"The God who failed..."

"If God, Jesus, however you choose to classify the supreme being, is this loving being, why are babies born blind, no arms, you get the point? Babies, are completely innocent. Why would such a loving God let such a horrible thing happen?

Just one of the reasons why, if there is a God, this 'God' is not a loving being, as people, books, etc. are making him out to be."


This was a question/comment posted on the Warpath board that is common to all of us in Christianity. I have answered this question to believers fairly satisfactorily, because ultimately, God is good and loving, and brings peace to any situation for His followers.

But I have never been posed this question by an unbeliever, especially in this case, an angry ex-believer.

What are your personal answers to this continuing question?

One only read John 9 about the man born blind. Although the man was healed, Jesus made a good point about it to his disciples who asked the question, "Lord, who sinned, this man or his parents?" (v. 2). Jesus reminded them that neither of them sinned that he was born blind, but that God's power would be "manifest" in him.

One only needs to look on the inside, rather than the outside to see the person. I can attest to this from personal experience. I have a partial blindness due to eye infections I had while in Ecuador. I am adopted and have been raised by an American family for years. Now, one could say I have no chance in a million because I have a disability, and some people want to simply "pray away" my handicap, but neither way is going to be satisfactory. No one has sinned that I have what I have, but what God has given me is a brand new start in life that I could have never accomplished if I was still in Ecuador. Now I have attended 2 Cornerstone festivals (3 if you include California), and I have a very successful online ministry. I don't have the time to feel sorry for myself. God has put me here for a reason.

I like to call children like myself "God's special children." I, like many others, are here to bless others and show how God is merciful despite our many circumstances.

Problem is I can only answer the question based on my perspective. And of course, I am a believer.
God made a man and a woman. They were perfect. He gave them free will and we all know what happened. They blew it big time. Got tossed out of the garden to live as mere mortals. See Genesis chapter 3. So as a result, man was now suseptable to all manor of disease and sickness. Fast forward to the 21st century and we now have polution, four eyed fish, processed foods, anti biotics and other drugs etc.
All of these things have an effect on our genes. Honestly, I'm surprised there are so many healthy babies born.
God didnt make these bad things happen. We brought this on ourselves by our sinful nature.
And really, from a scientific standpoint, could have been a gene passed on for several generations that caused a baby to be born with out arms etc.
Anyhow, thats all I got, probably not much help....j

Wow, Tink. We came up with different conclusions, but I think we're trying to form a general consensus, here.

bigjtink wrote:

God didnt make these bad things happen. We brought this on ourselves by our sinful nature.

I think that sums it up, but I also believe it takes faith to believe this.

Therein lies Peacegirls problem...lol

good points Lia and John

Quote :

Therein lies Peacegirls problem...lol

Exactly... not lack of faith on my part, but lack of faith/loss of belief on his.

I've always explained it as Tink has - it is a result of our own falling away over all the centuries. God provided Paradise, peace, and harmony, but man's own choices screwed it up.

Lia's point of view shows how faith can BEAUTIFULLY use what satan means for evil in trying to destroy our faith in God and in His love for us. Satan tries to twist our thinking that this is something God has done TO us, instead of the natural result of our species' own choices throughout the years.

one thing i was reminded of, no one can argue with a testimony.

rock4king wrote:

one thing i was reminded of, no one can argue with a testimony.

Quite true, like I could not argue w/my mother's testimony how Buddism changed her life for the better, it's subjective, and pragmatic, and at times, eclectic....whatever works folks.

And "whatever works" may not always lead to truth, Mark.

LadyRocker wrote:

And "whatever works" may not always lead to truth, Mark.

And whatever is "true", may not always work.

The Changeling wrote:

LadyRocker wrote:

And "whatever works" may not always lead to truth, Mark.

And whatever is "true", may not always work.

Truth will always work... it's just that the "truth" you talk about is different from the truth we believe here at Sanctuary. So really, for you, all that can be said is to just wait and see - the end of our physical lives will show us whose truth was correct.

Here are a few lectures from W. L. Craig which have some thought provoking ideas germane to this topic.

The Problem of Evil/Dr. William Lane Craig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPqSrnR6VtI Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-upGMJr161o 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luTd7zThdPw 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLhjF_mOmC4 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD0fISa-phM 5

Pain and Suffering (debate) William Lane Craig (I couldn't find Dacy's presentations, unfortunately; if anyone does, please post them )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZTG5xyefEo 1 of 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C8ifQqWjMk 2 of 2

PeacethroughX wrote:

The Changeling wrote:

LadyRocker wrote:

And "whatever works" may not always lead to truth, Mark.

And whatever is "true", may not always work.

Truth will always work... it's just that the "truth" you talk about is different from the truth we believe here at Sanctuary. So really, for you, all that can be said is to just wait and see - the end of our physical lives will show us whose truth was correct.

That's always your ace in the hole, "the death card"!

Quote :

That's always your ace in the hole, "the death card"!

???

Hey Mark, you should read the book Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur...good stuff

actually, I think everyone should read it.

It's a fiction story, based on a true experience, about seperating truth from tradition and the dangers of religion. It changed my life...

PeacethroughX wrote:

Quote :

That's always your ace in the hole, "the death card"!

???

Didn't mean you in paticular, just the answer most christians give, "you'll know the truth when your dead"!