Why does God allow us to suffer?

[Locutus]

The abundant life is eternal life, its not about living long on this earth. If that were true then none of the early Christians would have been killed for their faith when Rome and Israel persecuted them.

This is incredibly confusing. We have Christians loudly proclaiming the sanctity of life, and the precious gift of it - then totally freaking out when death visits just as though they've suddenly realised that death is real and permanent, and that in fact life was the only thing they ever had and regret not having treasured it more.

And on the other hand we have Christians saying as you have here ... this life is meaningless, it's all about the eternal life in heaven.

If you guys could get your stories straight, and behave as though any of the above were actually true, we'd have a much better chance of taking your god seriously.

 

[Extraneous]

Here I was thinking Christians followed words in a book, and believed every one of them. In fact, Joshua here is advising me to believe the book and not observe things with my eyes, for a better grasp of Christianity.

As i said, im not forcing my book on the poster that comment was given to. I wont bother with the rest of your comments, it wouldnt do any good anyway

 

[Locutus]

As i said, im not forcing my book on the poster that comment was given to. I wont bother with the rest of your comments, it wouldnt do any good anyway

I don't think anyone has accused you of forcing your holy book on others. And you don't need to do me any good, so please don't feel it's important in some way. It's enough that we might get one or two people thinking about the ethics of the particular dogma in question.

 

[Extraneous]

I don't think anyone has accused you of forcing your holy book on others. And you don't need to do me any good, so please don't feel it's important in some way. It's enough that we might get one or two people thinking about the ethics of the particular dogma in question.

You dont get the gist of the discussion i see. Goodnight.

 

[Locutus]

You dont get the gist of the discussion i see. Goodnight.

I thought the gist of the discussion was to explore why a god claimed to be perfectly good and benevolent would allow profound suffering?

and, goodnight

 

[Extraneous]

I thought the gist of the discussion was to explore why a god claimed to be perfectly good and benevolent would allow profound suffering?

and, goodnight

I was talking about how it has progressed this far, and all the things that were mentioned in it, concerning my responses that you replied to. You seem to not take into account things that were said, and you take my words out of context and try to cast them in a different light. In other words you have not represented my words correctly.

 

[Locutus]

I was talking about how it has progressed this far, and all the things that were mentioned in it, concerning my responses that you replied to. You seem to not take into account things that were said, and you take my words out of context and try to cast them in a different light. In other words you have not represented my words correctly.

That's entirely possible, and if so, I apologise. I can only say, in my own defence, that your posts have been quite vague in places - appearing to respond to challenges with something more like an affirmation to yourself.

 

[Extraneous]

That's entirely possible, and if so, I apologise. I can only say, in my own defence, that your posts have been quite vague in places - appearing to respond to challenges with something more like an affirmation to yourself.

I wasnt even talking to you in some of those posts. Maybe if you read the whole conversation you might understand.

 

[Extraneous]

Locutus:

Thinking back, i can see how things probably got confusing, i apologize as well.

 

[Locutus]

Locutus:

Thinking back, i can see how things probably got confusing, i apologize as well.

Friends, who agree to disagree

 

[Extraneous]

Friends, who agree to disagree

I suppose thats about all we can do in that situation.

 

[SkyWriting]

He does extend lives for those who follow His commandments. We are given 70 years or if for reason of strength 80. After that you can add years up to 120. For example if children are obedient to their parents: "2HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),3SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.…"
Deuteronomy 5:33
Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

No, God does not extend lives on earth.
As a general rule of thumb, you will live longer
if you follow your parents guidelines as they are
20 years older compared to if you leave home
at 15 and never listen to them again.

If you still feel advice from your parents is a gift
from God to extend your life, then ok, it is.

 

[Locutus]

I suppose thats about all we can do in that situation.

It's a lot. I'm always pleased to be able to talk squarely with an honest and open believer. And I think your morality has pushed you to continue in this thread even when it made you uncomfortable. I admire that.

 

[Locutus]

As a general rule of thumb, you will live longer
if you follow your parents guidelines as they are
20 years older .

Unless your parents happen to be toxic - and there are plenty of those. In which case the very worst thing a young person can do is listen to their parents.

 

[SkyWriting]

Man is responsible for babies born without brains? For the worms that eat babies' eyes from the inside out? For bubonic plague?Are you stable?

Man is responsible for all the result of turning from God.
This is not heaven.

 

[SkyWriting]

Unless your parents happen to be toxic - and there are plenty of those. In which case the very worst thing a young person can do is listen to their parents.

Almost all kids (likely yourself) do consider their parents to be toxic.
Do you still hold to your advice?

 

[bhsmte]

The question is not why there is suffering, but moreso, with God being so holy, perfect and righteous as He is, and man being so utterly depraved, idolatrous and sinful, why is there not far, far more suffering?

It is because of God's grace and mercy.

God uses means to bring Himself glory. And suffering is a product of the Fall of man.

9 million children die each year before the age of five because of the fall of man??

So holy, perfect and righteous????????????????????

 

[Locutus]

Almost all kids (likely yourself) do consider their parents to be toxic.
Do you still hold to your advice?

spoken like someone who has no understanding of the difference between ordinary fallible parents, and toxic parents.

and mine are the ordinary fallible kind.

 

[SkyWriting]

Simply wrong. Go and do your research. Look up any table of 'religious belief by nation'. You are terribly misinformed or wilfully ignorant.

Least religious countries
Percentage of respondents in each country claiming to be either not religious or atheist.

CZECH REPUBLIC
90%
CHINA
76%
SWEDEN
75%
CZECH REPUBLIC




I see no wonderful standard of living trends here.

Countries with large numbers of atheists

 

[Extraneous]

9 million children die each year before the age of five because of the fall of man??

So holy, perfect and righteous????????????????????

You act like death is something bad. We will all die, and that's a fact. If God promises eternity to us, what is this short life but a second in time anyway? They were born and that's a good thing. God created them and without God they would not exist. Perhaps they are the lucky ones, after all you keep saying what a terrible place this world is and how cruel life is. How do you know that they are not the lucky ones? Their suffering is over and now they have eternal life and rest from there troubles. We however will still endure our struggles for a little longer, and we will still die, just like them.