If you believe in God.......

[dcentity2000]

I think it comes hand in hand with free will. Inevitably so, even.

So why doesn't He stop these bad things?

Do too much and people become dependent on you - lazy even - and don't themselves try to stop the evils in the world. In the same way, do too little EVERYONE loses faith in you.



Rich::

 

[beattyfamily]

So, do you think it's all due to free choice? Natural laws?

Yes I do for the most part.

Do you think God causes them?

Sometimes, I do, but mostly no, it's because of free will.

Do you think God cannot stop them?

I think he could if he wanted to (his is God afterall) but I think, for the most part, we just live our lives and make our choices and live with the consequences.

Or, is this a current sticking point with you and God, and you really have no answer?

Nope, no sticking point.

What is your basis for why you believe the way you do? I.E. because it's what you've been told......personal experience.....it just seems like the "right" answer.....etc

What I've learned and from personal experience.

I do feel like everything happens for a reason and probably all planned out; meant to be. I believe sometimes God does intervein (miracles and Noah's ark, Moses type of stories).

I believe he answers our prayers but not always in the way we expect.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

I see a lot of beliefs that it is due to free will, but what about sickness like cancer like leukemia or the miscarriage of a baby? How do you attribute that to free will?

 

[JennyMominRI]

I see a lot of beliefs that it is due to free will, but what about sickness like cancer like leukemia or the miscarriage of a baby? How do you attribute that to free will?

I attribute that the the fact that man is in fact a living organisim that is prone to illness..I don't think illness is any sort of divine punishment..It happens because we have imperfect bodied..And in many cases illnesses can come right down to free will

 

[dcentity2000]

I see a lot of beliefs that it is due to free will, but what about sickness like cancer like leukemia or the miscarriage of a baby? How do you attribute that to free will?

Free will can only survive in a free world. Not to say that God has NO influence though - just that He does not directly cause every cough and sniffle.

Also, if I was a supreme being who'd created nature, I'd be pretty silly not to make good use of it now, wouldn't I?

I reckon that this world is free - an absolute blessing.



Rich::

 

[luvwinnie]

I believe life is a learning process and the hard times are what help your soul to "grow" and even that there is a reason for everything. We just won't understand it all until we pass on. Might sound "new agey", but that's how I feel. My mom was the most wonderful, selfless person and her illness/passing at age 68 angered by sister, but I saw it this way: I thought, how do I have the right to be angry with God after He gave me such an amazing mom? No one said life was going to be fair.

 

[What the Heck]

I believe that everything happens for a reason and it's not for me to question why.. The "reason" will reveal itself eventually..

Well said.

This also reminded me of something else. When I look back on my life at the "bad" times, where it did seem like I was directed, where my choices windled down to "do this or be miserable", it is interesting what happened. For instance, there was the time I hadn't graduated from college but was accepted to law school. Only problem was I couldn't afford law school and be with my kids (I'm a widower and my kids were about 4 and 5 at the time, living with my parents in Florida while I starved in college in Illinois). Was able to get my degree, but couldn't find a job where I could afford to bring my kids up.

Now, I didn't get out of High School and went to college, I was in the Marine Corps for 10 years and 1 1/2 years in the business world. Law school wasn't jsut something to do, it was a dream for me. I was able to touch my dream but not to live it. And I couldn't even live where I wanted, I had to swallow my pride and move back in with "mom and dad". Was able to live with them for 3 years and then was able to make it on my own and they lived with me for 2 more years. Turns out it was the last 5 years of my mothers life. I firmly believe that I had to have the "bad times" of touching my dream, and not being able to work, in order to spend the last few years with my mom, and my kids to spend 5 more years with their "Mimi".

For me, that is how God works miracles in this world - through the still small voice He has placed in each of us. Some of us listen, others allow the shoutings of what are known as the 7 deadly sins to rule their world. That is why we had the 6 million Jews die in WWII (along with millions of others who were perceived as socially unacceptable), that is why 3,000 people died on September 11th, that is why millions are killed each year in Africa...the list could go on for a long, long time unfortunately.

