Question about religion

[Raz]

I mentioned this in the chat earlier, but this has been on my mind all day: what kind of ♥♥♥♥ god allows diseases like alzheimers and cancer to exist, children to die of cancer before they can even get to high school, people to be crippled their entire life and unable to do simple things like walk and talk? It frustrates me to no end that anyone can have faith in some maniac that lets any of this to happen to the nicest and most innocent of people.
Can one of you religious people convince me otherwise? I seriously don't understand, but I've never read the bible or anything along those lines to see if it makes any sense. And if anyone says it, "God's will" or anything along those lines literally proves my point that he's a psycho.


and since this is a pretty heated topic, I'll just warn ahead of time that warnings can and WILL be given out if you step out of line
A topic can be discussed without it becoming aggressive.

[Kimonio]

Ahh, the God fallacy. My favorite.

This itself is a question that even the theist can't answer, because of the lack of evidence pertaining to a god, or even of one's involvement in humanity. At the same time, we have had odd instances where we feel we connect to the spiritual plane, such as ethereal beings like angels and demons, or even to creatures and entities like ghosts and ghouls. ♥♥♥♥, I saw the old owner of my house last year, and I've never seen the guy before. Nothing is more terrifying than opening the door after taking a piss at night, only to see this transparent dustlike figure a couple inches shorter, bald, wearing overalls and a flannel shirt, staring through you as he hobbles into the bathroom through you. Literally had to change my pants and did a triple-take when the double-take still showed him there.

This in itself is what I call the agnostic claim, though. Like the creation debate, where neither party can disprove the other, no one can say whether or not I witnessed what I did that night. Only I can, which leads to bias and lack of evidence physically. So with that in mind, to understand God, we have to know who God is.

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(Exodus 34:5-7 NIV) Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. {6} And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, {7} maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

(Numbers 23:19 NIV) God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

(Deuteronomy 3:24 NIV) “O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?

(Deuteronomy 4:24 NIV) For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

(Deuteronomy 4:31 NIV) For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

(Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. {5} Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

(Deuteronomy 9:3 NIV) But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you.

(Deuteronomy 10:17 NIV) For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

(Deuteronomy 20:1 NIV) When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.

(Deuteronomy 20:4 NIV) For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

(Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV) The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!’

(Joshua 23:3 NIV) You yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you.

(2 Samuel 22:32-34 NIV) For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? {33} It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. {34} He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

(2 Chronicles 30:9 NIV) If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

(Ezra 8:22 NIV) I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”

(Psalms 10:4 NIV) In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

(Psalms 33:11-13 NIV) But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. {12} Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. {13} From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;

(Psalms 37:30-31 NIV) The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. {31} The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

(Psalms 46:1-2 NIV) For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. {2} Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

(Psalms 46:4-5 NIV) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. {5} God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

(Psalms 48:14 NIV) For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

(Psalms 50:6 NIV) And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah

(Psalms 54:4 NIV) Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

(Psalms 59:9-10 NIV) O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, {10} my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

(Psalms 62:7-8 NIV) My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. {8} Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah

(Psalms 68:19-20 NIV) Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah {20} Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

(Psalms 73:26 NIV) My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

(Psalms 84:11-12 NIV) For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. {12} O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

(Psalms 94:22 NIV) But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

(Psalms 116:5 NIV) The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

(Psalms 144:15 NIV) Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

(Proverbs 30:5 NIV) “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

(Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, {2} to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, {3} and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

(Matthew 12:28 NIV) But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

(Matthew 22:32 NIV) ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

(Mark 1:15 NIV) “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

(Luke 7:28 NIV) I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

(Luke 10:9 NIV) Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

(Luke 16:16 NIV) “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

(Luke 17:21 NIV) nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

(John 4:24 NIV) God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

(John 6:33 NIV) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

(Acts 10:34 NIV) Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

(Romans 5:5 NIV) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

(Romans 6:23 NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 7:1 NIV) Do you not know, brothers–for I am speaking to men who know the law–that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?

(Romans 14:17 NIV) For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

(1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV) God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

(1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV) For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

(1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

(1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV) For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,

(2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV) And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

(Galatians 6:7-8 NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. {8} The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

(Ephesians 4:24 NIV) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

(Hebrews 4:12 NIV) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

(Hebrews 11:16 NIV) Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

(Hebrews 13:16 NIV) And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

(1 John 1:5 NIV) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

(1 John 4:7-9 NIV) Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. {8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. {9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

(1 John 4:16 NIV) And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

(Revelation 21:3 NIV) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Source

In the scripture, we see God as a number of entities. He is the embodiment of hope. He is the being of faith. He is the creator. He is the destroyer. He is the pacifist. He is the warrior. He is the just. He is the malevolent. he is the humble. He is the jealous.

