why?

[irani]

hi, i am yusif and i have a problem
i dont know if this is the right section for this but im sure you guys will forgive me..
anyways i am confused about religon, and if a god exisits
i have been thinking about this over the past couple of years and am very doubtful
these are the reasons why i am doubting if there is a god, and please, please do not tell me free will

why does he let these things happen?


starvation


terrorism


genocide


animal cruelty



i can go on and on but you get my point im sure

he loves his people?
he loves his creation?
im doubting it.

 

[70x7]

He is also merciful and gracious. Of course, He wishes that none shall perish but shall have everlasing life. Keep in mind that on creation, He did not put all those things that you mention into play as creation was perfect, in fact it was "very good" after the 6th day. It was the temptation and the fall of man that was the start of all these things.

Ask yourself if a forceful attitude is a sign of love?
Does not granting forgiveness show mercy?

Its like the saying that goes something like:

If you love someone you will let them go, but if they love you, they will come back.

God loves you enough to let you decide for yourself. If He MADE you love Him, what does that really show?

 

[wayseer]

why?

Hi, and welcome.

Why? No one knows. We guess - make profound statements - use polemics to come to some sort of answers - but in the end, we just don't know.

Your question is old as humanity itself. The first written book in the Bible, Job, is all about asking that question.

The question is - if you knew the answer would knowing make any difference?

 

[Elijah2]

Hi Yusif,

Welcome!

Cruelty throughout the world has been there since Adam and Eve fell.

And here we today, and the world is still in one piece and haven't been blown to pieces, but they are striving right now as again a religious war has begun on the Gaza Strip.

All what you stated are of the enemy, the god of this world.

But, in the background there is work being done by our Lord Jesus Christ, who to believers is our Almighty God.

HE can only do so much, through the desire of those who follow HIM.

As you are of a differetn religion, we all know that wars are started by religious beliefs. Wars cannot start if their is love!

Our commandments in our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ is love and forgiveness.

What are you commandments?

 

[heymikey80]

It's a big question.

The answer would elude us if we thought we were good.

The alternatives seem to be: either God isn't good, God doesn't exist, or we're much worse than at first it seems to us.

Because if we were much worse than at first it seemed, we would be baffled not by the catastrophes -- but by the good that is done to us.

 

[chilehed]

...why does he let these things happen?...

For much the same reason he allows us to feel pain if we put our hand into a fire.

Suffering provides us with the impulse to turn to Him, and it provides us the opportunity to minister to others in His name.

 

[drich0150]

why does he let these things happen?
he loves his people?
he loves his creation?

This life, and God's actions in it are the direct result of his will. His will provides a place that free will (our will) can be fully expressed without direct consequence from him (for a time) Why? So that we may prove to ourselves that the righteousness contained in our hearts is not worthy of of a relationship with God or Heaven.

How would you react to just seconds after being created you were sentenced to Hell for all of the sin you would have committed if given the chance? Pretty unfair right? Now what if you were placed in a situation that would allow you some autonomy away from God's will, and still were sent to hell for your deeds?? I would be like, If God were the righteous God as he claimed to be, and he stopped very bad things from happening to others, then why didn't he stop me from committing the sins that sent me here? What's worse dying "young" or spending an eternity in hell?

As it is now you and I both live in a world that allows us true freedom from God's will for a time. It is without doubt, because in what other time could we crucify God's son without having 10,000 angels reign down upon us? We live apart from God's will in this life (Meaning we are allowed to sin.) And yet He has provided a sacrifice to atone for the sin we commit, if we so choose to except it.. With real choice comes real consequences. These consequences can result in: starvation terrorism, genocide, animal cruelty.

All of this pain and suffering points to one purpose. so that you may have an unobstructed opportunity to start and maintain a relationship with God of your own free will. So that at the day of your judgment there can be no excuse or short comings in God's righteousness.. If (we) are weighed and measured and have been found wanting, it is because (we) chose to be this way.

 

[irani]

For much the same reason he allows us to feel pain if we put our hand into a fire.

Suffering provides us with the impulse to turn to Him, and it provides us the opportunity to minister to others in His name.

say a group of cats think i am god, one animal is mistreated and others are treated like royalty; are they supposed to worship me? some of them will and some of them wont, the ones that wont have enough sense that they are actually paying attention to what the other cats are going through and that they have done nothing wrong. there is supposed to be a god?

i dont know thats the way im starting to think.

 

[chilehed]

say a group of cats think i am god, one animal is mistreated and others are treated like royalty; are they supposed to worship me?....

That's not what happens. Your analogy is misapplied.

 

[wayseer]

say a group of cats think i am god, one animal is mistreated and others are treated like royalty; are they supposed to worship me? some of them will and some of them wont, the ones that wont have enough sense that they are actually paying attention to what the other cats are going through and that they have done nothing wrong. there is supposed to be a god?

i dont know thats the way im starting to think.

That's how YOU might think - not how God might think. Human logic cannot fathom the mind of God - and that is what you are trying to do.

As I said, greater minds than our have worked on the problem without resolution. So my question still stands - if you knew the answer would knowing that answer make any difference? If you knew that answer I suggest no change would take place - so demanding answers is not always helpful.

 

[Mister_Al]

James 1:5-6 (New International Version)

5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

I think the person you should ask about these things is the Lord. Don't be afraid to ask Him, He'll give you the answers you seek.

Be Blessed,
Alan

 

[irani]

James 1:5-6 (New International Version)

5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

if i ask god about this he wont tell me anything.

 

[Mister_Al]

Yes He Will! He is not afraid to talk to you, and He's not shy. Go ahead and ask Him and see if He will answer you. He already knows you're seeking this wisdom.

When you really want to find out the truth about a matter, the best person to ask is the one that knows the answers.

