I Have Doubts...

Hey!

I have always seen myself as an atheist, although I'm not completely excluding that there is a god (quite contradictory, I know). As my title says, I have doubts about whether god exists or not, but that's something I think that I can figure out on my own. But there is one question that I will need help from a real christian to answer: Is god good?

This may sound quite strange to you, but this is the question that I found hardest to answer. Let me give you an example:

Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine. This is children who might not even had their first thought yet, but still they are being punished in the most horrible ways. How can someone like god, who sees everything and is in possession of such power that he could make it all disappear, just stand by and do nothing? Can't he see it or doesn't he have the powers to stop it?

Christians that I have talked with says that it might be god giving us a reminder of taking care of each other, but I consider that to be a terrible thought. A ruler, who states an example by causing so much pain and suffering must be a cruel one. I don't want to follow such a leader.

I hope that my post haven't offended anyone, since it wasn't my intention to do so. I would really appreciate an answer to this question, since it would help me believe in a greater power.

At last, I want to apologize for my poor grammar. I'm not a native english speaker so I hope that you will be lenient.

//Marcus
 
Hey!

I have always seen myself as an atheist, although I'm not completely excluding that there is a god (quite contradictory, I know). As my title says, I have doubts about whether god exists or not, but that's something I think that I can figure out on my own. But there is one question that I will need help from a real christian to answer: Is god good?

This may sound quite strange to you, but this is the question that I found hardest to answer. Let me give you an example:

Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine. This is children who might not even had their first thought yet, but still they are being punished in the most horrible ways. How can someone like god, who sees everything and is in possession of such power that he could make it all disappear, just stand by and do nothing? Can't he see it or doesn't he have the powers to stop it?

Christians that I have talked with says that it might be god giving us a reminder of taking care of each other, but I consider that to be a terrible thought. A ruler, who states an example by causing so much pain and suffering must be a cruel one. I don't want to follow such a leader.

I hope that my post haven't offended anyone, since it wasn't my intention to do so. I would really appreciate an answer to this question, since it would help me believe in a greater power.

At last, I want to apologize for my poor grammar. I'm not a native english speaker so I hope that you will be lenient.

//Marcus
I've had the same thoughts and questions myself. There is so much evil in this world and children are affected. It is a horrible world we live in , but, and because if this i believe in God. With so much evil and destruction , this world doesn't make sense, with so much corruptness in the world, there has to be something more than what we are seeing and living. That is why there is a God, who knows all and us Just. What man does in this world is awful but God is good and ultimately will show His goodness. There are two forces in this world -Good-God, Evil-Devil.
 
Marcus,

Yes God is Good and He is Love, but this world is not His world, when He created Adam He gave him dominion of this world, but Adam rebelled against God and subsequently sinned against God and one of the results of that rebellion was the dominion of this world was turned over to the devil.

So in all fairness and reality, it's not God that is causing all of the problems, but rather it's the devil that wants to kill all people and that includes you!

I hope that answers your question, ...so how about we talk about Jesus and the Good News and how that pertains to you.

Blessings,

Gene
 
Hey!

I have always seen myself as an atheist, although I'm not completely excluding that there is a god (quite contradictory, I know). As my title says, I have doubts about whether god exists or not, but that's something I think that I can figure out on my own. But there is one question that I will need help from a real christian to answer: Is god good?

This may sound quite strange to you, but this is the question that I found hardest to answer. Let me give you an example:

Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine. This is children who might not even had their first thought yet, but still they are being punished in the most horrible ways. How can someone like god, who sees everything and is in possession of such power that he could make it all disappear, just stand by and do nothing? Can't he see it or doesn't he have the powers to stop it?

Christians that I have talked with says that it might be god giving us a reminder of taking care of each other, but I consider that to be a terrible thought. A ruler, who states an example by causing so much pain and suffering must be a cruel one. I don't want to follow such a leader.

I hope that my post haven't offended anyone, since it wasn't my intention to do so. I would really appreciate an answer to this question, since it would help me believe in a greater power.

At last, I want to apologize for my poor grammar. I'm not a native english speaker so I hope that you will be lenient.

//Marcus
Humans are responsible for all the pain and suffering in this world, not God. Everyone's works will be judged when Jesus Christ returns in Glory.

All sin, and disobey God, and without Jesus Christ's blood to cover your sin, you will be punished with the rest of them. I know you think that is unfair, but remember this, God is PERFECT, meaning no evil whatsoever not even a hint. Yes God is Good, call out to him, and he will save you.
 
Hey!

