...he ALLOWS a 6 year old girl to be kidnapped, repeatedly raped and then murdered, then dumped into a roadside ditch...is this not absolute proof that god CANNOT be all of the above? Is this not ABSOLUTE proof that god cannot be a god? (This is a true story, by the way. Not only did he rape her vaginally, but also anally. They never caught the guy.) Do you think that little girl had a few prayers of her own while she was being raped? Why didn't god answer her? Why didn't he stop the man? He stopped all sorts of bad guys in the bible, why not now?
And please, anyone who says "The Lord works in mysterious ways" or "We cannot know the mind of god" will get you reported.
All i can say is that I'm glad I don't believe in all that religious mumbo-jumbo. It sure keeps my head clear and keeps me off constant defense.
2006-12-15 09:04:32 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, you're correct, it is proof that such a being cannot possibly exist. The "problem of evil" has been and continues to be a huge problem for people that believe in that type of god. What you're asking for is a theodicy. A theodicy is a 'vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil.' There is no satisfying answer to your question because there is no theodicy that works, not even the popular "free will" one.
God is supposed to be all powerful and all knowing. This means he could have created a world with absolutely no evil, suffering, pain, or harm whatsoever. Because suffering obviously exists, we can come to one of the following conclusions:
1. God is evil/immoral/doesn't care
2. God doesn't exist
3. God does not have the power to stop evil (which means he's not god, which means god doesn't exist)
“Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to... If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked... If, as they say, God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?”
- Epicurus
2006-12-15 09:16:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hey fellow Christians, time to be real with people and not lean on lame phrases. Be willing to answer logical questions with tough honesty, or stay out of the debate.
I won't have an easy, satisfying answer for you but hear me out.
I think this is meaningful: Jesus cried. Says so right in the bible. So if Jesus is the all-powerful God, that means not everything is the way he wants it to be. We can argue about why he intervenes sometimes but not others, but that kind of suffering is not his will and people need to stop saying it is.
A really tough verse says all things work together for the good of those who love God. But that's clearly only in an eternal sense. Plenty of good Christians lead lives of suffering, and/or die horrible deaths. I don't like that at all. I think God should make lives easy for the good and hellish for the bad. But I have to accept facts for what they are even if I don't like them.
When the little girl you speak of suffered, God cried and raged. I don't know why he held himself back. It infuriates me that he did, even more so now that I have a 3 yr old daughter myself. I finally grew up enough to realize I can decide who I want to CALL God but I don't get to decide who God REALLY is and I can't tell him what to do. I have to be honest and say I'm furious with the way he's letting the place go down here and can only look forward to a time when it will all make sense.
Keep those questions coming, you are right to ask them. We all can learn something, and everyone needs to know WHY they believe what they believe. It says that in the bible too.
2006-12-15 09:58:50 · answer #2 · answered by David M 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, these kind of things upset me as well.
Most Christians say that the devil does that, but of course if god was all powerful, he could stop the devil from doing it.
Literal translation of "god works in mysterious ways": "I don't know and it is too much work to think about it. Lets just say that we can't figure it out and continue living in a cave."
I also hate the free will aguement: God could just strike the guy down with thunder bolt or something. Free will isn't even negated. This guy is evil, why does god allow him to exist in the first place?
2006-12-15 09:07:36 · answer #3 · answered by A 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
what's love? Love is the ability to grant freedom without meaning to diminish or inhibit its workout. this is the ability to grant freedom with none will to take it decrease back. And that is in elementary words Omnipotence that ought to chorus actual from trespassing upon freedom. in elementary words God can provide and by no skill take decrease back...He suffers interior Himself the entire results of allowing guy absolute freedom. it truly is His love.... for that reason the life of evil and suffering interior the international is an evidence, not that God is both good yet powerless, or All powerful yet not good. mostly, that is an evidence that God is both loving and all-powerful. in elementary words absolute love ought to grant unhindered freedom, and in elementary words omnipotence can bear the operation of that freedom. For what this is properly worth ... A false impression about hell is that that is an component to exact torment and torture. somewhat, maximum Christians have understood those descriptions to capture symbolically that hell is very last and utter separation from God's saving grace. further, thinking heaven as an component to hedonistic pleasures is wrongheaded besides. in truth, those who opt for hell does not earnings from the pleasures of heaven on the grounds that those pleasures if truth be told bypass from a accurate courting with God.
2016-11-30 20:01:32 · answer #4 · answered by papen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Satan is the prince of the air, and right now Satan controls A LOT of what is going on- that is why everyone NEEDS Jesus! Those who are saved in Him walk with Him, and the devil has no place with them...He flees from those who are walking in the Spirit of God. Many bad things happen in this world- things I hate to think about, because it does make me sick. I wish I could rescue all of those children being abused- but all I can do is pray for them...that the Lord would keep them safe and when something bad happens- we are not to blame God- for sin entered this world remember? And now Satan roams around seeking whom he can devour as it says in the Bible....without spiritual discernment and faith in Jesus Christ, one cannot understand the Lord. God is JUST, and those that are doing this horrible things will have to give an account to God. Remember that. God does not let sin go unpunished....and someday He will judge the nations and all mankind.
This verse applies to USA too, and other countries- for all sin is wrong in God's eyes- and this is what God says:
Jeremiah 13:27
your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?"
Ezekiel 24:14
I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD."
-And to those who are saved in Him and love Him and want to live by His word:
Psalm 41:2
the LORD protects him and keeps him alive;he is called blessed in the land;you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
-God is Good, and Holy and Righteous and Just...do not let the devil fool you- he wants you to blame God- when it is His doing- for he is the father of lies as the Bible says. And he causes men to sin and tempts them to.
2006-12-15 09:18:14 · answer #5 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
God's law is absolute perfection of earthly goodness. Something went wrong in the system. Whether it be the man's upbringing and/or the girl's care taker or the community or her education or something else.
God, does indeed allow, and that young girl is likely in Heaven, were there is only love, peace, and joy. And remeber, it is joy not boredom...
2006-12-15 09:13:53 · answer #6 · answered by BigPappa 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Im not going to say God works in mysterious ways. But God did give all humans the right to free will. its not God who's letting this happenm its Satan he's the one who is having this guy do it to the poor little girl. Im sorry u feel this way about God, and Im especially sorry that this happened to the girl, but It's not like God wanted this to happen beleive me he didnt he loves all of his children and it hurts him to see us getting hurt. And the guy who did that to the girl will have to face God at the end and he will be judged for what he has done!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-12-15 09:12:04 · answer #7 · answered by mlm776 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Buddhist philosophy eschews the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient "god" who allows, creates, destroys, etc. So I'd say that what happened is tragic and that I hope you find peace in whatever way works for you, in whatever religion or philosophy works for you.
_()_
2006-12-15 10:17:32 · answer #8 · answered by vinslave 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
He also allows persons , such as yourself , to ask questions , the answer to which , would take more room than these pages allow. He does move in mysterious ways.
2006-12-15 09:19:24 · answer #9 · answered by samssculptures 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well you'll probably report me then, but oh well.....the finite minds of humans cannot understand the infinite mind of God, and if we try, we will think like u r now....the Bible says things will get worse toward the end times......and that little girl is in heaven now where no one can hurt her........Jesus loves u and I am praying for u! okay...u can report me now.
2006-12-15 09:10:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