Two questions for God

[annexi]

So I want to ask God two things, while God was present at churches today (Sunday):
#1 - Is the cholesterol drug - Crestor - a good idea?
#2 - and should people be taking flu shots into their bloodstream each year?

1,000 preachers @ $50,000 per year = $50 million dollars. Surely
God can answer my two questions above, for that amount of money paid to these guys.

If divinity gives simple yes/no answers to questions, it's not likely through the voice of a mainstream preacher. Each has to listen to an inner divinity for the answer to their questions.

[Fancy]

The Amish live more natural - less pharmaceutical lives.
In n the long term, they probably get the flu 1/10 as often as other people.

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=65042&p=2094559&hilit=Amish#p2094559

Pick a thread - cross posting isn't permitted. But don't kid yourself that the Amish don't get vaccinated or suffer from terrible diseases:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... sh/384151/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperie ... amish-faq/

[Poindexter]

If divinity gives simple yes/no answers to questions, it's not likely through the voice of a mainstream preacher. Each has to listen to an inner divinity for the answer to their questions.

Great perspective, leaves one open to all possibilities. The way I look at it, even if we found proof of a creator it doesn't mean any of our religions are more than lies.

For the sake of argument let's say a scientist manages to get an extremely accurate picture of one of the elements that make up a quark. What he discovers is indisputable proof of a creator in the form of a signiture like an artist that signed his painting. Seems absurd that such a creator, who was obviously a scientist of some sort, would have developed the entire universe so that one day a living being would worship and love him. Doesn't make any sense that would be his motivation. In fact if the creator learned that we have religions that claim to speak on his behalf I doubt he would be happy and if this creator also designed a hell, I have a feeling that those that preached dishonestly on his behalf would surely be first in line.

[cliffy1]

The interesting thing about the holographic Universe is that your reality is a direct image of what you believe reality is all about. We create our own reality within the reality of group consciousness of humanity. We witness and experience our reality based on our beliefs. This makes us our own god. That is why the answers can only be found within. They are not out there. What others say is only their opinion and really has nothing to do with you.

[zzontar]

Pick a thread - cross posting isn't permitted. But don't kid yourself that the Amish don't get vaccinated or suffer from terrible diseases:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... sh/384151/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperie ... amish-faq/

Making a point that you shouldn't cross post and then immediately cross posting... interesting.

[Fancy]

I didn't. What I said and the links noted weren't posted on another thread. You might consider discussing the topic. Asking God for answers to questions that should be asked of professionals seems to be unproductive.

[zzontar]

*removed*

[Fancy]

*removed*

[zzontar]

*removed*

[Rosemary1]

Here are actually three serious questions for those christians who believe that god is omnipotent, loving and knows all present and future.

1. Why did he give Adam and Eve the power for self-determination and then tempt her with the serpent if he already knew the outcome and punishment he would wield for their disobedience? (sounds like a game of a devious a puppet master)

2. Why did he send his 'son' Jesus to earth if already knew the outcome and Jesus would suffer a terrible death?.

3. Why do people pray to god after terrible and unspeakable tragedies when according to christian beliefs god is all powerful and could if he wanted to, prevent them in the first place?

[JayByrd]

If you seek answers from God, you should seek God and pose your questions to Him. I don't believe He has an account on the Castanet forums.

[JayByrd]

Here are actually three serious questions for those christians who believe that god is omnipotent, loving and knows all present and future.

1. It's entirely possible that God is a jerk.

2. There was something we needed to learn from that event.

3. Tragedy tests our faith. Some people have turned away from God after such events. For some, their faith is strong enough that they hold it even through the worst suffering.

Most Christians accept that God doesn't always act in ways that please us or even make sense to us. "My thoughts are not your thoughts" it says in the Bible, or words to that effect. Much like our parents didn't always do what we wanted or what we thought was right. Many of us still have things we've never forgiven our parents for. Likewise, some Christians have great difficulty reconciling the suffering that God permits in the world. I have one friend, a retired minister who freely admits that he's cursed God in prayer countless times. There's nothing in the Bible that says we have to like what God does.

We know that the suffering of people is not always God's top priority. As parents, sometimes we allow our children to make mistakes. They end up getting harmed...we could have prevented that scraped knee, but we didn't. Perhaps we felt they needed to learn something from that situation. Likewise, some Christians believe that God allows human suffering because we have something to learn. Maybe on a cosmic scale, that suffering child or that famine or that war, is no more than a skinned knee. If you believe, as Christians do, that we will have eternal life, then maybe earthly suffering is small potatoes in the big picture. Of course, that's little consolation as we walk in this life and experience these things. We still have to experience this reality.

One thing most people of faith can agree on is that we don't have all the answers. I'm not sure if you are literally seeking answers, or simply calling out aspects of Christianity that you cannot reconcile. If it's the former, there are people much more knowledgeable about these things than I, who could probably give a better explanation. Either way I hope that you find something enlightening.

[Rosemary1]

Well the subject title was not mine. God is clearly not on Castanet. My questions were for those of strong faith.

I was really interested in hearing how people rationalize the concept of an omnipotent,benevolent, all knowing, all seeing, God with suffering on earth.

As a mere mortal with no god like powers, I would still never tempt my children to do something knowing they would fail and that I would then punish them by banishing them from home to fend foe themselves for better or for worse.

So while I understand the need for some people to find comfort in belief that we can't understand everything and there will be some reward in the after life for suffering on earth, it's not something everyone can get their head around .

Maybe if a god does exist humankind is just an amusing game and distraction from boredom.

[Glacier]

I think you're asking the question that C.S. Lewis pondered and wrote about.

[JayByrd]

Well the subject title was not mine. God is clearly not on Castanet. My questions were for those of strong faith.

I was really interested in hearing how people rationalize the concept of an omnipotent,benevolent, all knowing, all seeing, God with suffering on earth.

As a mere mortal with no god like powers, I would still never tempt my children to do something knowing they would fail and that I would then punish them by banishing them from home to fend foe themselves for better or for worse.

So while I understand the need for some people to find comfort in belief that we can't understand everything and there will be some reward in the after life for suffering on earth, it's not something everyone can get their head around .

My post about seeking God directly was for the OP, not toward you. I hope I would never be that dismissive of an honest question.

As far as tempting my children that way, I wouldn't either. But again I must say that the lesson to be learned must have trumped the suffering involved. Whatever God is playing at seems to be over my head, much like my toddler doesn't quite understand why I have to go work in the morning.

Faith isn't about "a need to find comfort in belief". For people of faith, God has revealed Himself to them. Knowing He is there is like knowing gravity is there, you feel it and experience it every day. But if He has not revealed Himself to you, I wouldn't expect you to feel the same.