one thing i don't understand bout god/christianity

[Doubting Thomas]

Yep, you know when they break out the "mysterious ways" answer, it's because they have no idea and just want to shut you up.

[leodeo]

Yep, you know when they break out the "mysterious ways" answer, it's because they have no idea and just want to shut you up.

[GodsRevolt]

God does not wish for suffering to happen

No, he just doesn't seem to care that people are starving in areas of the world where food doesn't grow or that people get painful, incurable diseases.

Doesn't care?

He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5 - The Beatitudes

It sounds to me like he holds those people in the highest regards.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

No, he just doesn't seem to care that people are starving in areas of the world where food doesn't grow or that people get painful, incurable diseases.

Doesn't care?

He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5 - The Beatitudes

It sounds to me like he holds those people in the highest regards.

God doesn't want us to suffer, but puts us in a world we're not suited for (according to you) and then offer comfort (but then later you admit that he doesn't really offer it even to those who believe), knowing that he created us to reject it. But he doesn't want us to suffer. He holds those who suffer in highest regards but offers comfort to everyone else but them. He gave us free will, but we have no rights to complain.

Yes, it all makes sense now. Thanks for your very enlightening views.

[GodsRevolt]

Doesn't care?

He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5 - The Beatitudes

It sounds to me like he holds those people in the highest regards.

God doesn't want us to suffer, but puts us in a world we're not suited for (according to you) and then offer comfort (but then later you admit that he doesn't really offer it even to those who believe), knowing that he created us to reject it. But he doesn't want us to suffer. He holds those who suffer in highest regards but offers comfort to everyone else but them. He gave us free will, but we have no rights to complain.

Yes, it all makes sense now. Thanks for your very enlightening views.

Twist, twist, twist.

If I were an orange you would have yourself a glass of fresh juice.

The comfort offered is that of Heaven, where we are meant to be. Which is offered to everyone (I have no idea where I said that it wasn't offered. The Beatitude is fairly clear.).

Regarding free will - you have no right to complain, but you still can. There is a difference. Such is free will. You have the ability to choose wrong, though it be the choice that is ultimately the worst one for you.

---

Yep, you know when they break out the "mysterious ways" answer, it's because they have no idea and just want to shut you up.

What's the photographer doing in this picture? I mean, besides taking the picture.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

The photographer killed himself. It is not known whether he helped the child or not. I guess god did make us in his image didn't he?

Oh you noticed the twists? I only summarized what you said. You said that good people suffer, so as a normal person, I understand that to mean that these people do not get comfort from their suffering. But oh ok, you're talking about another imaginary thing called heaven. Great. I don't see the point of talking about suffering if you want to invoke heaven, why do you even give a shit? It'll all be fine in heaven. Of course god doesn't want us to suffer, that's why we have to suffer, and then go to heaven.

(And let's not forget god bitchslaps people)

[Fruity]

I learned something from my brother recently.

Shit happens. He said that sometimes there is no purpose. Shit just happens. When we learn this we waste less time trying to understand and instead spend the time dealing with it. There is no purpose for me dropping the bag of trash and the wind spreading it all over the block. No. Shit, it happened. Clean it up, move on. No purpose in traumatic events. Trying to find a purpose would be torture. Shit, it happened.

I love this. It's so much easier than finding a reason or purpose for a six year old child being raped.

[WesOlsen]

This is the same christian god who provides laws for dealing with slaves (slaves presumably being poor, if we use any rational understanding of the term), including instructions on how hard to beat them if they make a mistake. Slavery and poverty are of the same essence, and nowhere in the bible (old or new) is slavery utterly condemned, because the people who wrote that guff never stopped to think that perhaps slavery is wrong, it just didn't enter their minds.

Jesus walked amongst the poor, but would rather use ointment for himself rather than let the poor sell it and use the proceeds to combat poverty, presumably because he's a git.

[Darwinian]

This is the same christian god who provides laws for dealing with slaves (slaves presumably being poor, if we use any rational understanding of the term), including instructions on how hard to beat them if they make a mistake. Slavery and poverty are of the same essence, and nowhere in the bible (old or new) is slavery utterly condemned, because the people who wrote that guff never stopped to think that perhaps slavery is wrong, it just didn't enter their minds.

Jesus walked amongst the poor, but would rather use ointment for himself rather than let the poor sell it and use the proceeds to combat poverty, presumably because he's a git.

No, never happened, not real, all fictional characters, panic over

[WesOlsen]

Thank goodness for that