In the scripture, particularly following the acts in Egypt and Mount Sinai, we see God as more of a philosophy than a deity. He goes from being a being of celestial might to being a thought. It's almost as if he doesn't exist but in the mind of the follower.

Intriguingly enough, as many theologists have discovered, this is common in religion. We see it in names such as "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma," "Allah," "Ra," "Odin," "Ashur," "Izanagi," "Viracocha," "Ahura Mazda," and "the Great Spirit".

However, I did find something I found very interesting last month. It is called the Enuma Elis[h], and is an ancient Babylonian set of tablets, dictating creation in itself. The one that stands out the most is the first tablet.

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1. When in the height heaven was not named,

2. And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name,

3. And the primeval Apsû, who begat them,

4. And chaos, Tiamat, the mother of them both,—

5. Their waters were mingled together,

6. And no field was formed, no marsh was to be seen;

7. When of the gods none had been called into being,

8. And none bore a name, and no destinies [were ordained];

9. Then were created the gods in the midst of [heaven],

p. 4 p. 5

10. Lahmu and Lahamu were called into being [...].

11. Ages increased, [...],

12. Then Anshar and Kishar were created, and over them [...].

13. Long were the days, then there came forth [...]

14. Anu, their son, [...]

15. Anshar and Anu [...]

16. And the god Anu [...]

17. Nudimmud, whom his fathers [his] begetters [...]

18. Abounding in all wisdom, [...]

19. He was exceeding strong [...]

20. He had no rival [...]

21. (Thus) were established and [were ... the great gods (?)].

p. 6 p. 7

22 . But T[iamat and Âpsû] were (still) in confusion [...],

23. They were troubled and [...]

24. In disorder(?) ... [...]

26. And Tiamat roared [...]

25. Apsû was not diminished in might [...]

27. She smote, and their deeds [...]

28. Their way was evil ... [...] ...

29. Then Apsû, the begetter of the great gods,

30. Cried unto Mummu, his minister, and said unto him:

31. "O Mummu, thou minister that rejoicest my spirit,

32. "Come, unto Tiamat let us [go]!"

33. So they went and before Tiamat they lay down,

34. They consulted on a plan with regard to the gods [their sons].

35. Apsû opened his mouth [and spake],

p. 8 p. 9

36. And unto Tiamat, the glistening one, he addressed [the word]:

37. "[...] their way [...],

38. "By day I cannot rest, by night [I cannot lie down (in peace)].

39. "But I will destroy their way, I will [...],

40. "Let there be lamentation, and let us lie down (again in peace)."

41. When Tiamat [heard] these words,

42. She raged and cried aloud [...].

43. [She ...] grievously [...],

44. She uttered a curse, and unto [Apsû she spake]:

45. "What then shall we [do]?

46. "Let their way be made difficult, and let us [lie down (again) in peace]."

47. Mummu answered, and gave counsel unto Apsû,

48. [...] and hostile (to the gods) was the counsel Mu[mmu gave]:

p. 10 p. 11

49. "Come, their way is strong, but thou shalt destroy [it];

50. "Then by day shalt thou have rest, by night shalt thou lie down (in peace)."

51. Apsû [hearkened unto] him and his countenance grew bright,

52. [Since] he (i.e. Mummu) planned evil against the gods his sons.

53. [...] he was afraid [...],

54. His knees [became weak(?)], they gave way beneath him,

55. [Because of the evil] which their first-born had planned.

56. [...] their [...] they altered(?).

58. Lamentation [...] they sat in [sorrow] '

57. [...] they [...],

59. [...]

p. 12 p. 13

60. Then Ea, who knoweth all that [is], went up and he beheld their muttering.

61. [...]

62. [...] ... his pure incantation

63. [...] ... [...]

64. [...]

65. [...] misery

66. [...]

67. [...]

[Lines 68-82 are wanting.]

83. [...]

84 [...] ...

85. [...] the god Anu,

86. [... an aven]ger.

87. [...]

88. [...] and he shall confound Tiamat.

89. [...] he ...

90. [...] for ever.

91. [...] the evil,

p. 14 p. 15

92. [...] ... he spake:

93. "[...] thy [...] he hath conquered and

94. " [...] he [weepeth] and sitteth in tribulation(?).

95. "[...] of fear,

96. "[...] we shall not lie down (in peace).

97. "[...] Apsû is laid waste(?),

98. "[...] and Mummu, who were taken captive, in [...]

99. "[...] thou didst, ...

100. "[...] let us lie down (in peace).

101. "[...] ... they will smite (?) [...].

102. " [...] let us lie down (in peace).

103. "[...] thou shalt take vengeance for them,

104. "[...]unto the tempest shalt thou [...]!"

105. [And Tiamat hearkened unto] the word of the bright god, (and said):

p. 16 p. 17

106. "[...] shalt thou entrust! let us wage [war]!"

