are they his fault?
are they a punishment?
i don't want them to be his fault... but if they aren't and he allows them to go on i don't like that either.
i believe that God is in control of everything.
that he can do whatever he flippin wants.
that he is the center of our universe and the sun shines because of him and starfish continue to regenerate their limbs for the GLORRRRYY of God.
i also believe he has it in his power to force me to be perfect. but he doesnt seem to do that.
he has allowed us to make bad choices as well as good.
and people make a lot of bad choices.
that is what evil is.
me not choosing God's Goodness.
because of this choice in everybody theres a lot of bad stuff in the world. some of it we do to ourselves... but a lot of it happens to other people.
i won't say "innocent people" because i don't really believe anyone is innocent... (though i do wrestle with this when it comes to the simple minded or infantile).
but bad things do happen to everyone.
some things are infuriating because of the magnitude.
a child starving when the world produces enough food for everyone on its face to have 4 meals a day. that pisses me off.
but natural disasters...
those aren't really my fault are they?
they just happen.
not all christians think so...
it seems that time and time again christians are reported as saying that such and such a natural disaster is God's punishment on those people for their sin.
others say its happening to test us.
2nd first.
TEST WHO exactly? how do i benefit from the TRIAL of a natural disaster... i've never been in one... are they testing the dying child? the soul inside the crushed body of a widow?
i don't think so...
A weirder question: Does God test people who don't profess Jesus as Lord? unbelievers? does he put THEM through trials?
because i always thought it was to strengthen our faith...
1st now.
how can christians say this. do we not know God well enough to know that you cannot make statements about him like this? what if it ISNT a punishment... well then you look pretty foolish...
like the people who said Hurricane Katrina was sent to New Orleans in order to wipe out the sexual promiscuity of Bourbon Street.
how strange then... that the french quarter seemed the least affected and the most quickly rebuilt ... while many church-going, jesus loving people were killed and their homes destroyed?
how foolish do you look then?
i won't say that the information in the old testament isn't disconcerting for my argument...
i do however believe that God does work differently now.
1. God never changes.
2. humankind changes over and over and if God's constantly seeking to teach these changing people who he is... he'd better do it in new and different ways.
i honestly just don't see God benefiting all that much from punishing people in this way nowadays...
in the old testament it made sense ...
he had to establish how WRONG we are.
he had to show us what sin DOES.
show Israel why they needed a Savior.
cause if there is no sin there is no unworthy sacrifice in order to atone for it... and no unworthy atonement means WHY WOULD I NEED A SAVIOR IM FINE?!
do you see what i'm saying...
so now that we live under the new covenant i don't think theres as much need for God to establish this for us...
Jesus has finished the job you see?
to be continued...
i'm watching the bbc.
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