I feel like people have a very selfish interpretation of religion.

[Atreus21]

It is quite apparent when people pray. If God has a plan for everything, why are you asking him to change it? Especially if it benefits you and puts someone else at a disadvantage. If anything, God gave you the tools to succeed and it's up to you to excel.

It is also selfish to think that God is watching over you at all times, guiding you to make the best decisions and keeping you safe. If you believe that, then why does he let millions of children and adults for of disease and hunger every year? He created them, and they most certainly aren't sinners. Child cancer patients are the biggest example of this. Some of them are the best people to live on this earth and he makes them live through 7 years of extreme pain and suffering before"taking them back," devastating entire families for life.

If pain and suffering is proof that God is evil, then what is happiness and pleasure proof of?

CS Lewis devoted a whole book to the problem of suffering, called The Problem of Pain. If these questions are honestly directed, this is probably where you will find the best available answers. Although admittedly it's a difficult read.

 

[cubby1223]

Woodwork. Most of you guys were in it.

Politics and news forum. You are in it.

I don't see any actual rebuttal besides "you're wrong" and "I don't like threads like this."

Holy crap I think you may be the first person to ever realize the question "If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?"!

Did you think of that question all on your own? You're one super-smart person!

 

[Atomic Playboy]

People have a very selfish interpretation of anything. You don't have to be religious to want good things to happen to you and your loved ones regardless of whether or not you "deserve" them.

 

[Moonbeam]

Politics and news forum. You are in it.


Holy crap I think you may be the first person to ever realize the question "If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?"!

Did you think of that question all on your own? You're one super-smart person!

Why do you ridicule somebody who is disappointed in God? Can't you see your angry at him for your own pain?

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Why do you ridicule somebody who is disappointed in God? Can't you see your angry at him for your own pain?

OP asked a good question imo...his only failing is that he thinks he knows all the answers already and doesn't seem to have a clue as to just how deep this rabbit hole goes.

 

[cubby1223]

Why do you ridicule somebody who is disappointed in God? Can't you see your angry at him for your own pain?

He's not looking for discussion, he's looking to voice his opinion for his own pleasure.

I'm not a religious person, but the people close to me who are, religion to them is strength to persevere through tough times in life, and striving to be better people towards others. They understand that the way to benefit yourself is by building up the lives of people around you.

I don't walk up to them and declare them selfish because some children develop cancer.


He tagged the thread with "scholzpdx is awesome". My response was proportional. I discussed the mistake in his claim, in the hopes of making him a better person in the process.

 

[FerrelGeek]

Indeed. CS Lewis's works are a great place to go for people that are genuinely interested in looking into matters such as this. And sticking with it is evidence that one is serious vs one who just wants to complain.

If pain and suffering is proof that God is evil, then what is happiness and pleasure proof of?

CS Lewis devoted a whole book to the problem of suffering, called The Problem of Pain. If these questions are honestly directed, this is probably where you will find the best available answers. Although admittedly it's a difficult read.

 

[JumBie]

People are mostly stupid so they stick to it. Religion is illogical but people don't spend the 5 minutes it takes to look at it objectively. There also is a great deal of confusion with the difference between faith and organized religion and people don't understand that they can have faith without the other.

Illogical by what terms? Is it illogical to believe in something that could theoretically exist?

Do you know that you can only hear and see within certain frequencies, there are potentially thousands or more colors that could exist that we will never be able to see with our eyes. There are also sound frequencies that we cannot perceive, humans are limited by these boundaries. Is it so crazy to believe that a god could exist within one of these frequencies or spectrums? You find that belief stupid, yet you fall head over heals when a scientist goes on the explain alternate dimensions.

Illogical is a word used for people who only want to believe what is true at this moment in time. If everyone decided not to believe in something, not to try and prove something we would all be primitive idiots sitting in a cave. Just because you only believe in whatever scientist spew at you does not mean believing otherwise is illogical. A scientist could come out with a study today, proving one thing, and if no one decides to test his knowledge and study we would all be forced to believe that something is true , even if it potentially isn't.