107. [...] the gods in the midst of [...]

108. [...] for the gods did she create.'

109. [They banded themselves together and] at the side of Tiamat [they] advanced;

110. [They were furious, they devised mischief without resting] night and [day].

111. [They prepared for battle], fuming and raging;

112. [They joined their forces] and made war.

113. [Ummu-Hubu]r, who formed all things,

114. [Made in addition] weapons invincible, she spawned monster-serpents,

115. [Sharp of] tooth, and merciless of fang;

116. [With poison instead of] blood she filled [their] bodies.

117. Fierce [monster-vipers] she clothed with terror,

118. [With splendour] she decked them, [she made them] of lofty stature.

119. [Whoever beheld] them, terror overcame him,

120. Their bodies reared up and none could withstand [their attack].

p. 18 p. 19

121. [She set] up vipers, and dragons, and the (monster) [Lahamu],

122. [And hurricanes], and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,

123. And mighty [tempests], and fish-men, and[rams];

124. [They bore] cruel weapons, without fear of [the fight].

125. Her commands [were mighty], [none] could resist them;

126. After this fashion, huge of stature, [she made] eleven (monsters).

127. Among the gods who were her sons, inasmuch as he had given [her support],

128. She exalted Kingu; in their midst [she raised] him [to power].

129. To march before the forces, to lead [the host],

130. To give the battle-signal, to advance to the attack,

p. 20 p. 21

131. To direct the battle, to control the fight,

132. Unto him she entrusted; in [costly raiment] she made him sit, (saying):

133. "I have uttered thy spell, in the assembly of the gods I have raised thee to power.

134. "The dominion over all the gods [have I entrusted unto him].

135. "Be thou exalted, thou my chosen spouse,

136. "May they magnify thy name over all [of them ... the Anunnaki]."

137. She gave him the Tablets of Destiny, on [his] breast she laid them, (saying):

138. "Thy command shall not be without avail, and[the word of thy mouth shall be established]."

139. Now Kingu, (thus) exalted, having received [the power of Anu],

140. [Decreed] the fate among the gods his sons, (saying):

141. "Let the opening of your mouth [quench] the Fire-god;

142. "Whoso is exalted in the battle, let him [display (his) might]!"

Source

What does this sound like? Genesis.

This raises the next question. Did Hebrew theology derive from Babylonian theology? It is highly possible, given that they were in the close vicinity of one another, and intriguingly enough, were right at the same location where life is said to have founded, according to religious text. And in both cultures, the deity is seen to be a being who while loving is very intolerant of those who do not follow his law.

So can God be loving while punishing? It depends. If I scold a child for an action, do I do it out of love or out of anger? It varies.

So then, why would a God who creates a race he loves punish it with sickness and bloodshed? Well, that's Genesis. Again. Some say it's free will. Some say it is the result of God's plan of the future, to test our faith, to test to see if we will stand by him in Armageddon.

And some....say it's for Adam's sin.

I can't say for certain, to be honest. I'm not religious by any means, but I do love to see how all this started. My idea is that God is just a philosophical manifestation of hope, grief, and fear. It's a being we look to when we feel nothing else is there, to feel we have someone by our side when times get rough. An imaginary friend, almost, or what a new trend has labeled a "tulpa".

It is definitely a finicky topic. I don't know the answers at all, only my view.

I'll probably edit this at some point when I'm not tired, though. Just fyi.

[Goldy301]

I'm a catholic.

And I don't think that in the bible mentioned about the sickness and cancer or whatever.

To us,we don't believe that the god we believe won't do that. Gods that put cancer to people or something is not catholic.

Ask me anything,I do know lots of stuff of catholic. Btw,did you find it in the website? You shouldn't trust them.

God is love and hope. Not a destroyer. Just to let you know,everything happens for a reason.

[Charcoal]

I'm trying to come up with some answer that might help.
I'm trying not to say things that might make you think even more that "God is a psycho".

Umm...it's probably just a learning experience: A learning experience for the sick person to have a brighter outlook on life maybe, or somebody else. Someone else might look at that how that person is battling and enduring their disease or sickness and may be inspired to do better.

I wonder if this has something to do with Totalbiscuit now having cancer, maybe? I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be upset about this. I'm sure he wants you to learn from him and how he is now fighting his cancer so that you can be a better person.

That's all I've got to say.


EDIT: Also, to add to that, it's not the events that define us. It's how we respond to them that define us.

[#4715]

I don't want to derail the topic because this is a legitimately interesting and serious discussion. I just wanted to make a post in response to:

I wonder if this has something to do with Totalbiscuit now having cancer, maybe? I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be upset about this. I'm sure he wants you to learn from him and how he is now fighting his cancer so that you can be a better person.

