questions...

[k2490]

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

"what's the point of praying if god already knows what your praying for?"

"Why does god test people? I mean 1. he already knows 2. if it's to make them stronger or his will why can't he do that without causing pain to others?
isn't he a god of love?"

"All the religions can't be right? If there was a god wouldn't we only have one that everyone worships not thousands of different ones? Hell there are many denominations of Christianity a lone?"

"What about the suffering of others?"

"What about still borns and miscarriages? where's god in those situations?"

"how can god get angry or jealous or what have you? I mean most of the time those emotions are reactionary. How can he react to something he already knows?"

"what makes Christianity any more valid than other religions?"

just some of the many questions I've had

[Doubting Thomas]

Why won't God heal amputees?

[wwjs]

God works in mysterious ways, duh.

[Cyberman]

This is why I see "God" as a placeholder for real answers at best and a major obstacle to proper investigation at worst. Once you remove the "God" factor from the equation, the questions either become far more straightforward to answer or disappear completely. It's a shift in perspective much on the lines of that from the geocentric model to the heliocentric one; all those awkward ad hoc epicycles simply fell away and the calculations just dropped neatly into place.

[genkaus]

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

Because the universe is a cold, uncaring place. It is up to us humans - the only known beings with anything resembling a sense of justice - to make sure that bad things don't happen to good people.

"what's the point of praying if god already knows what your praying for?"

What is this god you speak of? My "prayers" only mean one thing - that I'm fervently hoping that forces beyond my control or knowledge would somehow end in something desirable to me. Praying is something I would do to comfort myself - I wouldn't expect it to actually accomplish anything.

"Why does god test people? I mean 1. he already knows 2. if it's to make them stronger or his will why can't he do that without causing pain to others?
isn't he a god of love?"

His "love" is that of an abusive parent. All the pain and suffering he heaps of you is your own damn fault. You make him do it. But he still loves you.

Just kidding. In a world without any protective deity, hardships are something you should expect. But we've come a long way to make things better for ourselves.

"All the religions can't be right? If there was a god wouldn't we only have one that everyone worships not thousands of different ones? Hell there are many denominations of Christianity a lone?"

Such things tend to happen when people listen to ramblings of madmen.

"What about the suffering of others?"

What about it?

"What about still borns and miscarriages? where's god in those situations?"

MIA. As he is in all other situations.

"how can god get angry or jealous or what have you? I mean most of the time those emotions are reactionary. How can he react to something he already knows?"

That'd explain the perpetual stick up his ass.

"what makes Christianity any more valid than other religions?"

Other than that they can kill you for disagreeing - nothing.

[Minimalist]

Because the universe is a cold, uncaring place. It is up to us humans - the only known beings with anything resembling a sense of justice - to make sure that bad things don't happen to good people.*

* Void in Florida.

[Godscreated]

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

I would like to say first I'm sorry others did not take you seriously, I hope these answers will help.
The simple answer is there is evil in the world, man has evil tendencies. Sickness is a part of life, it seems no one is immune to disease and if we are blessed enough not to get sick, old age will get us. Why do accidents happen, mostly through carelessness on someones part, not intentional though. But I suppose you're wanting to know why God allows bad things to happen, the best answer I know to give, is to allow us to see sin in action. Do I believe all bad things that happen is due to sin, no, this has to do with God's desire to show people He's there to help. God does not want to interfere in people's lives, He desires they ask Him to be there and help. God is not here to always stop bad things, He's here to help those who believe He will and at times those who do not even believe. This old age question will never be able to have a satisfactory answer for everyone, I know i've questioned God about this very thing.

"what's the point of praying if god already knows what your praying for?"

Why do parents listen to their children's questions when the parents already know what's best for their children, at least for the most part they do. Parents want to have a relationship with their children, God's no different, it is the relationship. Prayer is not asking for things, it's talking with God the same as you might with a friend. Read the Lord's prayer, the one Jesus said we should pattern all our prayers after, this is a prayer of little "I need," and more about "I desire the relationship." I personally talk to God wherever I am and even when I'm doing things, I thank Him when I see His work in my life. Should one pray on their knees, sure but you do not have to do it all the time or even most of the time. So you see prayer is not necessarily a I need or I want thing, it's more of I want to talk with you my friend.

