[NeedKarma]

I know that the creator of such wonderful things as the human body, would never destroy it in such an evil ways.

But he did and you're simply choosing to ignore that part.

[southamerica]

If it's all the same to everyone here, I'm going to believe in a God (a first source and center, rather), while also knowing full well that we all run the risk of death by natural disaster, car wreck, heart attack, etc, every day. And that's just life. No God about it. And yes, when we tinker with natural habitats, we run a greater risk of death by natural disaster, as posters have pointed out.

I believe I'm a part of something MUCH bigger than myself, and I am grateful to have been included in it. I ponder my place often, and I attempt to converse with that which created me (because I feel it in my soul that that thing which created me is listening somehow). My mind and heart both have issues subscribing to any single establishment of religion, but that doesn't mean I disrespect them or those who do subscribe to them.

I believe, but I can't look at the bible as total truth. Nor any other book I believe to have been scribed by man.

Anyway, I do love reading about where others come from when they discuss their faith. I love how much we all come into our own as we grow and experience life. It would be awesome if we could all just accept that we got there in our individual ways-and that's OK.

*off the soapbox*

[NeedKarma]

It would be awesome if we could all just accept that we got there in our individual ways-and that's OK.

[dwashbur]

Hello NeedKarma,

Thanks for the reading material you suggested.


However, when one has true faith and confidence in the God of the Universe, they do not need to read mans estimates of what they think. Those who estimate such things are just imperfect men. I know that the creator of such wonderful things as the human body, would never destroy it in such an evil ways.

peace,
Hope12

Um, do the words "Sodom" and "Gomorrah" ring any bells? God has destroyed human bodies in a multitude of ways. The real question is, were those people really "innocent"? By whose standards? How is their innocence (or lack thereof) determined? That's one of the places where faith comes in: belief and confidence that, even when God does something like raining fire on two whole cities, he knows what he's doing and has good reasons for doing so.

Natural disasters like the recent tsunami are another matter. Jesus said the Father makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust alike. Why? Because he's built a world that works according to certain laws of physics. That means, among other things, that sometimes *beep* happens. There's no blame to be assigned, either to God or anybody else. Can we help natural disasters along by messing up our environment? Sure. But some things happen regardless. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, forest fires and such have been happening for as long as the planet has been around, as far as we can tell. The best we can do is try not to be in their path. It's how the world runs.

[classyT]

Boy, I'd love to get into technicalities, here.

I mean, it's considered negligent homocide if you LET someone die when you could save them--especially if you have a responsibility to try to save them, as in a parent over a child, or a child care provider.

So...since god is the "Father", doesn't have have a responsibility to save the lives of his children? If he DOES, wouldn't he be guilty of at least negligent homocide for letting innocent people die when he has the power of miracles to save them?

Doesn't that mean that God DOES let innocent people die?

Death was never part of God's plan. He meant for mankind to live with him and in fellowship with him forever. Adam sinned. This caused the curse on the earth and mankind. However because God loves man, he sent his son to redeem us back. God is HOLY, He is soveriegn. And he gives mankind freewill. You can accept it or reject it. Regardless, the bible says something like... shall not the judge of the earth do right. I'm satisfied he will always do right and judge right. But then, I am a woman of faith. I believe God. :)

[NeedKarma]

Of course there another to way to live your life and that is without any god of any sort. It seems to work well for a lot of people!

[southamerica]

Of course there another to way to live your life and that is without any god of any sort. It seems to work well for a lot of people!

Not for me :), I like the romance of not knowing.

And the mystery of where I'm going.

But, I have to hand it to Atheists. At least they KNOW where they came from and where they're going! Nothing to argue about in that case.

[Synnen]

So because Adam listened to his wife instead of his father, he doomed the rest of us forever and ever, amen?

And didn't GOD make that decision, even then, to punish Adam? Therefore, isn't GOD responsible for all the death in the world, because he doesn't prevent it?

Look, I'm not trying to disrespect anyone's faith. What I'm trying to point out is that my arguments are the same kind of arguments that people use to justify things because "That's what the Bible says".

