Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So we read yet another news article about the corruption and abuse by church leaders.
The catholic church is rife with sexual abuse of children but it would appear there are many other churches led by disgusting paedophiles hell bent on using the positions of power to prey on the weak, vulnerable and young.
How can this so-called loving, omnipotent god allow this to continue?
He gave us a mind (brain) in which to think, apparently some think with there and shouldn't have been given a brain. God didn't do this. However, if we prefer to not have a brain and be independent but dependent, then yes, it's God's fault. He should never have allowed man the ability to think for himself.
look3467: That's some choice, all right. One can either "love God" or be condemned. It isn't hard to see where Stalin got his style of ruling, since he had studied to be a priest. I cannot "love" a deity I don't believe in, and this one seems particularly unlikable (let alone lovable) in any case. Thanks but no thanks.
Dear friend, the only condemnation is in not accessing God's blessings while yet on earth.
Otherwise, your soul has already been purchased and the sole ownership of it is Jesus.
That was done unconditionally.
Jesus never hurt you any anyway possible as a deity, as a matter of fact, the bible states He subjected Himself to all the human abuse on His way to the cross.
If that wasn't love in your behalf, then there is absolutely none at all in all this world.
When, if the time should come that many of us could experience the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, we would be so humbled and so, so appreciative of His unmerited love that we would be willing to give up our lives just for Him.
One thing to to be noted, is that when one has committed to give up this world for Him, it is only done in the same realm of love as He did His.
Hence: "Love thy enemies"!
Tell me, does non belief in God make such a statement as that?
It is no longer an "eye for and eye, tooth for tooth", but rather love the enemies.
Without the power of God indwelling, such a thing could not be accomplished in the physical.
Again, your choice which He freely gave us without eternal cost, yet with only temporary loss of blessing while in this temporary life on earth.
True! But what a difference when it hits home, right?
Then would the tears come.
Therefore, our objective as a society, is to enact laws that govern and justice implemented, as a matter of our been give sovereignty over our own affairs.
When we become so busy with our own personal prosperity, we tend to forget the rest of the world and allow it to fester up it's own evil ways.
There will always be evil by the mere fact that you and I have the ability to make choices, and depending on those choices, evil can be checked, and good prosper.
He should never have allowed man the ability to think for himself>>> actonbell
If that were the case, then why would you even bother to exist?
But since you do exist, His gift to you and I is that we should be made in His like image.
The image is: the ability to know both the good and the evil potential of our choices.
The power in us is measured by the measure of Gods love in us and of the evil restraint in the midst of the trial.
You've read in the bible about the temptation of Jesus?
He was offered the whole world, had He but just bow to its desires, yet the love for the Father....... He restrained Himself all the way and unto the subjection of the cross that in so doing, He would have taken away for all of us its power over us.
So guess what? You are now free to have your cake and eat it to.
If this worlds goods are what you want to believe and trust in, then that is a freely given option, but the power over it to become victorious, you must be in the power of Jesus.
That is the object of His coming in the first place, that in Him we should have victory over this world, where no victory could be had save God Himself achieving it for us.
What a wonderful and loving God, if we but could just sample it for a moment, we should never again choose the world.
He should never have allowed man the ability to think for himself>>> actonbell
If that were the case, then why would you even bother to exist?
But since you do exist, His gift to you and I is that we should be made in His like image.
The image is: the ability to know both the good and the evil potential of our choices.
The power in us is measured by the measure of Gods love in us and of the evil restraint in the midst of the trial.
You've read in the bible about the temptation of Jesus?
He was offered the whole world, had He but just bow to its desires, yet the love for the Father....... He restrained Himself all the way and unto the subjection of the cross that in so doing, He would have taken away for all of us its power over us.
So guess what? You are now free to have your cake and eat it to.
If this worlds goods are what you want to believe and trust in, then that is a freely given option, but the power over it to become victorious, you must be in the power of Jesus.
That is the object of His coming in the first place, that in Him we should have victory over this world, where no victory could be had save God Himself achieving it for us.
What a wonderful and loving God, if we but could just sample it for a moment, we should never again choose the world.
Blessings, AJ
Blessings AJ
All good for me to you but one small detail. "Free to have our cake and eat it too?"
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
The 60's and 70's generation promoted, 'if it feels good do it' mentality and it has stuck and has never gone away. We've taken the consequences out and have replaced it with, 'do whatever makes you feel good to do'. And for many, they take that and run too far with it.
Last edited by Ellis Bell; 03-28-2011 at 12:25 AM..
Reason: past tense
The 60's and 70's generation promoted, 'if it feels good do it' mentality and it has stuck and has never gone away. We've taken the consequences out and have replaced it with, 'do whatever makes you feel good to do'. And for many, they take that and run too far with it.
This is a pretty broad statement.
The baby boomers and generation x (their children) are the ones that are the majority nearing the end of their lives and adopting religion that they obviously grew up with.
Education in the good ol' 50's was replaced by an ever increasing science curriculum. What you see is in fact is less reliance of the old ways of doing things and adapting to a newer cultural lifestyle.
However, the whole premise of your argument fails as the obvious just do it plethora of sins in the US cannot be carried out by the small minority of non believers and atheists.
We are constantly reminded of your awesome majority and then when we point out this self same awesome majority do in fact propotionally support the porn industry, the alcohol and other industries, the prison population we are told they are not true believers.
The reality is that your religion really does NOT affect the populace as claimed.
Now when you break down the other demographic, you find they function quite fine, have less divorces etc. w/o adherence to the xian doctrines.
This does seem to suggest the heathen have better morals and ethics than the awesome majority do.
All good for me to you but one small detail. "Free to have our cake and eat it too?"