"Why does god test people? I mean 1. he already knows 2. if it's to make them stronger or his will why can't he do that without causing pain to others?
isn't he a god of love?"

God only test those He loves, that's to say those who are in a relationship with Him, this I believe wholeheartedly, so if one is not in a relationship with Him they are not being tested by Him. God does not always use painful situations to test His children, to often Christians will believe because something bad has happened to them God's testing them. Most of the time a Christian who is in a very deep relationship wih God will recognize when they have been tested.

"All the religions can't be right? If there was a god wouldn't we only have one that everyone worships not thousands of different ones? Hell there are many denominations of Christianity a lone?"

You are correct not all religions can be right, there is only one God, He has set up His own creation and His will ultimately rules. The one thing a person can count on with God, His will has our best interest at it's center. People who reject God for other religions have many reasons, most can be traced back to the OT times. Yes there are a ton of denominations, however most are not that dissimilar and most believe in salvation through faith in Christ by the grace of God.

"What about the suffering of others?"

As far as Christians believe the answer is sin, this is a complicated question no one has even settled in their own lives, so don't feel alone on this. If others say they have the answer to this question and they seem to believe it, I personally would believe they do not care about the suffering of others. I wish I could answer this for you, but like others it is an unsettled question for me.

"What about still born and miscarriages? where's god in those situations?"

God's there for the ones who desire His help through the situation, God has never guaranteed life to be perfect, hardship is a part of life for whatever reason, God desires to help us if we'll ask. I believe this falls under why do bad things happen.

"how can god get angry or jealous or what have you? I mean most of the time those emotions are reactionary. How can he react to something he already knows?"

Who's to say what God's anger is, He does know what will happen before it does so His anger is not one of immediate reaction. I know I have become angry at a situation after I had time to think about the consequences of the given situation. I do not say this is what God's anger is, more of a thought really. One thing I'm sure of, we can not understand all the ways of God and I believe God has explained His actions in a way we can understand, how can anyone understand an omni being. Even the angels did not understand why Christ had to suffer and die for our sin and they are there with God.

"what makes Christianity any more valid than other religions?"
just some of the many questions I've had

Christianity for me is more valid because it's a relational religion, no other gods offer what the God of creation does. He offers us a living relationship with Him in salvation through Christ and an everlasting life of complete peace. He offers us justice according to a standard that was before time an unchanging standard that we can depend upon.

[pocaracas]

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

Why do good things happen to bad people?

"what's the point of praying if god already knows what your praying for?"

Praying is akin to meditating... helps sort out things in your mind. Of course, it does have the requirement that you believe it will actually do something.

"Why does god test people? I mean 1. he already knows 2. if it's to make them stronger or his will why can't he do that without causing pain to others?
isn't he a god of love?"

God tests people?.... I was sick on that day and must have missed the test... damn.

God of love? Wasn't that a she? Aphrodite, Venus?

"All the religions can't be right? If there was a god wouldn't we only have one that everyone worships not thousands of different ones? Hell there are many denominations of Christianity a lone?"

A religion is a group of people with the same kind of beliefs. A disagreement among them can lead to a break up in the group and a new, slightly (or drastically) different religion is born.
Of course, believing in things, doesn't make them real.... oh if only they did!....

"What about the suffering of others?"

People suffer... the sky is blue... water is wet... so?...

"What about still borns and miscarriages? where's god in those situations?"

In the same place it is in all other situations.... people's imaginations.

"how can god get angry or jealous or what have you? I mean most of the time those emotions are reactionary. How can he react to something he already knows?"

Because god (any god) is a human construct and, as such, carries human reactions and feelings.

"what makes Christianity any more valid than other religions?"

Number of adherents
Even so, the most flattering estimate puts the number of chrstians at ~2 billion, or less than 1/3 of the world's population.... Meaning that more than 2/3 of the world's population is not christian... so more than 2/3 of this planet's population thinks the christians are full of crap. Apply the same thinking for any other religion.