I have always seen myself as an atheist, although I'm not completely excluding that there is a god (quite contradictory, I know). As my title says, I have doubts about whether god exists or not, but that's something I think that I can figure out on my own. But there is one question that I will need help from a real christian to answer: Is god good?

This may sound quite strange to you, but this is the question that I found hardest to answer. Let me give you an example:

Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine. This is children who might not even had their first thought yet, but still they are being punished in the most horrible ways. How can someone like god, who sees everything and is in possession of such power that he could make it all disappear, just stand by and do nothing? Can't he see it or doesn't he have the powers to stop it?

Christians that I have talked with says that it might be god giving us a reminder of taking care of each other, but I consider that to be a terrible thought. A ruler, who states an example by causing so much pain and suffering must be a cruel one. I don't want to follow such a leader.

I hope that my post haven't offended anyone, since it wasn't my intention to do so. I would really appreciate an answer to this question, since it would help me believe in a greater power.

At last, I want to apologize for my poor grammar. I'm not a native english speaker so I hope that you will be lenient.

//Marcus

I had the same issue for a long time. I suppose we could blame Adam. Without him and Eve disobeying God we might be living the good life now.
Since everyone has free will there are many innocents who suffer. If God made us robots it would be different, but would that be a life worth living? If someone decides to break into an apartment and strangle the girl that lives there, that is that persons doing. It doesn't really have anything to do with God, other than Him giving us free will. As for diseases and everything, that is because the ground is cursed because of Adam.

My agnostic friend has the same issue currently. I don't really know what to tell him. I don't know why God has let everything go on as long as He has. It seems like He would have ended it long ago when He knew there would be so much pain and suffering. Maybe He's waiting for everyone to hear the Gospel first. I just don't know.

Welcome to the forum. Hopefully someone smarter than I am will come along and give a better answer.

And your English is fine. Better than some native speakers, actually.
 
No no! You must have misunderstood me! I don't think that god created those problems, that is something to blame on us humans. I'm just wondering why he doesn't stop them. If he has the power to do so shouldn't he spare those poor children from suffering? You say that god knows everything and that he is in possession of such power that he could make it stop. If He knows about the problem and have the solution for it, why would he still let it all happen?

As far as I can see there are only three different ways to answer this:

A. God doesn't know about everything

B. God doesn't have the power to stop it

C. God choose to let them suffer

I hope that you guys can find a third option and tell me about it, since it would make religion a lot easier for me to understand.

As always, I hope that I haven't offended anyone, since it's not my purpose
 
No no! You must have misunderstood me! I don't think that god created those problems, that is something to blame on us humans. I'm just wondering why he doesn't stop them. If he has the power to do so shouldn't he spare those poor children from suffering? You say that god knows everything and that he is in possession of such power that he could make it stop. If He knows about the problem and have the solution for it, why would he still let it all happen?

As far as I can see there are only three different ways to answer this:

A. God doesn't know about everything

B. God doesn't have the power to stop it

C. God choose to let them suffer

I hope that you guys can find a third option and tell me about it, since it would make religion a lot easier for me to understand.

As always, I hope that I haven't offended anyone, since it's not my purpose

You forgot about the fourth and most important answer to this; God's plan is His and His alone. If you try and go beyond what scripture lays out, you are trying to figure out an all knowing, loving, spiritual being which is God. Our feeble human minds cannot comprehend such power and thought and it would be impossible for us to know God's plan without Him actually saying what that is so all that's left is speculation which is not what we should be concentrated on. We should be concentrated on the love, forgiveness and mercy of Christ Jesus. Why are you focused on God's plan? This is just a distraction from knowing Christ.

Also, thank you for your post. Your English is just fine! :)
 
Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine.

Precisely why like I true Agnostics over Atheist:

Agnostics are supposed to be moral subjective, that is: they are suppose not to judge God.

As a Christian who believes in Jesus Christ, I dare not judge God….

But to answer your question: am using logic here, not a claim for divine witnessing:

It is a point of view:

To the observer: the observer thinks they are unlucky.

Their POV to the observer: as I observe, they have no idea why you think they are unlucky, they do not care what the observer think, but they do care what good things the observer will do to them.

Reminds of what I read about a little girl cancer patient: the little girl is stronger to face death, and wondering why the adult people around here are scared to death...

It’s a point of view.

Romans 8:28
New International Version (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
 
No no! You must have misunderstood me! I don't think that god created those problems, that is something to blame on us humans. I'm just wondering why he doesn't stop them. If he has the power to do so shouldn't he spare those poor children from suffering? You say that god knows everything and that he is in possession of such power that he could make it stop. If He knows about the problem and have the solution for it, why would he still let it all happen?

