Published by I’ve heard this statement throughout my entire life. Most of us have, usually after a major catastrophe or tragedy. After 9/11, I remember several news stations saying something like this. So, I thought I’d give my two cents…
I would suppose that the first thing one must do to analyze this statemtent would be to ask, “Does the speaker believe in God?” If not, why would the speaker ask such a silly question? Truly, if you were atheist, this question is irrelevant. So then, let’s assume that the speaker is not atheist, but rather someone who believes in God.
Regardless, we must push on for those who ask that have faith. So, we ask the faithful, “Do you believe that God is merciful AND all-powerful?” Again, if you believed the opposite, why beg the answer? If you felt God was unmerciful, you answered your own question: God allowed “it” to happen because He’s not merciful. Too, if you believed God weren’t all-powerful, then you must believe that He may not have had anything to do with “it”. So, again, the question is irrelevent and irrational.
Now we’re getting somewhere! We’ve eliminated those who do not believe in God and those who believe there is a God, but is not merciful nor very powerful. Finally, we have those who have a genuine faith in an all-powerful, merciful God!
These people must know that death happens. We’ve known since we were quite young that people die. Where, when and how is simply moot. We’ve known since we’ve been young that death can happen to children, the elderly, and middle-aged people. Death can happen during our happiest times and our saddest times. We’ve been told by people whether God-fearing or not to live every day like it’s our last because one day it will be. You can’t beat that sense!
These people also believe in an all-knowing, merciful God! Therefore, if someone has that belief and the knowledge of death, why would he ask such a question? Doesn’t he know that God, being merciful and all-powerful, will take care of “it”? How? Well, if you believe He’s all-knowing, that belief then supercedes such questions!
Personally, I don’t believe that this question is asked of believers. I think it’s asked of those who don’t believe, or aren’t sure. I also think that they ask it not for an answer, but rather to question the beliefs of the faithful. Hopefully the faithful will question their own beliefs and fall away. Why? So that they can be just as miserable as the unbeliever… and you know how misery loves company.
Good job. Keep up the good work.
First, it is a question; not a statement.
Second, the mere fact a person is questioning does not disqualify them from belief. You’re way off base.
Like the father of the son who was brought to Jesus for healing said, “I believe. Please help my unbelief.”
Practice your mumbo-jumbo elsewhere.
what a waste of time, if you don’t have an answer, there’s really no need for the mumbo-jumbo
I think God likes to see people suffering and really never intended peace for this world. He created many good things but also created many evil things, like Satan the worst thing imaginable and let him loose all all nations to decieve people and make everything worse.
Even Adam and Eve, two dumb people who knew nothing from nothing. God let the most evil serpent to be alone with them in the garden …… thats just like putting Satan with two 4yr olds (or younger ) what do think will happen? the worst outcome.
Then punishment and suffering.
Even when Moses before he brought his people out, tried to get the pharoh to let the people free … and after different types of plagues, the pharoh was thinking about it but God hardend his heart so no peace could be brought forth … instead God killed all of them even the animals.
And the story of Job … being the only man in the world who was upright and perfect who walked with God … look at how God utterly destroyed him for a time (probably a long time) leting Satan the most evil thing created to touch him and kill his family and innocent animals.
I don’t believe He ever wanted peace, this whole world is evil with animals ripping and tearing each other apart …….little children starving and bugs and flys all over them, why wont God help them?
So many religions arguing and fighting against each other, even in the christian religions arguing who church is the true church with the truest teaching …. how com God does’nt mend it? but rather lets it go and it just keeps on getting worse and worse.
He hides the truth from many a nd people don’t understand and can’t see it … I remember I watched a story about this women who believed in God, there was a King who wanted that women but she would not go for him. So the King felt rejected and angery and told his men to cut off her breasts …. so they did, imagin the pain!!! none there to help her. Only when it was all over and she was weeping in the cell filled with pain and sorrow did angels appear to heal her.
The whole concept is very very cruel …even Jesus being nailed to a wooden cross to save the people … the concept created is like the worst horror show ever.