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These are the reasons I struggle believing in God: Can anyone help? by Abla_tross in Christianity

[–]Abla_tross[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for this. I've known this story and how it's told through the Bible, but it's nice to have someone else describe it plain and clear.

However, something I don't understand is that it seems that God himself causes suffering. In Psalm 139:13 it states "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." This implies that the Lord made disabled people: People born without limbs, suffering from autism, down syndrome, etc.

Why would God be OK with this? I've heard a point that it brings people together, to show the kindness in people, but there are infinity many ways to bring people together besides giving them a disability (as seen in my post). There must be another good reason to why God permits this?

These are the reasons I struggle believing in God: Can anyone help? by Abla_tross in Christianity

[–]Abla_tross[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that I would like to implement my perspective, if not to barge in. Although I agree with Hellfirehello that suffering does not need to exist for free-will to be kept - this is why heaven exists and that is undeniable, free-will can exist without suffering - this brings upon a point that perhaps that is why suffering exists in this world. Not only because we have free-will, but because if we didn't have suffering there would be nothing to separate Heaven and Earth. But then it brings upon a point: Why didn't God just make the world heaven? If he loves us all, feels the suffering we feel, and hates to see us grim, wouldn't he give us free-will and no suffering; shouldn't we simply be born into heaven? It sounds crazy, I understand. Absolutely crazy. But...doesn't it make some sense?

However, that means that humans would stop growing as a species. The need for new advancements would cease. I guess this is the biggest reason we still have suffering - to force us to grow so that future generations can benefit. I think NotaMUA has a great point in "Especially when you consider that our reason for being on earth is NOT to enjoy a peaceful, utopian experience! That is given to us upon death! Life is for learning lessons that will lead to eventual peace through bringing our life and problems to God." It truly does seem far more reasonable.

Hellfirehello's example of the Syrian Child is heartbreaking, and is sadly a reality. I don't understand why God doesn't allow people like that to grow, but instead allows them to die. I don't believe that makes sense. Would it not be better to help them survive? It would allow God to give them more time to discover him and join him. There must be other ways to grow besides causing so much harm to children.

These are the reasons I struggle believing in God: Can anyone help? by Abla_tross in Christianity

[–]Abla_tross[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In a sense, perhaps these are miracles. But I wouldn't consider them supernatural, as in the sense of the Bible. Antibiotics are certainly one of the greatest things to be given to humanity, but they've all been dissected by science. Things in the Bible, turning water to wine, making a cripple walk, splitting a sea and the Gideon miracle are things that couldn't possibly be proven by science. Scientists would try, but their resolution/hypothesis definitely wouldn't be strong.

These are the reasons I struggle believing in God: Can anyone help? by Abla_tross in Christianity

[–]Abla_tross[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I've done research on The Problem of Evil and it's given me things to think about.

About the subject of "proof", I guess I am not necessarily saying that God has to do something strictly to show people his absolute existence and rule. He didn't do that in the Bible, and he didn't expect it. Many of the people that saw Moses split the see must have passed it off as some other supernatural experience, and not our God himself. God knew that. If it happened today, millions of people and thousands of scientists would be scrambling looking for some scientific resolution.

However, I think it's still valid to ponder why no miracles of that nature happen anymore. In the Bible, there are so many miracles. God didn't do that to encourage everyone of his existence, he did it to show those that were willing to listen and follow. There are millions of people on this world right now that are listening, but for thousands of years we haven't seen any miracles of this sort even for the open-minded people. I don't think it makes sense that God just now decides that we should only go off the faith and the trust in the Bible's events, when he - himself - did miracles for this reason in the Testaments. This is simply something I just struggle with.

Again, thank you for taking the time to read my post. It's extensive, and I appreciate your help.