As far as I can see there are only three different ways to answer this:

A. God doesn't know about everything

B. God doesn't have the power to stop it

C. God choose to let them suffer

I hope that you guys can find a third option and tell me about it, since it would make religion a lot easier for me to understand.

As always, I hope that I haven't offended anyone, since it's not my purpose


I'm reading a book called Against Calvinism and the author was discussing about the evils in this world. He was saying that Calvinists believe God is complete control over everything and He wills everything to happen, including evil. So, if a four year old is raped and then strangled in Mexico City, God willed it all. It was somehow for his purpose.

I don't think God wills every single thing to happen. If He did then He would be evil because He would be the designer of everything evil.

To me, that four year old didn't get raped because God willed it but rather because the man that did it has free will and was capable of doing it.

I believe God sees everything that happens. He does have the ability to stop it, but that defeats the purpose of us having free will, in my opinion.
 
I'm reading a book called Against Calvinism and the author was discussing about the evils in this world. He was saying that Calvinists believe God is complete control over everything and He wills everything to happen, including evil. So, if a four year old is raped and then strangled in Mexico City, God willed it all. It was somehow for his purpose.

I don't think God wills every single thing to happen. If He did then He would be evil because He would be the designer of everything evil.

To me, that four year old didn't get raped because God willed it but rather because the man that did it has free will and was capable of doing it.

I believe God sees everything that happens. He does have the ability to stop it, but that defeats the purpose of us having free will, in my opinion.


That brings all of us back to Genesis. It starts with Adam and Eve...free will......WE messed up. God is fixing it through Jesus and the Holy Spirit
 
Just my understanding- satan is the ruler of this world now. Jesus came to qualify to over-take the throne of this world upon His return.

Also, there is being blessed, and there is being cursed. No in-between.

There is generational curses brought about from sin. (Some may suffer because of what their recent family have done.)
 
I'm really sorry, but I just can't believe like you do. I know I shouldn't compare myself with god, but if it was someone who I loved I can't see anyway that I would let them suffer like these children do.

Several years ago (I think I was about nine years old) me and my family where in Kenya on vacation. There I met a lot of people who suffered from these problems and they didn't seem happy at all. Several of the kids I met begged to me about going with me to Sweden. There even was a mother who begged my family to bring her child away from this terror from whom they suffer. This all made me very sad and this was the main reason for me to create this thread. I'm sorry aha, but I don't believe you when you say that they don't feel any fear. I've seen it.

And Brian, I just can't accept the fact that I should follow a leader that doesn't allows me to find out where we are going, especially not if young children die for us to get there.

You might think that I'm week minded for feeling a need to know these things, but that is how I was created.

I'm afraid that a leader who does such a thing is a leader who control his followers with fear. I don't think that God is like that! I do believe that if he exists he would lead us with love, since that's what your Bible says.
 
I'm really sorry, but I just can't believe like you do. I know I shouldn't compare myself with god, but if it was someone who I loved I can't see anyway that I would let them suffer like these children do.

Several years ago (I think I was about nine years old) me and my family where in Kenya on vacation. There I met a lot of people who suffered from these problems and they didn't seem happy at all. Several of the kids I met begged to me about going with me to Sweden. There even was a mother who begged my family to bring her child away from this terror from whom they suffer. This all made me very sad and this was the main reason for me to create this thread. I'm sorry aha, but I don't believe you when you say that they don't feel any fear. I've seen it.

And Brian, I just can't accept the fact that I should follow a leader that doesn't allows me to find out where we are going, especially not if young children die for us to get there.

You might think that I'm week minded for feeling a need to know these things, but that is how I was created.

I'm afraid that a leader who does such a thing is a leader who control his followers with fear. I don't think that God is like that! I do believe that if he exists he would lead us with love, since that's what your Bible says.

I know where I'm going, I just don't know how or when I'll be getting there.
 
I'm really sorry, but I just can't believe like you do. I know I shouldn't compare myself with god, but if it was someone who I loved I can't see anyway that I would let them suffer like these children do.

Several years ago (I think I was about nine years old) me and my family where in Kenya on vacation. There I met a lot of people who suffered from these problems and they didn't seem happy at all. Several of the kids I met begged to me about going with me to Sweden. There even was a mother who begged my family to bring her child away from this terror from whom they suffer. This all made me very sad and this was the main reason for me to create this thread. I'm sorry aha, but I don't believe you when you say that they don't feel any fear. I've seen it.

And Brian, I just can't accept the fact that I should follow a leader that doesn't allows me to find out where we are going, especially not if young children die for us to get there.

