2007-04-05 07:40:41 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
who says god has mercy?
religions? they have it all wrong obviously....
2007-04-05 07:44:33 · answer #1 · answered by Loathing 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
This is not an easy topic. I would have to say no one knows for sure - if God is God i.e. infinite, all-knowing, all powerful, etc. then our finite, partly knowing, little bit powerful minds can't entirely conprehend these big questions. That said let me give it the old college try, knowing my answer will be insufficient.
God is not just a God of mercy but a God of justice. We villify people like Hitler - it's obvious he was evil. It's tougher to know why the people of Germany went along with him (i know not all Germans did but bear with me here). Edmund Burke said, "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." I would go further and say evil flourishes because there are no good people. Good people wouldn't allow evil to flourish. But we see evil flourishing everyday - it is this evil that causes suffering not God.
God doesn't send anyone to hell - we send ourselves through preferring evil to good. We do evil by hoarding wealth for ourselves while thousands of people are dying of poverty, by being jealous and resentful at other's success rather than happy for them, by getting revenge through war on terror or back-talking our co-worker, i could go on. Evil is not some abstract concept but the choices we as individuals and societies make everyday.
God knows the suffering of humanity better than anyone and he cared so much about it that he became human and suffered and died a horrible death. That's what tomorrow - Good Friday is all about. Through Jesus' death and example we can become good people - though only by God's empowerment not our own. That's what happened when Jesus rose from the dead - that same Spirit of new creation that resurrected Jesus can also empower us to live a life like his.
So God is a God of mercy - he provided the answer to the suffering of humanity by taking the brunt of it himself. I hope that helps!
2007-04-05 15:11:58 · answer #2 · answered by colinwallace 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God does not make anyone suffer. God gave man free will, so if a man is suffering it is his own fault. As far as hell a man has the ability to choose his path in life if he goes to hell it is because that is that path he decided to follow. So he put himself there. Sorry but that is the way it is.
2007-04-05 14:47:59 · answer #3 · answered by The Teacher 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is good and righteous and he is just...we send ourselves to hell by not acknowledging Him and accepting Him. People suffer on earth for that reason too. Think about this... the U.S.A. has its problems but we are blessed compared to 3rd world countries ...they suffer because their idols have no power but our living God does. Our country is going downhill...why? Because we dont teach prayer in school and we teach no morals to ther young. When we did have these things we had a growing country with good things coming to us. Now???
2007-04-05 15:20:01 · answer #4 · answered by jasmine 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most who are familiar with the bible would say that it is not God that "makes" us suffer, but it is human nature because of original sin (when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit).
Then again, if God was omiscient and omnipotent he would have forseen that and prevented it, right? But then that would violate our free will.
So I guess it's up to you. Would you rather keep free will and lose suffering, or lose your free will but never suffer?
2007-04-05 14:48:04 · answer #5 · answered by coqueto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because He is also a God of Justice, and a crime was committed against Him, and the price must be paid. He provided payment in full to all who will believe it, but if you refuse to believe the price was paid, you have to pay it yourself. If I give you a million dollars and put it in an account for you, tell you it's there and give you everything you need to access it, but you don't believe it's really there and don't act on what you know, are you really a millionaire? No, because you refuse to believe that what has been given to you is yours. Same with Jesus' sacrifice for our sins.
2007-04-05 14:46:03 · answer #6 · answered by Steve 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He applies mercy to those that trust Him. I would refer you to John Chapter 10.
2007-04-05 14:49:18 · answer #7 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a really twisted way of looking at things.
"God" decides that if we don't do it just his way, then we're doomed to an eternal damnation that he made up. Then he tells us that he has the one and only way to avoid it.
Sounds like a superior marketing ploy. No wonder so many U.S. Americans fall hard for advertising, we've been conditioned to it for generations.
2007-04-05 14:53:24 · answer #8 · answered by The angels have the phone box. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Much of human suffering is caused by humans. In otherwords, you break it, you fix it
2007-04-05 14:46:43 · answer #9 · answered by Doctor Robotnik 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"The mercy" Is warning them what is a violation and what the punishment will be....and then offering a way to escape the punishment.
2007-04-05 14:45:59 · answer #10 · answered by williamzo 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