THERE Is no super being i will tell you why

[Beaudreaux]

Its already true. And you know it because that's why your hatin'!

He makes a good point, Stranger...

 

[Beaudreaux]

Ah, it always comes down to the fundamental difference between us - I have the ability to correctly employ logic.

That's a good point, Enoch...

 

[Beaudreaux]

Why is it gods job to be everyone's security blanket?

Seriously... it's a big universe out there... I'm sure there is more important things going on than playing nanny to a bunch of primates like us.

wa:do

So, we are unimportant to God? He does not relieve the suffering of children because it's not that big a deal to Him?

 

[painted wolf]

So, we are unimportant to God? He does not relieve the suffering of children because it's not that big a deal to Him?

Other than our own arrogance why should we be?

Not that I'm saying god is uncaring... but come on... he can't babysit all of us and keep us from never skinning our knees... what kind of "parent" is that?

wa:do

 

[Enoch07]

So people who ask of God and do not receive don't love him enough?

Yes and no. It depends on what your asking for.

Because God isn't a vending machine.

If you ask for a car, a car will not drop out of the sky. But a salesman might feel compelled to cut you a bit of an extra discount of the asking price or down payment, thus making it easier for you to purchase a car. If you ask for money, money will not drop out of the sky, but maybe prices on gas/food/mortgage will go down, or maybe you will get an unexpected raise at work, or maybe you will find a 5 spot on the sidewalk on your way to work hehe. God works in many ways. It is not always what you expect or want exactly, but its better than nuffin'!

 

[Enoch07]

So, we are unimportant to God? He does not relieve the suffering of children because it's not that big a deal to Him?

It is up to us to relieve as much suffering as we can. How can we perform righteous acts if God did everything for us?

 

[Riverwolf]

If you ask for a car, a car will not drop out of the sky. But a salesman might feel compelled to cut you a bit of an extra discount of the asking price or down payment, thus making it easier for you to purchase a car. If you ask for money, money will not drop out of the sky, but maybe prices on gas/food/mortgage will go down, or maybe you will get an unexpected raise at work, or maybe you will find a 5 spot on the sidewalk on your way to work hehe. God works in many ways. It is not always what you expect or want exactly, but its better than nuffin'!

God would not stoop so low as to fulfill our petty materialistic needs. That's our own responsibility.

 

[MoonWater]

God (according to the Bible): I am your father. I care about you and love you. Ask and I shall give unto you.
Poor Schlub: God...could you help me please?
God: Stop being a baby and help yourself!

Do I have this right?

"give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime."

often the best way to help someone is to teach them something rather than simply give them something. Giving a child everything they ask for and sheltering them from everything that might hurt them may be what every parent wants to do but in truth it is one of the worst things you can do as a parent as the child would grow up spoiled and wholly dependent on the parent. They would never be able to be(or at least would have a FAR harder time) being independant and taking care of themselves.

 

[rojse]

So people who ask of God and do not receive don't love him enough?

But those that do love him and don't get what they want can say that God works in mysterious ways.

Viewed in a cynical way, it's brilliant. There's an answer for every scenario. God gives you what you want, he obviously exists. If he doesn't give you what you want, you don't love him enough. If you do love him enough, then God has other plans, or God works in mysterious ways.

 

[ayani]

to me, it means that God is Someone who is aware of my suffering, and who is sympathetic to it.

being a Christian really fuels this. as a Christian, i believe that Jesus is God made Man. He lived a very humble, difficult life. by the world's standards, the Man was cursed.

yet for a Christian who has trusted Him and follows Him the promise "because I live you too will live" holds a ton of weight. Jesus suffered, yet He triumphed. if we suffer loneliness, difficulty, crushed dreams, and physical pain, it's nothing He hasn't felt, too. yet it's all things He's overcome.

for me, Jesus is not just an idea or a concept. He's a living, real, personable Someone who loves me, and understands what it is to be human and to suffer all things. at the same time, He has overcome the world, and promises us that He is with us always, even until the end of the age.