You might think that I'm week minded for feeling a need to know these things, but that is how I was created.

I'm afraid that a leader who does such a thing is a leader who control his followers with fear. I don't think that God is like that! I do believe that if he exists he would lead us with love, since that's what your Bible says.

The Bible tells us where we are going if we accept Jesus. It is your choice on whether or not you receive Him.
 
Hey!

I have always seen myself as an atheist, although I'm not completely excluding that there is a god (quite contradictory, I know). As my title says, I have doubts about whether god exists or not, but that's something I think that I can figure out on my own. But there is one question that I will need help from a real christian to answer: Is god good?

This may sound quite strange to you, but this is the question that I found hardest to answer. Let me give you an example:

Every day millions of children and infants suffer from poverty, diseases and famine. This is children who might not even had their first thought yet, but still they are being punished in the most horrible ways. How can someone like god, who sees everything and is in possession of such power that he could make it all disappear, just stand by and do nothing? Can't he see it or doesn't he have the powers to stop it?

Christians that I have talked with says that it might be god giving us a reminder of taking care of each other, but I consider that to be a terrible thought. A ruler, who states an example by causing so much pain and suffering must be a cruel one. I don't want to follow such a leader.

I hope that my post haven't offended anyone, since it wasn't my intention to do so. I would really appreciate an answer to this question, since it would help me believe in a greater power.

At last, I want to apologize for my poor grammar. I'm not a native english speaker so I hope that you will be lenient.

//Marcus

Good question. Well thought out.

I can tell you that I am personally content with my life living with the Lord every day for the past 50 years or so. I have learned that real contentment hinges on the inside of me and not the outside around me. We all I am afraid spend a lot of time and energy trying to control our environment and the people in it. We become concerned and even outraged at death, and war and hunger but being contented has to do with what is going on inside and not outside.

When the things of the world cause us to be discontented we lose our peace and joy right off the bat. IF we can lose our peace and joy when circumstances are bad for us, then that peace and joy did not come from God but from our good circumstances.
Good meaning we are well feed, the air conditioner is working, we have clean cloths and the roof does not leak.

As long as our contentment can be destroyed by a change in our environment, we can never be contented in any circumstances.
That my friend is what believing in Christ will do for the believer. He, Christ in us is stronger than he, the devil who is in this world.
When we accept God's Son, the Lord Jesus we can know that our contentment in life comes from the INSIDE out and then we can live a more productive and real life.

Then we can handle life's challenges instead of blaming our circumstances on other people because of our lack of contentment.
Then and only then can we ENDURE the predicaments and challenges that life brings.
God is our perfect heavenly Father and He knows what I need. He knows what I want. He know what I can handle. He is committed to doing what is best for me because I am one of His children by the new birth.

I can not imagine living life without the goodness of God. I can not imagine how anyone starts a day without God.

Do you all understand that one of the best tools of Satan is to make YOU discontented in your life??????

Every advertising person knows to make you discontented over what you have so that you will want something else better.
When you drive your car onto a new car lot, do you notice how bad it looks all of a sudden?
When you shop for new cloths, do you feel like yours are really looking bad all of a suuden?
Have you noticed how small your house is after you visit some new homes?

Discontentment is the driving force behind these feelings and that clouds the ability to make smart choices.

The key to all of this IMO is allowing God to live THROUGH me so that I can do ALL things that God wants me to do through His strength. When I do that, I can not be disappointed and I can only see the GOODNESS of a great God who not only died to allow me an eternal home in heaven, but has allowed me to live here, now, today more abundantly!

YES...GOD IS GOOD!
 
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Marcus,

As already stated the devil is in control of this world and he is responsible for all of the bad things that happen, because of sin, and people are in bondage to sin and follow whatever evil desire is burning inside of them.

God is not only Good and Love, but He is also Holy and JUST and PERFECT, that means He would never defraud anyone, not even the devil, since he is the ruler of this world if God were to intervene and stop what the devil was doing (it's the devil's world and he can do whatever he wants) then God wouldn't be JUST and that means He is not PERFECT.

But God IS all of those qualities so here is how He can allow bad thing to happen to children and they come out the winners, God has set up Principles and the devil can't go around them, find a loop hole or just pretend they are not there, one of those Principles is children are not held responsible for their sin until they reach an age of responsibility, so any child the devil kills before this age go directly to Heaven to be with Jesus, ...the devil loses, the child is the winner and God didn't intervene and stop the plan of the devil.

