Is God Responsible For Bad Things that Happen?

by What Now? 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  What Now?

  Thanks all, I have enjoyed reading every one of your replies! Its so nice to be in a place where everyone can share differing viewpoints! I should just clarify though, this post was not meant to question whether God exists or not. It was meant to question the JW belief that God is not responsible for bad things to happen even though he allows them to happen.

  As to the question of whether or not I believe God exists ... I am sorry to have to quote from "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown. One of the main charactars asks another whether he believes in God. Not, what man says about God. There is a difference. When you lie out under the stars, do you sense the divine? Do you feel in your gut that you are staring up at the work of Gods hand? Personally, I have to answer yes.
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  Nickolas

  My perspective is different from yours, WN (and Paul's). I see your question as not excluding the greater question of the existence of God but begging it. Had you asked if Jupiter (or Thor or Vishnu or Baal) is responsible for bad things happening you might expect all of the people on this board to tell you that the question is irrelevant because Jupiter doesn't exist. When I lie under the stars and realise that I can see billions of fragments of the tiniest, almost infinitessimal fraction of what is out there, even with the help of the Hubble telescope, I also realise how puny and irrelevant the petulant god of the Bible is. If the evidence is examined with an open mind it would prosit that if there is a god it is not Yahweh, and if there is a god he has better things to do than to meddle in the affairs of a tiny blue speck of a planet whose total mass and importance relative to the rest of "Creation" is so small it approaches zero. We are so very full of ourselves when we think otherwise.
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  tec

  If the evidence is examined with an open mind it would prosit that if there is a god it is not Yahweh,

  If the evidence is examined with an open mind, it would posit that if there is a God, then we have misrepresented Him. Perhaps one of the reasons why He sent us His Son, to show us Truth.

  Tammy
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  Nickolas

  This is just where I am, Tammy. If what you believe brings you peace and happiness then all you need to do is ignore what I have to say and I will not take offense. I will be the first to admit that my ignorance is as profound as anyone elses.
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  tec

  I was just offering another option to yours, Nickolas. I respect where you are, and I'm certainly not smarter than you. I just have more faith... but that does not make me any better of a person than you.

  I don't want to ignore the things you say; I learn from your perspective, and you make me think. I also find you one of the most respectful posters on this board.

  Peace,

  Tammy
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  Nickolas

  Peace back. Stay happy.