Its stupid shit like that, that breeds ignorance. Telling people that you are dumb, or illogical for believing in something that science does not disprove. Humans, disprove the idea of god, if anything, if goes did exist, science may be the best route of proof.

 

[cubby1223]

Do you know that you can only hear and see within certain frequencies, there are potentially thousands or more colors that could exist that we will never be able to see with our eyes. There are also sound frequencies that we cannot perceive, humans are limited by these boundaries. Is it so crazy to believe that a god could exist within one of these frequencies or spectrums? You find that belief stupid, yet you fall head over heals when a scientist goes on the explain alternate dimensions.

We have the ability to detect frequencies outside of what our bodies can recognize, through technology and machinery, and present the data in a way we can interpret.

 

[IronWing]

A scientist could come out with a study today, proving one thing, and if no one decides to test his knowledge and study we would all be forced to believe that something is true , even if it potentially isn't.

That's where science has it all over revelation. Scientific hypotheses and theories are subject to testing.

Also, no one can force you to believe anything.

 

[Fern]

-snip-
I don't see any actual rebuttal besides "you're wrong" and "I don't like threads like this."

Speaking as someone who has had at least a minimum of religious education (theology) it has become beyond tiresome to continually address the anti-religious in their troll threads based upon faulty understandings of the topic.

But I'll help you guys. Check out Millennialism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialism

If you grasp that you'll understand why the OP's premise (the portion about God allowing bad things to happen to good people) can be considered uninformed and faulty. If you work at it you can probably figure it out.

Then there are these variants if you're interested:

1. Premillennialism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premillennialism

2. Postmillennialism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmillennialism

3. Amillennialism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism

Fern

 

[IronWing]

Speaking as someone who has had at least a minimum of religious education (theology) it has become beyond tiresome to continually address the anti-religious in their troll threads based upon faulty understandings of the topic.

I agree that if one chooses to argue about religion from within the framework of a particular religion then one aught to have a grasp of the tenets of that religion. However, in the god/no gods discussion, atheists would be fools to go down that rabbit hole. The OP has chosen to go down the rabbit hole; god have mercy on his soul.

 

[Fern]

I agree that if one chooses to argue about religion from within the framework of a particular religion then one aught to have a grasp of the tenets of that religion. However, in the god/no gods discussion, atheists would be fools to go down that rabbit hole. The OP has chosen to go down the rabbit hole; god have mercy on his soul.

Yep, I agree on all points.

Fern

 

[FalseChristian]

Why does everyone blame God for everything? Satan rules this world and that is why so many people suffer at the hands of fellow humans, from disease, starvation, war, suicide and such.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

Yep, I agree on all points.

Fern

I was raised Mormon. Next!

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Illogical by what terms? Is it illogical to believe in something that could theoretically exist?

Do you know that you can only hear and see within certain frequencies, there are potentially thousands or more colors that could exist that we will never be able to see with our eyes. There are also sound frequencies that we cannot perceive, humans are limited by these boundaries. Is it so crazy to believe that a god could exist within one of these frequencies or spectrums? You find that belief stupid, yet you fall head over heals when a scientist goes on the explain alternate dimensions.

We can reliably detect those frequencies with instrumentation, so no, it is not true that we can't see or hear them. We just use mechanisms to translate them. Your analogy is a very, very bad one.

Illogical is a word used for people who only want to believe what is true at this moment in time.

No, "illogical" means "produces an inconsistency in the logical system."

If everyone decided not to believe in something, not to try and prove something we would all be primitive idiots sitting in a cave. Just because you only believe in whatever scientist spew at you does not mean believing otherwise is illogical. A scientist could come out with a study today, proving one thing, and if no one decides to test his knowledge and study we would all be forced to believe that something is true , even if it potentially isn't.

How does "forcing a person to believe something" work, in your mind?

Its stupid shit like that, that breeds ignorance. Telling people that you are dumb, or illogical for believing in something that science does not disprove. Humans, disprove the idea of god, if anything, if goes did exist, science may be the best route of proof.

I don't think you know much about science, or how it works.