For adults, it written in the New Testament,

...and (Jesus can) deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Heb 2:15

...through fear of death, almost everyone, if they are truthful, are afraid of dying, how about you Marcus, are you afraid of dying, not absolutely certain what is waiting for you after you breathe your last breath, ...this is how God works in adults lives, they live a life of rejecting Him (you yourself have questions about God and the afterlife or you wouldn't be here talking to us) and then as the hour approaches, the moment of death is near, He will send one of His children to give them the Gospel and they can be saved, freed from the bondage of the uncertainty of death, ...and again, He hasn't intervened in what ever way the devil has used to kill this person.

So you see, God is working even though it might seem His hands are tied and the devil is winning, to those that will believe Him and what He has said, they become winners.

How 'bout it Marcus, you don't have to wait 'til your last breath, God is Good and God is Love and Jesus His Son is God and loves you, so much so that He died in yours and my place, why don't you come and join us, you won't lose anything, but rather gain everything, for free, what a deal, ...you too, like the rest of us here, can be freed from the bondage of being afraid of death, today!

Gene
 
I feel like I have to set everything straight here. I do believe that I have lived my life (so far) just like a good christian should do, except for the part that I don't believe that there is a God (I'm not completely excluding it, but that's not what feels naturally to me). I don't remember breaking any of the Ten commandments (except for the first one... or no, not really that either since I haven't had another God, just not having a God at all. But at least I have broken the third one) or any other of the vital rules that's in the Bible.

I'm very pleased with my life and if I had the chance to relive it I wouldn't have done it differently. I feel pure joy. Not from faith, but from other things such as friends, family and my girlfriend. I can't say that I'm missing anything. I'm liked among others and I don't feel discontented. Every morning I wake up and find joy from just living.

When I die I believe that everything would go just black. You stop thinking and just ceases to exist. I know it sounds both boring and terrifying, but I honestly can't say that I fear it. It's a part of everybody's life and the moment of death will be over in just a second. A second is such a vanishingly small amount of time that I think that I would be able to put up with it. I don't fear death.

The reason that I started this thread was mainly to understand how you see God, and learn something from it. For the same reason I will ask you this next question:

If I lived my whole life as a good man and followed every rule in the Bible, but not for the reason that I believed in God, but rather because I think that that is the right way to treat others, would I still come to heaven? I'm not trying to be a "freeloader", but would he forgive me?

This is also a question to understand how your faith works (It sounds wrong but I can't think of another way to describe it)
 
I feel like I have to set everything straight here. I do believe that I have lived my life (so far) just like a good christian should do, except for the part that I don't believe that there is a God (I'm not completely excluding it, but that's not what feels naturally to me). I don't remember breaking any of the Ten commandments (except for the first one... or no, not really that either since I haven't had another God, just not having a God at all. But at least I have broken the third one) or any other of the vital rules that's in the Bible.

I'm very pleased with my life and if I had the chance to relive it I wouldn't have done it differently. I feel pure joy. Not from faith, but from other things such as friends, family and my girlfriend. I can't say that I'm missing anything. I'm liked among others and I don't feel discontented. Every morning I wake up and find joy from just living.

When I die I believe that everything would go just black. You stop thinking and just ceases to exist. I know it sounds both boring and terrifying, but I honestly can't say that I fear it. It's a part of everybody's life and the moment of death will be over in just a second. A second is such a vanishingly small amount of time that I think that I would be able to put up with it. I don't fear death.

The reason that I started this thread was mainly to understand how you see God, and learn something from it. For the same reason I will ask you this next question:

If I lived my whole life as a good man and followed every rule in the Bible, but not for the reason that I believed in God, but rather because I think that that is the right way to treat others, would I still come to heaven? I'm not trying to be a "freeloader", but would he forgive me?

This is also a question to understand how your faith works (It sounds wrong but I can't think of another way to describe it)

You seem like a good person to me, Marcus. I don't think anyone is questioning that. There are many more things to be concerned about other than just the ten commandments, though.


Jesus would forgive you know, but after death it would be too late, from my understanding. I don't believe anyone can be saved if they are unsaved at the time of death. I really hope that isn't the case, but I don't think that's biblical.
(Joh 14:6 ESV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

That being said, I believe God is fair, and that you would be punished according to your sins an then be destroyed. I don't believe that a horrible person gets the same punishment as someone like you, who is a good person.

You can always be saved. I know you say you are unsure of whether or not God exists, but I assure you He does. If you're open to Him you'll be even more satisfied than you are now.
 
John 14:6 - Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

You must accept Jesus to have everlasting life in heaven.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If you only do works and just know God but not accept and live by God's word then:

Matthew 7:21-23“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’


Titus 3:4-5 - But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
 
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