That was rather good, Pete!The OT and the NT are man's blogs as he tries to figure who this God guy is.
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That was rather good, Pete!The OT and the NT are man's blogs as he tries to figure who this God guy is.
Im sure this has been asked before but how can you justify your faith when so much suffering is in this world? I know its all down to humans actions etc. but if your God is all loving then why dont he stop it? If he sacrificed his own son for our sins dont you agree its had no affect on people whatsoever? And how can he sacrifice his only son anyway how could he let him go through so much pain and torment? That is just plain cruel if you ask me.
And another thing how can humans be so stupid? We brought all this suffering, hatred and pain to ourselves. We are rapping and destroying the thing that thing that keeps us alive; the earth. Do we really value greed for land and oil over life? Some religious faiths talk of giving love to all etc. but never practice it themselves.
Put your hand up if you really believe in unconditional love and not just saying that because you feel its the right thing to say. Put your hand up if you send your love to everyone who suffers to everyone on this earth. Because I know I bloody well do.
Why would God waste effort in building another paradise so far from home?
l dont believe theres suffering on this earth. l dont believe in man made gods.
There can be no goodness without "badness". I believe in the whole balance concept. We would have no idea what light was if there was no darkness. Everything that happens in this world has a purpose. It is a true test of faith to try to figure out what those purposes are without losing your mind.
Why would God waste effort putting on Earth to suffer when he has the power to put us in Heaven?
Im sure this has been asked before but how can you justify your faith when so much suffering is in this world? I know its all down to humans actions etc. but if your God is all loving then why dont he stop it? If he sacrificed his own son for our sins dont you agree its had no affect on people whatsoever? And how can he sacrifice his only son anyway how could he let him go through so much pain and torment? That is just plain cruel if you ask me.
And another thing how can humans be so stupid? We brought all this suffering, hatred and pain to ourselves. We are rapping and destroying the thing that thing that keeps us alive; the earth. Do we really value greed for land and oil over life? Some religious faiths talk of giving love to all etc. but never practice it themselves.
Put your hand up if you really believe in unconditional love and not just saying that because you feel its the right thing to say. Put your hand up if you send your love to everyone who suffers to everyone on this earth. Because I know I bloody well do.
There can be no goodness without "badness". I believe in the whole balance concept. We would have no idea what light was if there was no darkness. Everything that happens in this world has a purpose. It is a true test of faith to try to figure out what those purposes are without losing your mind.
I think this is more to do with the theology of the people who wrote the Old Testrament books, and how it changed over time. I think there were periods - the invasion of Canaan, the exile, reign of Kind David etc - where people did see God as responsible for wars, for organising them, commanding individuals to orchestrate certain events - God was like a man playing Risk in those days, similar to how the Greeks saw their Gods playing with the lives of mortals like a game.
Our "modern" view of god comes from the later NT times when God is a far more distant and all-encompassing being, influenced by Platonic thought, His role more as the God of the world rather than the God of the Jews alone as it was in David's time.
Im sure this has been asked before but how can you justify your faith when so much suffering is in this world? I know its all down to humans actions etc. but if your God is all loving then why dont he stop it? If he sacrificed his own son for our sins dont you agree its had no affect on people whatsoever? And how can he sacrifice his only son anyway how could he let him go through so much pain and torment? That is just plain cruel if you ask me.
And another thing how can humans be so stupid? We brought all this suffering, hatred and pain to ourselves. We are rapping and destroying the thing that thing that keeps us alive; the earth. Do we really value greed for land and oil over life? Some religious faiths talk of giving love to all etc. but never practice it themselves.
Put your hand up if you really believe in unconditional love and not just saying that because you feel its the right thing to say. Put your hand up if you send your love to everyone who suffers to everyone on this earth. Because I know I bloody well do.
Yes, it has been -- on many occasions, but that's okay. It's been awhile. From my perspective, my faith in God has little to do with the amount of suffering there is in the world.Im sure this has been asked before but how can you justify your faith when so much suffering is in this world?
First of all, it doesn't all get down to human actions. Human actions are a big part of suffering, but so are natural disasters and the natural effects of illness and aging on the human body. I'd like to try to answer your question, but I'm afraid I will need to have you clarify exactly what you mean. Exactly how much suffering do you believe God should allow? Should He eliminate all natural disasters? Should he let people live forever and then have them all just die in their sleep when they are in perfect health? Should all murderers be zapped dead in their tracks just moments before they pull the trigger? What about burglers? What about crooked businessmen? What about the guy who cuts into the parking place you thought was yours?I know its all down to humans actions etc. but if your God is all loving then why dont he stop it?
