quote:
Most with Faith know we have to go through these trials and tribulations to be broken down, to be built back up by the "sky fairy".
Free will is a blessing that allows us to have faith or none at all. The ability to doubt, ridicule, mock, etc.
I respect every person's opinion.

I agree with this. I believe that God lets man make his own choices, mistakes, etc... For the most part, he stays hands off and lets bad things happen. I think the argument of "how could God allow this to happen" is just a cheap argument to gain cheap argument points. God shows himself in mysterious ways and in places we don't typically expect most of the time.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by S1C EM

Athens, GA

Member since Nov 2007

11585 posts

Posted on 1/14/16 at 11:25 am to gatorhata9

quote:
I agree with this. I believe that God lets man make his own choices, mistakes, etc... For the most part, he stays hands off and lets bad things happen. I think the argument of "how could God allow this to happen" is just a cheap argument to gain cheap argument points. God shows himself in mysterious ways and in places we don't typically expect most of the time.

I've refrained from chiming in here because I at least casually know HRD and, in spite of his rants on this subject, he's actually one of the "good guys". But the way you've said it is pretty much the way I see it. I could expound a bit, but I think that sums it up pretty well and further conversation about it here isn't going to change anyone's mind.

Bottom line, if God did step in and give us the heavenly "assist" in situations like this, what would we learn? There would never be consequences to any decision (malicious or not, as Devon's choice to participate in a physically brutal and violent game was certainly not). There would never be an opportunity to overcome adversity...there would be no triumph, physically or otherwise. I think we, the human race, value the physical well-being too greatly, while overlooking the mental and spiritual accomplishments. Free will comes with a price. We've been paying that price since the beginning of time. Ultimately, we can't answer questions like this because we can never truly understand the ways of God. I believe that while He doesn't make bad things happen to us, He does allow them to happen for any number of reasons. One way or another, there is good that can be derived from these things if we seek Him and His will in them. Maybe God didn't heal Devon. But perhaps Devon's faith in Him and His ultimate plan is what has been the driving force for Devon to approach his rehab with the attitude and strength of mind needed to heal. You can't see the light, but for the dark.

People will always want to know and understand how and why things are the way they are, but until we realize and accept that there are some things we will simply never know or be able to explain, we will have a hard time ever being happy. We will never be satisfied. That doesn't make us simpletons. It doesn't mean that we don't still want to know and that we're not willing to look and seek out answers. But even still...sometimes the answers we want just aren't there.

I seem to recall HRD many years ago being a fairly faithful person. Maybe I'm wrong on that. But I do know, when it comes to "empirical evidence", he has the greatest example of such living, breathing, and a part of his life every day. She is the only evidence he really needs (and I know he knows this), just as my kids are for me.

I'll leave it off on this lighter note. There was an episode of Futurama, titled "Godfellas", where Bender thinks he'd be a swell God. It's one of my favorite episodes of that show and there is certainly a little deeper meaning to be found in it at the end than one might expect. Worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

God bless you all, believers or not.