Not to digress too much, but I have heard this phrase before and I must confess I have absolutely no idea what it means. What does it mean to you?

 

[Beaudreaux]

Other than our own arrogance why should we be?

Not that I'm saying god is uncaring... but come on... he can't babysit all of us and keep us from never skinning our knees... what kind of "parent" is that?

wa:do

Um...if I saw my child about to skin his/her knee and I could prevent it from happening, what kind of parent would I be if I didn't?

 

[Beaudreaux]

Yes and no. It depends on what your asking for.



If you ask for a car, a car will not drop out of the sky. But a salesman might feel compelled to cut you a bit of an extra discount of the asking price or down payment, thus making it easier for you to purchase a car. If you ask for money, money will not drop out of the sky, but maybe prices on gas/food/mortgage will go down, or maybe you will get an unexpected raise at work, or maybe you will find a 5 spot on the sidewalk on your way to work hehe. God works in many ways. It is not always what you expect or want exactly, but its better than nuffin'!

Yeah. It's almost as if God acts through normal, non-miraculous events that we can attribute to him.

 

[Beaudreaux]

"give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime."

Yeah, but give him the Starkist Corporation and he's LOADED!

 

[rojse]

Um...if I saw my child about to skin his/her knee and I could prevent it from happening, what kind of parent would I be if I didn't?

Perhaps by allowing the child to skin their knees and putting an ice pack on afterwards would teach the child a more valuable lesson.

Not agreeing or disagreeing, just giving a reasonable alternative viewpoint.

 

[painted wolf]

Um...if I saw my child about to skin his/her knee and I could prevent it from happening, what kind of parent would I be if I didn't?

The kind with a coddled over protected child... kids need independence and that comes with the price of a few bumps and bruises...
What kind of parent doesn't want their kids to learn to trust themselves and be strong independent and wise... but would rather they cling to them for support and acceptance?

wa:do

 

[Riverwolf]

Um...if I saw my child about to skin his/her knee and I could prevent it from happening, what kind of parent would I be if I didn't?

I'd say that would depend on a few things:

1. On how old the child in question is.
2. Whether or not they could have prevented it themselves.
3. On what kind of person you want your child to be.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The kind with a coddled over protected child... kids need independence and that comes with the price of a few bumps and bruises...
What kind of parent doesn't want their kids to learn to trust themselves and be strong independent and wise... but would rather they cling to them for support and acceptance?

wa:do

Okay, but what if you're child was about to get sexually molested? Should you try to prevent that - or is that coddling and over-protected child? We're not just talking about skinned knees here.

 

[Beaudreaux]

The kind with a coddled over protected child... kids need independence and that comes with the price of a few bumps and bruises...
What kind of parent doesn't want their kids to learn to trust themselves and be strong independent and wise... but would rather they cling to them for support and acceptance?

wa:do

Fair enough. But lets get to the real point of this line of thinking. What if your child was about to die and you could save his/her life? Would you?

 

[Beaudreaux]

Okay, but what if you're child was about to get sexually molested? Should you try to prevent that - or is that coddling and over-protected child? We're not just talking about skinned knees here.

Makes them stronger, right? [eye roll]

 

[painted wolf]

Okay, but what if you're child was about to get sexually molested? Should you try to prevent that - or is that coddling and over-protected child? We're not just talking about skinned knees here.

Really, in the grand scheme of things why should god care, perhaps it's not that big a deal to something as inhuman as a god?

Fair enough. But lets get to the real point of this line of thinking. What if your child was about to die and you could save his/her life? Would you?

If I were god... no. Why should I? Life and death have a purpose why muck with it?

Again, I didn't start the child/parent thing... I think it's an expression of human arrogance that we assume the mantle of "gods children".
We are no more "gods children" than chimpanzees or tuna are... we just whine about having to face the same reality as they do.

wa:do