No, I certainly don't agree. The effect it has on anyone who repents of his sins is forgiveness on the part of God. The effect it has on everyone who has ever lived is to ensure that they will someday be resurrected.If he sacrificed his own son for our sins dont you agree its had no affect on people whatsoever?
Actually, His Son made His sacrifice willingly because we were unable to become perfect without someone paying the price for our sins. You may see it as cruel on God's part; I see it as indescribable love.And how can he sacrifice his only son anyway how could he let him go through so much pain and torment? That is just plain cruel if you ask me.
I don't know how some people can be so stupid. A lot of people are. Still, a lot aren't. Most religions teach love. There is nothing wrong with having an ideal to strive for. How far do you think most people would get if they had nothing to strive for?And another thing how can humans be so stupid? We brought all this suffering, hatred and pain to ourselves. We are rapping and destroying the thing that thing that keeps us alive; the earth. Do we really value greed for land and oil over life? Some religious faiths talk of giving love to all etc. but never practice it themselves.
personaly i don't believe that there is one God and it is a symple as that.the fact is that once you say well i should think that man should live and 'God' should stop that man from stealing my parking space you become selfish and unjust. but the fact that we over poplulate this earth makes natural disarsters mother natures way of keeping numbers down, it's just that we create much more suffering to ourselves then is nessary.First of all, it doesn't all get down to human actions. Human actions are a big part of suffering, but so are natural disasters and the natural effects of illness and aging on the human body. I'd like to try to answer your question, but I'm afraid I will need to have you clarify exactly what you mean. Exactly how much suffering do you believe God should allow? Should He eliminate all natural disasters? Should he let people live forever and then have them all just die in their sleep when they are in perfect health? Should all murderers be zapped dead in their tracks just moments before they pull the trigger? What about burglers? What about crooked businessmen? What about the guy who cuts into the parking place you thought was yours?
No, I certainly don't agree. The effect it has on anyone who repents of his sins is forgiveness on the part of God. The effect it has on everyone who has ever lived is to ensure that they will someday be resurrected.
Actually, His Son made His sacrifice willingly because we were unable to become perfect without someone paying the price for our sins. You may see it as cruel on God's part; I see it as indescribable love.
i agree people do need something to strive for, some hope that there is something more than what we see now.I don't know how some people can be so stupid. A lot of people are. Still, a lot aren't. Most religions teach love. There is nothing wrong with having an ideal to strive for. How far do you think most people would get if they had nothing to strive for?
when Jehovah gets rid of satan the devil , the former things will not be called to mind .
Knowing he has a short period of time, Satan steps up his demonic activity in these last days. Yet there is a silver lining to the clouds of our days. Revelation 21:1, 3-5 reveals what it is: "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away. And the One seated on the throne said: Look! I am making all things new. Also, he says: Write, because these words are faithful and true."...............
nice
That's blatantly dualistic thinking, which has no place in Biblical theology (which was the subject of the OP). Your statement in red is mistaken. The concept of light is not dependent upon a knowledge of darkness. Don't believe me? Take a high-powered spotlight (one of those 1,000,000 candlepower things), hold it up against your right eye and TURN IT ON! outside, in broad daylight. You'll get a real good concept of just what light is, without the aid of a concept of darkness.
You raise a good point that I have often struggled with myself. I cannot accept any of the explanations I have heard so far from friends, preachers, or othewise. Some say suffering is necessary to make people stronger. Would that be applicable to infants who suffer and die from diseases before they ever have a chance to grow stronger? Others say that suffering does not come from God but from the laws of nature or free will or even Satan. But these same people want to give God credit for miracles that go against the laws of nature to save people from suffering. But if somone suffers and does not recieve a miracle, wouldn't God be responsible for not intervening - sort of like the idea of sins of omission.
While I remain active in a local church, this struggle has led me to a personal faith of Deism. I sometimes have to hold my tongue in Sunday School (am not always successful) but try not to belittle or discount the faith of others.
Another quick point - while there is much suffering and evil in the world, I think we need to keep ourselves aware of the good things that occur in life. Like Thomas Jefferson, I believe people are basically good and that goodness is not dependent on a particular faith or even a belief in a God. Jefferson wrote that he believed the desire to do good to others was a natural born instinct in humans. Hope he was right!