I'm just using my logic on "what the Bible says" here.

[Athos]

The real question is, were those people really "innocent"?

I would say the children killed in their thousands (millions?) in the Old Testament were innocent.

[Wondergirl]

So...since god is the "Father", doesn't have have a responsibility to save the lives of his children? If he DOES, wouldn't he be guilty of at least negligent homocide for letting innocent people die when he has the power of miracles to save them?

Every day God may somehow prevent the deaths and serious injuries of myriads of people. We just don't know; there's no scorecard.

When air traffic controllers fall asleep, why aren't there more fatal plane crashes? With all the people driving around and texting (even when it's against the law), why aren't there more car accidents? When babies and children fall out of windows in apartment buildings (watch for news stories this summer), why aren't those kids killed? (Sometimes they aren't even hurt!) When many people set off 4th of July fire works, legally and illegally, why aren't there more accidents and maiming? While driving all these years, I've had my share of near misses by other drivers on the roads. You have too. Why weren't we hurt or killed in an accident?

Luck? Special skills? Guardian angels? God?

[Athos]

Every day God may somehow prevent the deaths and serious injuries of myriads of people. We just don't know; there's no scorecard.

When air traffic controllers fall asleep, why aren't there more fatal plane crashes? With all the people driving around and texting (even when it's against the law), why aren't there more car accidents? When babies and children fall out of windows in apartment buildings (watch for news stories this summer), why aren't those kids killed? (Sometimes they aren't even hurt!) When many people set off 4th of July fire works, legally and illegally, why aren't there more accidents and maiming? While driving all these years, I've had my share of near misses by other drivers on the roads. You have too. Why weren't we hurt or killed in an accident?

Luck? Special skills? Guardian angels? God?

Very nice, wondergirl, but how about those who WERE killed or maimed or injured?

[Wondergirl]

Therefore, isn't GOD responsible for all the death in the world, because he doesn't prevent it?

Parents educate and train their children, and thereby give them both roots and wings -- "wings" meaning the freedom to make their own choices. If Johnny makes a bad choice, should he get off scot free? Should his parents be blamed for the choice he made? Should Johnny endure the consequences of his choice?

[Athos]

Parents educate and train their children, and thereby give them both roots and wings -- "wings" meaning the freedom to make their own choices. If Johnny makes a bad choice, should he get off scot free? Should his parents be blamed for the choice he made? Should Johnny endure the consequences of his choice?

When God destroyed the world (the flood) or the Malachites or those other groups, who was making the choices then?

[Wondergirl]

Very nice, wondergirl, but how about those who WERE killed or maimed or injured?

Someone had a choice to text or to fall asleep or to rob a 7-11. We have no guarantees in this life. We're in this together, to help each other. After the Indonesian tsunami, someone had said, "Where is God?" The best answer to that was, "Where are you? What are YOU doing to help these people?"

My point was that instead of damning God for allowing innocents to be killed, it might be more productive to look at it from the angle of "how many might He actually be saving?" And how many are we helping?

[Wondergirl]

When God destroyed the world (the flood) or the Malachites or those other groups, who was making the choices then?

Those same people made the choice. They had been warned to clean up their act.

[Athos]

Those same people made the choice. They had been warned to clean up their act.

The children were warned? The babies not yet born? The lame and the halt?

[Wondergirl]

The children were warned? The babies not yet born? The lame and the halt?

Collective/corporate responsibility

[Athos]

collective/corporate responsibility

When did you become a Fascist?

[Wondergirl]

From Wikipedia --

Collective responsibility is a concept or doctrine, according to which individuals are to be held responsible for other people's actions by tolerating, ignoring, or harboring them, without actively collaborating in these actions.

You were never held hostage by a teacher who didn't know which student had done the misdeed?

[Athos]

from Wikipedia --

Collective responsibility is a concept or doctrine, according to which individuals are to be held responsible for other people's actions by tolerating, ignoring, or harboring them, without actively collaborating in these actions.

You were never held hostage by a teacher who didn't know which student had done the misdeed?

My teacher wasn't God.