The "problem" of evil

My God is good precisely because he not only regards suffering but suffers with us. He shows us that we still have infinite value even in our sufferings and in the misery caused by evil. The victory over suffering is not some magical and fleeting freedom from it or to pretend it doesn't exist, but rather to never allow it to rob you of your dignity and your hope.

Quote: FrGamble

My God is good precisely because he not only regards suffering but suffers with us. He shows us that we still have infinite value even in our sufferings and in the misery caused by evil. The victory over suffering is not some magical and fleeting freedom from it or to pretend it doesn't exist, but rather to never allow it to rob you of your dignity and your hope.

What's funny FrGamble, if awhile back I had tricked you and had told you a supposedly true life story about how my uncle got convicted for killing my aunt because when she was sick and bedridden he was constantly seen by her bedside by the rest of the family comforting her in her illness, but later we found out he was withholding her medicine which effectively killed her, and went to prison for it, you'd never be going on about how good it was that he provided comfort while withholding the medicine in his pocket. You'd be disturbed as anyone else would as any rational human being.

Yet when applied to your god, you lose your logic and reason and defend the indefensible. God can withhold medicine and provide comfort and is good for doing it.

You know in your heart this is true.

Do you think that God is withholding something from you? Do you think He has some magic pill to give you so all your troubles go away? That He enjoys seeing you or anyone else suffer? Your image of God seems more like a Dr. Kavorkian or some kind of magic elf. You would be much better off and understand Christianity much better if you saw God as a friend who will always be there for you. A friend that hopes you love Him for who He is and not some supposed hidden medicine in His pocket.

Quote: FrGamble

You would be much better off and understand Christianity much better if you saw God as a friend who will always be there for you. .

This is the ultimate empty promise that
Christians give out that's supposed to make
you feel better. When in reality, your
god never seems to be there for anybody,
except in words and rhetoric. And talk is
cheap, isn't it. All god seems to be good
for is finding good parking places and
making nice sunsets. And he's not even
doing that because he's really not there
at all.

Quote: FrGamble

Do you think that God is withholding something from you? Do you think He has some magic pill to give you so all your troubles go away? That He enjoys seeing you or anyone else suffer? Your image of God seems more like a Dr. Kavorkian or some kind of magic elf. You would be much better off and understand Christianity much better if you saw God as a friend who will always be there for you. A friend that hopes you love Him for who He is and not some supposed hidden medicine in His pocket.

God is just like my made up uncle then.

Both have the capability to heal but are withholding it. Both are providing comfort. So, they are both good. Or are they?

You can talk about anything else you like to divert attention from your unfortunate position in this matter.

Quote: FrGamble

Do you think He has some magic pill to give you so all your troubles go away?

Do you think he lacks the ability to do so?

Quote: rxwine

God is just like my made up uncle then.

Both have the capability to heal but are withholding it. Both are providing comfort. So, they are both good. Or are they?

You can talk about anything else you like to divert attention from your unfortunate position in this matter.

I guess it is unfortunate. I think we would all like some kind of magical god that took care of all of our problems and healed all our infirmities with a wave of his hand. The position of a Christian is that God became one of us and was born a helpless baby to hard working parents in a little town. For all but three years of His life He lived in relative obscurity as a good man, son, and friend. To fulfill God's plan He revealed Himself as the Messiah, the Son of God, and began to preach about the Kingdom of God, perform a few miracles, and teach people about God's unconditional love in the new and eternal covenant established in the sacrifice of God Himself who would pay the price for our sins. He died and was resurrected from the dead. His disciples went forth to preach the Risen Lord and amid hardships and martyrdom their fervor grew until Christianity eventually overcame even the Roman Empire and now is spread around the whole world.

The point of my little synopsis here is that Jesus is not here to provide you with comfort. He is interested in becoming your friend and entering into a personal relationship with you. He is interested in helping you not to be undone by suffering which leads to despair. He wants to show you a way to have hope and not lose the value of your life even in the midst of suffering, like He Himself did.

If all else fails repeat your dogma. I see.

No I don't think you see at all.

Quote: rxwine

God lets babies die and people drown. So, it must be good to do so even if you have the power to intervene.

Why should I do any different?

What you fail to understand is that saving a person's life is immaterial and irrelevant. If you see someone drowning, what really matters is whether they've accepted Jesus as their personal savior (whatever the hell that means), not whether you should jump in the water to try to save them.

Ignorance is Strength
Oppression is Love
Death is Life