Do you believe in God?

[Lynn49]

Oh, I do.



Like when God sent two bears to rip up 42 little children because they made fun of Elisha's bald head?

2 Kings 2:2-24
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

Dave, you're taking the bible literally, which I don't believe is the way to approach it. Just my opinion, now! No ruffled feathers...
The Bible wasn't written exactly at the time of Jesus...stories were told, re-told, and not necessarily by the brightest crayons in the box, either. Those stories were made to "scare" people into their particular beliefs..it's just the way it was done back then...to make simple lessons, albeit scary ones, that the general populace could understand.
I didn't believe God is watching my every move now, anymore than I believed it in Catechism....

But those are only my beliefs.....no one else needs to agree with them...but someone asked, so there you are...all imho...

[Sally888]

I have to say im extremely surprised noones starting with quoting the bible *yet*

[Lynn49]

If you believe in God doesn't it necessarily follow that God determines what happens in the universe He created?

Not necessarily, Dave....we have a thing called 'free will'....he'd be up to his {{ahem}} in aligators if he had to determine every single incident in everyone's life.....again...jmho

[Sally888]

I have to say im extremely surprised noones starting with quoting the bible *yet*

day late and dolllar short on that one.

[DaveP]

Not necessarily, Dave....we have a thing called 'free will'....he'd be up to his {{ahem}} in aligators if he had to determine every single incident in everyone's life.....again...jmho

What does free will have to do with getting ALS?

[DaveP]

day late and dolllar short on that one.

Heh.

[walkonby]

All interesting opinions and comments, some discussion here too, but did not expect anyone else to respond to OP actually, thought the thread was a set up to get us all to bicker.
I have a fun idea, note the pretty picture below


we all know we choose our own path in life right? Choose one with God, or choose one without God, does OP care? probably not really, so lets just stick a fork in this one and call it DONE.

please?

[Darth Penguin]

All interesting opinions and comments, some discussion here too, but did not expect anyone else to respond to OP actually, thought the thread was a set up to get us all to bicker.
I have a fun idea, note the pretty picture below


we all know we choose our own path in life right? Choose one with God, or choose one without God, does OP care? probably not really, so lets just stick a fork in this one and call it DONE.

please?

A newbie with 5 posts shouts out to me flamer or a rolling T , esp when they post about such a subject on their first day....

[shaman2263]

I think there is a grand plan or purpose to life.

I don't believe in any organized religion but have no issues with people that do.

"Doesn't matter what you believe... just believe it" - Shepard Book

I feel the major draw back to organized religions is that they seem to need to "sell" their beliefs which leads to all kinds of social abuses.

When you get right down to it God is God regardless of what It is called.

Name me a war where religion had no part. That would be a miracle

[DH666]

Does the universe have a creator? I really don't know. But I can tell you if the universe has a creator it most assuredly is not the God described in the Bible. That book is a litany of horrors. If that's the God in control of things we're in a universe run by a psychopathic madman.

Sounds like Stephen Harper to me

[MortgageQueen]

Oh, I do.



Like when God sent two bears to rip up 42 little children because they made fun of Elisha's bald head?

2 Kings 2:2-24
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

My apologies Dave. I didn't mean to imply you didn't study the Bible. .bad choice of words. I meant looking at all the extenuating circumstances.
In this case, it was actually a direct reflection of the parents of those children. . .and ultimately their responsibility. . That judgement was brought upon those children as a result of seriously gross disrespect of God's chosen Prophet Elisha. It was not mere silly childish behavior. They would never have dared say or do such things if it didn't reflect their parents views.
In those days and even after, the penalty for sacrilege was severe.

[MortgageQueen]

Originally Posted by DavePWell, giving Stephen Hawking ALS wasn't such a nice thing for God to do.

If you believe in God doesn't it necessarily follow that God determines what happens in the universe He created?

Well now SAlly's just made me feel BAD about not quoting a scripture. ha ha . . .sooooooo
Romans 5:12 - That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned"
This is the best answer to your question Dave. Sin> Sickness> Death
We all are susceptible to sickness/disease/ and death due to our imperfection.

[DaveP]

My apologies Dave. I didn't mean to imply you didn't study the Bible. .bad choice of words. I meant looking at all the extenuating circumstances.
In this case, it was actually a direct reflection of the parents of those children. . .and ultimately their responsibility. . That judgement was brought upon those children as a result of seriously gross disrespect of God's chosen Prophet Elisha. It was not mere silly childish behavior. They would never have dared say or do such things if it didn't reflect their parents views.

I see. So God made a bear rip the kids to shreds because of their parents. Hmmm.

[DaveP]

Originally Posted by DavePWell, giving Stephen Hawking ALS wasn't such a nice thing for God to do.



Well now SAlly's just made me feel BAD about not quoting a scripture. ha ha . . .sooooooo
Romans 5:12 - That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned"
This is the best answer to your question Dave. Sin> Sickness> Death
We all are susceptible to sickness/disease/ and death due to our imperfection.

Why does Stephen Hawkings have ALS and I don't? Seems like an uneven meting out of God's mercy. We're both equally imperfect because of something we didn't do (let sin into the world).

(And it wasn't a man who let sin into the world)

1 Timothy 2:12-14
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

[MortgageQueen]

I see. So God made a bear rip the kids to shreds because of their parents. Hmmm.

Well that could be a whole other discussion. . .but consider Sodom and Gomorrah. God cast judgement on that city and destroyed it. .including it's children.
But again. . .if one considers the Bible in it's entirety, one would see that God also promises a resurrection of the good and the bad. Which in essence means all will have a chance to make up their own minds with full knowledge whether they would choose to serve God or not. . . . including those children.