you start to believe that there is no God, and therefore, you are able to do as you please, regardless of the damage or pain it may cause yourself or others. Now, when you're at this point, you are no longer in contact with God, and He is no longer in contact with you. So, instead of being able to stop you with just a gentle word in your mind, and showing you a better way, you are only able to be noticed when it impacts upon others, as in a murder, robbery, or anything else that goes against the 10 Commandments. When it is found out that you have done something to harm another person, others take notice and then law enforcement, nations, etc, get involved and try to bring the perpetrator to justice.

It's not so much that God allows it to happen, it is that some people have spent so much time running from Him, that they are able to hide for a short, at least, until their behavior becomes so aberrant and they end up doing mass murder (like Cho), or become serial killers (like Dahmer), or any other really bad thing that happens in the world.

 

[Gurdari]

Bad things happening to good people? Where?

If you can define 'bad things' and then define 'good people' it would be easier.
There is no right or wrong, only desirable and undesirable.

What is a god?

1. Is god all-knowing? no evidence suggests that
2. Is god all-powerful? no evidence suggests that
3. Is god all-good? HWat the hell does that eve mean? either way: no evidence suggests that
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? What does that mean? again: no evidence suggests that is true either



Though for some sweet sounding guess-work, contact any true believer.

 

[mattskramer]

It's not so much that God allows bad things to happen, it is that people decide to do bad things to each other.

What did that little child do that was so bad?

 

[Truthmatters]

The answer is there is no God.

See how simple that one was?

 

[9 Volt]

You may want to learn about the Christian God and why he does what he does. Satan made a claim about man and so God gave earth to him to prove his point. God does not interfere with man because he agreed to not do so until the end of times. After Satan fails we will be all judged and those not found evil will be give a perfect earth to live on with no disease or sickness or death. An earth ruled by Jesus as our King.

You will have to ask a Muslim to explain why God allows bad things to happen from their prospective and a Jew for theirs.

Satan doesn't exist. He's an amendment to the original writings.

 

[editec]

You may want to learn about the Christian God and why he does what he does. Satan made a claim about man and so God gave earth to him to prove his point. God does not interfere with man because he agreed to not do so until the end of times.

God feels the need to "prove his point" to Satan?

Why? Why does God need to prove anything to anyone?

After Satan fails we will be all judged and those not found evil will be give a perfect earth to live on with no disease or sickness or death. An earth ruled by Jesus as our King.

Finally! I'll actually have health care coverage. Yeah, Jesus!

 

[ABikerSailor]

What did that little child do that was so bad?

You apparently didn't read the whole thing dude. It's not so much that the child does anything bad, it is that the parent who is responsible for taking care of the child that ends up getting too involved with themselves, starts to believe that there is no God, and ends up killing their child.

Need an example? Look towards Orange County FL, and look at a chick named Casey Anthony. She killed her child with chloroform. Why? She was self involved to the point where nothing, not even her child, mattered.

 

[AllieBaba]

People in their eternal arrogance sit in judgment on "God".

There is a purpose to everything. Nothing happens without God knowing about it, and nothing happens that does not have a purpose and a place in God's plan. Children are not punished by God. Men, motivated by Satan, do that. But the comfort believers have is that every action taken on this planet is seen and foreseen and remembered by God. We also take comfort in the fact that this life is but a tiny portion of our existence. Any pain we suffer here is fleeting and brief compared to the great joy and peace we will enjoy in the hereafter.

There is a book out called "The SHack" about a man's struggle with these questions...the protagonist is a man whose child is brutally murdered. I'm not saying it's a true story, but it has some very illuminating things to say about God, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the way they work, and the conundrum of human pain, suffering and loss and how they play against faith.

THe Columbine killings btw included the killers targeting a CHristian girl. They walked up to her, asked her if she still believed in God. She answered yes and they shot her in the face. Her father travels the country speaking about the impact that girl's death has had on others, who upon hearing her story are brought to God.

THere is a purpose for everything. And suffering on this planet will be nothing but a brief and hazy memory for those of us who will be with our Father.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Please help me by giving me your perspective on a topic/issue that has been on my mind for a long time. You might call it a more “down-to-earth and human issue”. Why do bad things happen to good people – and don’t give me that “free will and choice” excuse. Some people are so young that they don’t have free will and sometimes the suffering that people endure is not even the fault of the parents.

I have a series of “yes-no” questions for you and a follow up question demanding an explanation. This has puzzled me for a long time and no one has given me a satisfactory explanation – at least an explanation that satisfied me. It is a key thing that drove me away from God – at least the benevolent, fair, all knowing, and all powerful god that most Christians consider. Please don’t give me a complicated convoluted complex high-brow explanation filled with apologist jargon.

1. Is god all-knowing? Yes?
2. Is god all-powerful? Yes?
3. Is god all-good? Yes?
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? Yes?

Then how the h@II do you explain this?!?!!?

Wanting a Meal

Look at the child practically preparing to be food for the vulture. Did the child, with free will and such, make a decision that resulted in this?

In my opinion, if there is a god, he she it or they either don’t know everything that is going on, can’t do anything about what goes on everywhere, does not care what is going on, or is random in the way that he imposes punishment. Explain.

Interesting approach. "Answer my question . . . but you can't give me THIS answer! It has to be some OTHER answer!" Okay. Right after you tell me what two plus two is . . . and don't give me any of that "four" crap!

 

[ABikerSailor]

Bad things happening to good people? Where?

If you can define 'bad things' and then define 'good people' it would be easier.
There is no right or wrong, only desirable and undesirable.

What is a god?

1. Is god all-knowing? no evidence suggests that
2. Is god all-powerful? no evidence suggests that
3. Is god all-good? HWat the hell does that eve mean? either way: no evidence suggests that
4. Does god hold each one responsible for choices that he makes? What does that mean? again: no evidence suggests that is true either

1. Depends on your beliefs. If you understand the Jewish theology explanation, then you know that God Himself put a piece of Himself in you in the form of your soul. Now.....if God put a piece of himself in you, don't you think that He would know what you're doing. Yes...He IS all knowing.

2. Same thing......see above......if each person (who has a soul) is capable of producing power, and God is a piece of each of it, don't you think that He would be able to channel that power? Therefore, He's all powerful.

3. Is God all good? Yep. Need proof? Check out Patch Adams and what he taught about the healing powers of laughter. If you support creation and life, then it's good. And God is the Ultimate Creator.

4. Yes.....God holds us responsible for the choices that each and every one of us makes. Need an example? Check the Bible and see the story of the man who gave each of his sons 3 talents of gold. One came back and made money, one came back and lost it all. One came back with the original 3 talents that he'd buried in the ground.

Guess which one that God holds responsible for failure?

The one that buried them in the ground.