Tipping Point

[henjon22]

I am a 80 year old man reared in the Christian tradition. I have witnessed much inequity imposed upon people that cannot be considered due to human action or inaction. In particular, I react strongly when children are born with terrible permanent handicaps. Some of these handicaps result in a child being less than an animal in physical and mental behavior.

I have not yet discovered a rational explanation or justification by my Christian religion for this type of tragedy which is based in part on a loving, all powerful, God.

I have thought about this inequity for many years and I have found no meaningful explanation except to conclude that God's ways are not understand by humans. To me, such a conclusion means that religious teachings (including religious tracts) and practices are wholly created by man for man.

I am near the tipping point of thinking that God has no identifiable interest in individuals but may have goals and plans for societies.

I would be interested in explanations offered by others in avoiding such a tipping point.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

It sounds like you are moving (slowly, but inexorably) from theism to deism - with agnosticism or atheism as a potential final resting place.

I'm not really sure why you would want to avoid the "tipping point", unless you are simply intent on holding onto your original religious beliefs. If that is the case, you would probably be best to simply deny the existence of the problem that brought you to this point (horrific birth defects in babies).

Once you begin to question God ...

 

[Stephen5]

Henjon22,

Here is your answer:

The Lord is totally interested in His purpose for creating humans .... He has magnificent plans for all who will seek and believe in Him

He is pre-cognizant and knows the end form the beginning in all situations including what an individual thinks, does, and will do in advance

Because of this ability, He never makes a wrong decision regarding one's destiny .... He is perfectly just and always does the right thing

The human has a free will and must choose to seek and find Him .... this is the way He has set out to interact with those that He has created .... so one must choose Him first ..... and then He will do the rest .... He does not force the relationship

He knows what all will do regarding this decision to seek Him before they even exist and He responds accordingly .... we can only observe what takes place on the earth and the life experiences that all we have .... but He is in control and nothing passes His observations

His ultimate purpose for the human is to live with Him eternally and in a completed state of immortality ..... much different that this short trouble filled life that we experience in the physical body

The scriptures tell us that all humans must seek and believe in Him and we have no excuse not to do this because He has revealed Himself to all, even the newborn .... we all have the knowledge of His existence built in

What humans do is to ignore and or rebel against Him and this He does not tolerate ..... all who seek and find Him will live .... all who reject will not .... this is His way

I would suggest that you read Romans 1:16-22

When we see what we consider to be unjustified fate in this life for our selves and others we must remember that the Lord is always present in each and every case and He never errors ....what we see is not always what He is doing

Revelation
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

 

[Onkara]

Hi Henjon
I can related to your sensation when seeing handicapped chilldren or people who are suffering without justification. I also agree that the mind appears to have limitations on understanding the larger picture, it is as if the mind hits limits which it cannot provide satisfactory answers to without turning in circles or leaving it to blind faith.

However I do not feel all is without explanation. My suggestions are:

To consider the phyiscal world limited and out of our control. We can influence it (drugs, operations, medicine, guns) but we cannot stop the body from digesting food once inside it, nor control ageing. This world we experience is with limitations and it is the limitations which we must understand in order to help us arrive at peace.

Look inside, what has not changed in the 80 years, do you feel different from being 28, for example? I assume your likes, needs and opinions have changed a lot, so what allows all those things to change, what is the substratum of your being?