Be Blessed,
Alan

 

[irani]

He's not shy.

youre absolutley right hes not shy, not shy about sitting back and watching his people kill each other and suffer every single day.
and i bet he gets a kick out of the arbas and the jews in israel
if there is a god, you think he cares about us?
sorry, it doesnt seem that way.
what exactly is it that he does for us?
and this talking to god thing, im sorry but it seems to be a fairy tale to me

 

[70x7]

youre absolutley right hes not shy, not shy about sitting back and watching his people kill each other and suffer every single day.
and i bet he gets a kick out of the arbas and the jews in israel
if there is a god, you think he cares about us?
sorry, it doesnt seem that way.
what exactly is it that he does for us?
and this talking to god thing, im sorry but it seems to be a fairy tale to me

You think He did not know this would happen? Of course He did, as the end times are all about His people and His land!
He also has told us the outcome; the end of the story here.
All this dying isnt't needed? What has He done for us?
You mean, besides the whole sending His ONLY Son to DIE FOR YOU so you can enter heaven? God knows all about death friend.

There is no need to be afraid of death if you believe in Him as your place is set in the kingdom of heaven.
We all will die someday whether it be in a missle strike or by choking on a communion wafer. The question is which direction are you going afterward.

 

[wayseer]

youre absolutley right hes not shy, not shy about sitting back and watching his people kill each other and suffer every single day.
and i bet he gets a kick out of the arbas and the jews in israel
if there is a god, you think he cares about us?
sorry, it doesnt seem that way.
what exactly is it that he does for us?
and this talking to god thing, im sorry but it seems to be a fairy tale to me

Irani - This is an 'advice' board. You have asked for advice and your posts have been answered in good faith. However, it appears that you would like to discuss and debate in which case you should move to the discussion section.

 

[chosenpath]

2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly sorrow produces repentance [leading] to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

 

[MethodMan]

hi, i am yusif and i have a problem
i dont know if this is the right section for this but im sure you guys will forgive me..
anyways i am confused about religon, and if a god exisits
i have been thinking about this over the past couple of years and am very doubtful
these are the reasons why i am doubting if there is a god, and please, please do not tell me free will

why does he let these things happen?


starvation


terrorism


genocide


animal cruelty



i can go on and on but you get my point im sure

he loves his people?
he loves his creation?
im doubting it.

Why blame God for acts of men?

 

[jellybean99]

hi, i am yusif and i have a problem
i dont know if this is the right section for this but im sure you guys will forgive me..
anyways i am confused about religon, and if a god exisits
i have been thinking about this over the past couple of years and am very doubtful
these are the reasons why i am doubting if there is a god, and please, please do not tell me free will

why does he let these things happen?
starvation terrorism genocide animal cruelty
i can go on and on but you get my point im sure

he loves his people?
he loves his creation?
im doubting it.

The situation that you speak is often called "The Problem of Evil." It poses the question, "How can there be evil in a world created by a omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent God?" Many great (and not-so-great) thinkers have wrestled with this question. Proposed solutions to this apparent paradox are called "Theodicies." Check it out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil

FYI: The attributions of omnipotence, omniscience and benevolence come from Classic Greek philosophy, and are believed to describe the ultimate deity in terms of power, knowledge and virtue.

"Good" comes from the Hebrew TOVE (rhymes with grove) and refers to the quality and desirability of someone or some deed. This can refer to morals, character, strength, purity, etc. "Bad," RRA (rhymes with bra) is used to describe entities and deeds of inferior quality and desirability and are seen as wicked and/or disagreeable in YHWH's eyes.

God is absolutely good--perfect & complete in every way, while everyone and everything else is RRA in comparison. To sin, kah-TAH, literally means to miss the mark, as in to fall short of goodness. In its extreme, RRA means wicked, evil and/or catastrophic.

When the serpent entered the Garden of Eden, he showed Eve the fruit of the tree which contained the knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve only knew of goodness before this incident. The serpent tricked Eve into eating the fruit, which was good, by doing something evil (wicked & disagreeable to God).

Once she and Adam ate of this fruit, wickedness entered creation making it RAA (corrupt, of inferior quality) and doomed the universe to eventually perish (like rotting fruit). Adam and Eve's evil deed separated the human race and our universe from God's goodness and also left humanity with an imperfect (inferior) sense of morals (right and wrong, good and evil, etc.).

It is only when one appears before God that one truly knows what is "good." While God the Father is not immediately available to this wicked world (He cannot look upon evil nor can we look directly at Him w/o perishing in our wickedness), His son Jesus can be made available to us if we seek Him out and He is willing. Prayer, Scripture reading and approaching Christ's witnesses on Earth are ways of seeking Christ, the anointed one.

To behold Christ is to realize "goodness." From there confession (agreement with God regarding our missing the mark), repentance (turning from one's wicked path) and atonement (by faithfully accepting the Pardon offered by Christ's perfect sacrifice) becomes possible. Worship (responding to God's glory), praise (responding to God's attributes), thanks (responding to God's blessings), petition (asking for God's treasure) and intercession (asking for God's action) are also available to those who appeal to God's goodness in prayer. Jesus Christ is the "High Priest" who hears our confessions so that we, having our goodness restored by the Holy Spirit, may approach God the Father or God the Son without fear of perishing. Continued fellowship with God requires regular prayer--the Holy Spirit only goes as deep as our confessions to Christ.

A Christian's fiery trials and tribulations are God's way of purifying our character (making it more and good and less evil), though we are all "works in progress" that do not realize perfection in this lifetime.

I trust that this post answers your questions, though reading this may prompt more questions and prayer. I pray that the light of Christ may shine on all who read this so that they may see it and faithfully turn to Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.