TB is fighting cancer because he wants to stay alive. You can tell that based on the way he's talked about his cancer's recurrence (mainly on his Twitter). Very few people probably think "I'm fighting this disease so I can be an example" instead of "I kind of don't want to die right now." Again, sorry for derailing the post, it just really irks me when people assume someone else's feelings or motivations without any evidence or context.

[Kimonio]

I actually found my side from analysing scripture itself. I'm a baptist gone renegade who is now an agnostic atheist.

However, God's will itself befuddles me. Why allow evil in a universe dictated by your words? A being without limit to power could surely eliminate all suffering, or even undo an action(I.e. eating the fruit of knowledge) without breaking a sweat. This on its own put me in days of thought, where I'd spend my off days from college literally sitting in my room thinking.

Depending on what your denomination is, you believe differently. However, the reason for this is because one denomination favors particular scripture over another, such as how southern Baptists love the ♥♥♥♥ out of fire and brimstone while the Methodists I've met were deep logical worshippers, very progressive and liberal.

To my extent of knowledge, Catholicism abides by the new testament, believing an act overrides the past in its entirety. They also follow a moral code founded on sainthood, believing that one christened for their devotion has confided within themselves the embodiment of Yeshua's spirit? Depending on what kind of catholic you are, you believe different. Roman orthodox, for example, disapproves of graven images, such as Mary or Jesus in a painting, as it breaks the commandment written on the summit.

Back to the topic of God's will, though, one clear difference we witness is his direct involvement in Israel and Egypt in the old testament. In the gospels, which act as a bridge, we see Christ, who is almost mystical with his miracles. Unlike his supposed father, however, he does not blast craters into the earth, swallow tribes in earthquakes for paganism, nor take the lives of children(there was also a lot of gangrape justified in scripture as God's will to prosper the tribes of Israel). And from the crucifixion until the final text of Paul....2 Thessalonians I think, we see........nothing? Nothing. God disappears. He doesn't exist. He is mentioned, but never sets foot among men again. He's preached of, certainly, sometimes to what could be labeled the birth of conservative and liberal mindsets(Paul versus Peter). But if you can find one act of God, skipping Revelation, in the new testament, trust me when I say I'd be shocked. I'm still looking.

To narrow it down, barbaric God exists in the old testament. In the gospels, a supposed son walks the earth, acting almost as a philosophical Buddhist(his concept of morality and faith mirrors it even, when you add in the missing years). And from the death on, God becomes a thought, an ideology, to where he is either used in conquest or conversion.

And then we look to Revelation, lastly. The epic battle between good and evil. Yahweh versus Masatan. The creator versus the destroyer......who ironically can't act without being told to by the creator(see the book of Job). He that created free will versus that which supports it.

So.....my question is why allow evil in a world to become good? Why allow evil to exist? What even is evil? Is evil relative to construct or a set moral standard?

[Charcoal]

I don't want to derail the topic because this is a legitimately interesting and serious discussion. I just wanted to make a post in response to:

I wonder if this has something to do with Totalbiscuit now having cancer, maybe? I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be upset about this. I'm sure he wants you to learn from him and how he is now fighting his cancer so that you can be a better person.

TB is fighting cancer because he wants to stay alive. You can tell that based on the way he's talked about his cancer's recurrence (mainly on his Twitter). Very few people probably think "I'm fighting this disease so I can be an example" instead of "I kind of don't want to die right now." Again, sorry for derailing the post, it just really irks me when people assume someone else's feelings or motivations without any evidence or context.

I just received that advice today and thought sharing it would help.
I tried
Sigh...this is why I am a social isolate.

[Raz]

This post by Raz was thumbed up by:

Harmless (October 17th, 2015, 12:51 pm)

[Megar]

Lovely. Time to get my fedora and become euphoric.

...In all seriousness, it's this very reason I cannot believe in any god. I fail to comprehend the very idea that a supposedly 'benevolent' being would allow such things to exist in the world. The evil of people? Yes, I can understand allowing that - free will is an important thing, I would imagine. But things like cancer? Why? There's no reason I can think of.

Just to let you know,everything happens for a reason.

A reason? Everything happens for a reason? I don't understand what you're saying here. What reason could any benevolent, all-powerful being have to give innocent people cancer? To put a timer on their lives for doing nothing?

Until someone - anyone - can answer that for me, I don't think I'll ever quite get it.

[Kimonio]

In my honest opinion, it is entirely plausible that God may not be omnipotent as we expected, and has an opposing force to balance his deeds. In reverence to the creator, we see him as good, like an American would idolize a celebrity or president regardless of their acts. This itself is disastrous.

Is it possible that while God may have made the first sin, to keep him from seeking revenge on the world, he has an opponent, aka Satan, to pin the blame on? I mean, let's be honest, has Satan ever done anything on his own terms?

Not saying Satan is God, but I've always found it stupid to put everything on a guy who doesn't give a ♥♥♥♥.