[InvisiblePinkUnicorn]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Just in case you are going down the "I thought the Bible was all about love" path... you should know that a new scientific study has proved that the Bible Is More Focused on Evil Than on Love!

Thanks! I am well aware that the Bible is FAR from being "all about love." It is nice to know that this can be shown by even the shoddiest of analysis!

[Ezekiel Bathfire]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

[...]Thank you for the useful scripture! So if I am understanding you correctly, you are asserting that stuff that all humans universally view as unadulterated evil, especially things that have nothing to do with free will (EG: 250,000 people killed by a tsunami, many of whom were babies still in their mothers' wombs), is not viewed as evil by God. As you say these things are things that he chose to do to apparantly otherwise innocent people because it was part of His plan. Am I understanding you correctly?

Short answer, yes, long answer no. To the long answer:

Is it not so that God says, "Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"? So there are no innocents amongst us. (Except True Christians™) Yes, there are only degrees of sinfulness.

I cannot think off-hand of where God punishes the sin-free (except Job and that was by way of Satan to prove a point; a point that required a holy man.)

If you look where the Tsunami did God's Work, you will see that they are all heathens of one sort or another and, on the scale of things, it was nothing like as destructive as The Great Flood. I see such minor events more as a warning sign. (vide Haiti)

Emotively, you harp on about the unborn child. You and I can wander (suitably armed and inside a bulletproof vehicle) in the less affluent parts of any American city and see young children of whom we might say, with some accuracy, "He'll be stealing cars, pies and water-melon before he's much older."

That is just with human eyes. Think how all-knowing is The Lord; He Who may see into the soul of man - thus how much more accurate is His ability to discern the worthless in society?

OTOH, it could be simply to punish the parents.

[A Follower]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

So when the Asian Tsunami killed thousands of babies still in their mothers' wombs, what did those babies do to deserve to drwon or suffocate and die?

You seem to think disasters are random and indiscriminate. That is not true.

For example in Haiti hundreds of thousands of people died, nearly all buildings in the capital and other cities collapsed. If you weren't to pay close attention you would think besides any sinners also good people would have been caught by the smiting, however if you were to pay close attention you would see miracles of people surviving who either deserved to stay alive or who were given another chance to accept Christ despite their sins, the Baptist orphanage suffering no damage and not losing any of their charges is a prime example of the former category.

[Follow Him]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

The Bible has a severe lack of descriptions of heaven, in fact, there are none! However, it has plenty of descriptions of Hell.

Are you serious? Rev. 22:1-2, Rev. 21:18-21, Rev. 20:15, John 14:2, Rev 21:24-25...all describe appearences of Heaven! I dont know what your little KJV 1611 Bible says, but obviously, an elder like you, might wanna try studying a little harder if you are gonna speak of what the Bible contains.

[Mrs. Mary Whitford]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

OK... so will there be Free Will in Heaven?

Of course! But when you're in Heaven and point down laughing at the sinners in Hell, when you can SEE the eternal fires forever burning the flesh of those who rejected Jesus, would you choose to do anthing that could end up with you joining them?



I thought not.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Are you serious? Rev. 22:1-2, Rev. 21:18-21, Rev. 20:15, John 14:2, Rev 21:24-25...all describe appearences of Heaven! I dont know what your little KJV 1611 Bible says, but obviously, an elder like you, might wanna try studying a little harder if you are gonna speak of what the Bible contains.

Insulting people your hobby? I see you choose the catholic interpretation here. If you start reading at the beginning of Revelation 21 instead of in the middle you can see what it is really about. "And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven" So the city being described is coming out of Heaven, but it is not Heaven. The Bible also says in Heaven not the Sun and the Moon but God himself provides the light, so there is some knowledge about Heaven. But as already mentioned by Brother Ezekiel there are no descriptions of Heaven. There are only indications. I am pretty sure it will be more fun than hell though...