This is a huge issue, and so many people have touched on other areas of thought that I agree with as well (even some that would on the outside be exclusive). For me this isn't an issue of logic, it's about faith. Also I need to remember, who is Lord and who is the servant. For when I say "Why God" or "Why Not", then I am asking Him for an accounting. Notice, I said when I do it, not if I do it, for there have been times when I really did want that accounting. And, those times may again come. However, for now I know who servant is and who is the Master.

 

[Rella Bella]

"why do bad things happen?"
So, do you think it's all due to free choice? Natural laws?
Do you think God causes them?
Do you think God cannot stop them?
Or, is this a current sticking point with you, and you really have no answer?
What is your basis for why you believe the way you do?

I have really enjoyed reading the responses to this question. To all of you I say 'yes'. I agree with the majority of what everyone has said. I sure don't have any definate answers of my own. Life -- as it goes along -- seems to generate as many new questions as it answers.

I do believe God is there. That He loves us and that He put natural laws in place... some having to do with nature, some having to do with how we effect each other and some having to do with how He moves among us. I guess you could say I believe that in order to insure our free will He put limits on Himself. I don't know what those limits are, why or exactly how they work.

I believe God often moves through people, if someone has an intent to do something (like stop a murderer) or a talent to do something (like those who spend their lives to perfect a vaccine) it is a gift to all of us. Where the line is in regard to Him 'giving' someone an idea, or helping things to line up in place for that person to be in the right place at the right time and their own free will... who knows.

I do believe there have been miracles. Documented ones. Unexplainable ones. Sure some are circumstantial, and others are in the eye of the beholder but some are real and have no explanation. It's either God or for some other reason all the laws of physics have stood still. Why for some and not for others is unanswerable.

I choose to believe that there is more to our future beyond this world (I call it Heaven). That our walk here either prepares us for it or we have a certain task here that prepares someone or something else... or both. Does suffering gain us something there? Are certain people suddenly needed there?

I also wish I knew:
Why often the people who die young are some of the brightest stars?
Why some people die in their sleep and other suffer terribly?
Why the people of the world reject lessons that were learned by previous generations? (ie: the absurd idea that the Holocaust never happened)
Does prayer change circumstances? Or does it change attitudes?

I hope that the answers will someday be known... but I doubt they will be understood while we are on earth. Until then I will continue to trust that God is good, that His intent toward man is good and that -- for whatever reason -- He desires relationship with humanity.

Thanks for the interesting discussion.

 

[VSL]

I didn't believe in God a few years ago.

I've never met my bio-father. He didn't want anything to do with me (I cannot watch those 'families reunited' type programs - they turn me sick, and I'm always thinking 'yeah, right!' when the dad - who hasn't seen their kid since birth - is like 'Oh, I've thought about you every day!' ). I must be the spit of him because I look nothing like my mother! (of course, I also have suspicions that I was swopped at the hospital - I have dark green eyes and my mother has blue eyes!)
Also, I was bullied horribly when I was little, my mother is quite neurotic (I've grown up in a very schizophrenogenic environment - my BF is amazed that I haven't developed schizophrenia), and my ex physically attacked me a few times.

I didn't believe in anything.

I was asking the same questions as the OP. Why do bad things happen? If there is a God and He loves us all, why are there wars and people dying all over the world?
People would usually answer with, 'Because God gave us the ability to think and make decisions for ourselves', or the analogy of comparing God and human to parent and child (I can't remember exactly, but it was something about how, even though a parent loves their child and will do their best to direct them, the child will still be naughty and whatnot).

Now, I truly believe that there is a God. I'm not entirely sure what, exactly, changed my mind (it's probably a collection of things! - some of which I'd rather not discuss), but I do - and I feel so much lighter and better for it.

we're the only life on the planet that understands it's own eventual demise. why does that make us better than chimp? we share almost the identical DNA material, but they have no idea of their very existence and and ultimate death.

We also share about 96% of our genes with fish.
Life on Earth is quite similar throughout.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

to think there is something controlling the lives and futures of a terra-billion of organisms on earth doesn't cut it with me. we're the only life on the planet that understands it's own eventual demise. why does that make us better than chimp? we share almost the identical DNA material, but they have no idea of their very existence and and ultimate death. what makes humans so special? the fact we were able to compose a book called the bible? IMHO that's scary, closed-minded thinking.

If you don't believe in God, then you shouldn't "swear to" him so much.