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
The 60's and 70's generation promoted, 'if it feels good do it' mentality and it has stuck and has never gone away. We've taken the consequences out and have replaced it with, 'do whatever makes you feel good to do'. And for many, they take that and run too far with it.
I remember that statement from the 70's didn't realize it was from the 60's also. I don't feel this was the cause of a moral decline as much as taking prayer out of school back in 1962, society has gotten further and further away from God and we will continue to see this decline sadly enough.
The baby boomers and generation x (their children) are the ones that are the majority nearing the end of their lives and adopting religion that they obviously grew up with.
Education in the good ol' 50's was replaced by an ever increasing science curriculum. What you see is in fact is less reliance of the old ways of doing things and adapting to a newer cultural lifestyle.
However, the whole premise of your argument fails as the obvious just do it plethora of sins in the US cannot be carried out by the small minority of non believers and atheists.
We are constantly reminded of your awesome majority and then when we point out this self same awesome majority do in fact propotionally support the porn industry, the alcohol and other industries, the prison population we are told they are not true believers.
The reality is that your religion really does NOT affect the populace as claimed.
Now when you break down the other demographic, you find they function quite fine, have less divorces etc. w/o adherence to the xian doctrines.
This does seem to suggest the heathen have better morals and ethics than the awesome majority do.
The 60's and 70's ( I know as I lived it 1963 is the end of the boomer time). It is of that era that the children (me) said to their parents....'just because you, mom and dad, are living you're life a certain way and think it is right to do so, do not expect us, your children to turn out, just like you! We have our own mind, and our own way, be it right or wrong, we go now to live our lives the way we see fit. Sorry ma, sorry pa, we're just not going to be like you.'
And that idea has transferred over time, and I say this, because I have three children of my own and because I do not want them to be just like me, I raised them with the rebellion in mind, to be 'free independent thinkers'.
(The Holy Spirit is strong, He will snatch them up and they need not a church to help them find God. He will come to them and show himself to them multiple times; it is but up to them whether or not to believe that which they see. I believe that with all my heart. I do not have to do anything, but live my life and put forth the example; I am free to do so.)
The Beetles were the number one rock group of that era. Was it John Lennon that said?, 'if Christ was to come back and we have a concert playing that day, every one will come to see us, rather than Christ'. (the 70's & 80's) Now people took that statement and ran with it saying, oh they are now comparing themselves to Christ now. NO. That is not what he said. He spoke of popularity. What was popular at that time. The Beetles were a world wide hit! Christ, not so much.
And you think it is because of Science! Science was for the geeks. There were not that many geeks among us.
Whatever label we wish to put on people and label them, be it Christian, Jew, Atheist...Islam...whatever...
If we can not see the 'free independent thinkers' of today that came from the era of the 60's and the 70's, then people are just hard pressed to be putting on the labels to that which society is use too.
We are not labels! We are society as a whole; the gears that keeps time moving forward.
"If it feels good do it", tabled over was taken from that era to pushed us on through.
If it feels good to be an auto maker, do it.
If it feels good to be a brick layer, do it.
If it feels good to be a musician, do it.
If it feels good to be a writer and a poet, do it.
Just because dad is a brick layer, or dad has had a lumber business for 40 years...does not mean that son, is going to be around for dad.
If it feels good to sit around on your but all day and smoke pot...do it. If it feels good to party and inviting all the neighborhood...do it.
If it feels good to not give thought to ones future, do it....
Some examples that I gave there is the extreme, less positive feedback. (as in all things a positive and negative)
Nike slogan, "Do It" I know where that ad person, got their idea from. They took the positive out of it so as to sell shoes. If we want to know what society is thinking as a whole, watch the ad campaigns and how they are presented.
We don't use "Buy cotton, it is American made" any more. And Ford, does not use "it's American tough" any more....
I keep coming back to the statement on science. I'm sorry, I just don't see that in peer pressure to be or not to be....a believer in Christ our Lord. We're just not that smart, like we ever were.
I've heard that about the ones in prison that you refer to and I, imho the people speaking it, are 'trying' to be intellectuals. I am rebellious to a fault, in that I don't agree and I doubt I will ever agree with those that put themselves on an intellectual scale and try to sell it, top grade. They're not that smart either.
The divorce rate is because there are less (not more) marriageable, men and women out there. It just is that's all. The value placed on a life time commitment has diminished. And we can speculate on the reason for that all day long. But I will say, it's because, throw away and recycle is for more than just plastic bottles and aluminum cans. (well, the neighbors go to church andthey got a divorce, then so can I, ideas that change us. what we learn, we learn from watching each other, not from a science lab book, our principle beliefs change as those around us change and we follow suit, because it is just easier that way?)
Part of being a rebel, is keeping Christ by my side and God at the head of my life. A rebel I will always, be. A rebel against God, no, not ever; if JOB can, do it, so can I.
All good for me to you but one small detail. "Free to have our cake and eat it too?"
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
The 60's and 70's generation promoted, 'if it feels good do it' mentality and it has stuck and has never gone away. We've taken the consequences out and have replaced it with, 'do whatever makes you feel good to do'. And for many, they take that and run too far with it.
I assumed the "Free to have our cake and eat it too?" would be taken as having life in the flesh as the cake and the free gift of live forever as eating it to.
For many who just believe this life is all there is have only the cake, (the flesh) but have not eaten of the life giving grace of God. (spirit)
Hope that helps?
Blessings, AJ
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
and shouldn't have been given a brain. God didn't do this. However, if we prefer to not have a brain and be independent but dependent, then yes, it's God's fault. He should never have allowed man the ability to think for himself. 