[Drich]

I normally try and stay in the Christianity section of the web site, but I do make exceptions.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

"good and bad" are subjective terms. One can deem a seemingly negitive experience as 'bad' and yet it could be a turning point or the corner stone in which we base our eternal life.

For instance the crusificition was considered a 'bad thing' because of how and what happened, and how it ended. But in the long run what seemed like the end of the world for the desciples and Christ was the door way to eternity for all of us.

"what's the point of praying if god already knows what your praying for?"

Prayer is not to change God's mind to match our will, but our minds to ask that "His will be done in our lives." In short Prayer is not a christian wishing cermony. It is a way for the believer to seek the will of God, and ask that He help change us so that we can adopt His will as our own.

"Why does god test people? I mean 1. he already knows

But, we don't know. In school a test is a way for the teacher to determine what you know. In life these tests/trial not only provide us with a true picture of who we are they also serve as an oppertunity to shed our worldly wants and desires and use the gifts God has given us.

2. if it's to make them stronger or his will why can't he do that without causing pain to others?

Because our hearts are too hard to receive instruction without pain.

isn't he a god of love?"

Love is not the denial of pain to a love one. it can mean the exact oppsite. For in the Psalms David writes: "If we spare the rod of correction we will spoil (to make rotten, to bring decay, to make of no use) the Child." David was a man after God's own heart.

"All the religions can't be right? If there was a god wouldn't we only have one that everyone worships not thousands of different ones?"

Not all are "right."

Hell there are many denominations of Christianity a lone?"

All Jesus Christ centered Religions are right for someone at some point in time. At the same time all of those very same religions are wrong as well.

Christ summed up the whole of Christianity in to principles or God given laws.
"Love the Lord your God with all of your Heart, With all of your mind, with all of your Spirit and physical Strength. and the second commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as your self."

In this first command to love the Lord our God with all of our being will look different from person to person, culture to culture, and even generation to generation. Because we are all different this all encompassing love will manifest differently. So rather than give one absolute standard in which we all must meet. (like He did with the Jews, Which was too hard for some, and way too easy for others) The Attonement Christ offers (His forgiveness) is not only good when we willfully sin, but when we worship with all of our being and get it wrong. (Which we all do to one degree or another) God simply wants your best no matter what that looks like. So that means if you grew up catholic and need to stick to the law as a way to show God this love, then you are bound to the laws of catholisim, but if God shows you that you have a greater capasity to understand him than what catholisim offers, then it is your obligation to seek out another denomination of Christianity to meet your current ablity to comperhend/understand God. not just say God is not real because He has shown you the "man behind the curtain" in Catholisim.

"What about the suffering of others?"

If you see suffering then know God has put it on your heart to do something about it. People suffer for one reason. because not enough of us are heeding the Call God has called us to.

"What about still borns and miscarriages? where's god in those situations?"

The same place He is when you revel in delight over some good new or if something breaks yourway.

I see thing differently my wife says I can be a little cold, and I do not mean to be when I say this, but 'we' need to understand we are stewards of whatever God gives us. We are not entitled to anything. Even if you carry a little one to term he/she was never truly yours. So whether the Lord Gives or the Lord takes away learn to bless the Name of the Lord. (This is what prayer is for.) to help us change the way we think. to help us get past the feelings of entitlement that we may have and turn to the attitude Job had. Whether the Lord Gives or He takes away blessed be the name of God.

"how can god get angry or jealous or what have you? I mean most of the time those emotions are reactionary. How can he react to something he already knows?"

If you know your spouce will cheat on you in a given situation, and he/she does, the next time that situation comes up, will you be angry or jealous, even though you knew this was going to happen?

Knowing something is going to happen will not lessen the pain of when it does.

"what makes Christianity any more valid than other religions?"

God makes a very specific set of promises in the bible for believers. I can personally tell you that if you follow what He has asked of you, you will absolutly receive what He has promised.

just some of the many questions I've had

Hope to see more.