questions...

[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.