Protestantism

» HeadZenCards - Finding God At VT

In response to It's truly a shame posted by BrianTubbs:

You blogged that the Bible does not present an image of a God who will prevent all violence, heal all sickness, alleviate all pain, and deliver from all evil - in this life.

Then who in this life needs the idea of God? It appears to me that only those who can profit or find comfort from the idea of a being who is all-powerful but does not use his power to help human beings in this life. In fact, 1 Sam. 15 says that this force once told his followers to murder children.

You continue by asking us to consider the pain, suffering, and anguish that took place throughout the Bible - including in the lives of the very people who were sold out to God! Consider the birth of Jesus. What a wonderful "nativity" story, but did God prevent Herod's soldiers from slaughtering the innocent children in Bethlehem - toddlers and babies that were killed on Jesus' account? What about the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11? These, according to the author of Hebrews, were tortured and killed - some even sawed in half!! - for their faith. The biblical image of God and His provision for the human race is CONSISTENT with what we see today. Thus, violence, suffering, disease, and tragedy does not disprove the biblical God.

True enough. It also does not disprove any other so-called God. Do you believe in them? The question becomes why we give any credence to the imaginings of primitive, violent, ignorant, ancient scribes who thought the sun went around the flat Earth.

More of your blog: Think the above point is a little "uninspiring"? Well, according to James, our present life in this earth is but a "vapor." Our reward is NOT here on this planet. That's why the psalmists tell us not to "fret" over "evildoers" who seem to prosper here on this earth, while the good suffer. Our reward is not in this life or on this earth (though we may and can experience some measure of good fortune and/or divine blessing), but rather our final reward is in the NEXT life. Our focus then should not be HERE and NOW, but rather LATER. Jesus warned that we are not to "lay up treasures here on this earth," but rather "lay up treasures in heaven." This doesn't just mean monetary treasures. It refers to all that you hold dear and that you cherish. Your focus should be preparing for the next life, not enjoying this one. And you must realize that you won't get all the answers you wish in this life. Some will remain UNanswered until the next.

If we follow James' line of reasoning here, there is no need to fret about anything. Global warming, nuclear weapons, AIDS, mass murderer at Virginia Tech, who cares? All that stuff just gets people to Jesus quicker. Who cares about living an independent life by getting a good job with that mindset? (Jesus didn't have any children, did he? Or none that came knocking on his door when he was 50, broke and hungry.)

You opine that "If you write a letter to George W. Bush and he doesn't respond, does this mean that George W. Bush doesn't exist? (I realize there are a few here who wish he didn't, but be that as it may). Does your inability to communicate with President Bush mean that President Bush is unreal? Does your inability to get an answer from God (or answers from God) mean that God is unreal or that God is a "fairy tale"? If God doesn't make sense to you, does that make God unreal? If Bush doesn't make sense to you (and, judging by the comments here - that's the case with a lot of you), does this mean Bush is no longer real?"

I see President Bush on the television, hear his voice on the radio, suffer under his administration when I hear of a neighbor with a son who recently died in Iraq. I have a fairly coherent picture of President Bush. I read about God in the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita and find no evidence that such a incoherent, contradictory force was ever active here on the planet Earth where I live. I also read about William Tell who was thought to be a real person for a long time. Myths have their place in the imagination and can fuel a human passion to create great art and literature, but great art and literature do not mean that the idea of God or William Tell are real forces like the all too-human President Bush.

Using your line of reasoning, just because you can't communicate with Krisna doesn't mean He's not there. It is so true, but so irrelevant.

-- posted by HeadZenCards