A few Qs

[ztodd]

Putting your faith in God doesn't mean that God has to design purposes for everything.

Personally, I think He just stays out of most things.

I basically agree with that concept- that he allows things to happen, and allows us to make our choices and enjoy or suffer the consequences of them.

[Vort]

Does everything happen for a reason?

Of course. We live in a causal universe, despite what Star Trek says.

Is everything that happens directed by God?

Clearly not so, or we would have to suppose that God directs evil actions.

Is everything, therefore, the way it should be?

I don't understand your use of "therefore". In what sense are you drawing a conclusion from a premise or premises?

Ignoring the "therefore", I cannot answer your question until you clarify what you mean by "the way it should be". If you mean that, should I swing an axe down onto your skull, "the way it should be" is that you have an axe buried in your cranium -- then yes, everything is the way it should be. On the other hand, if you mean "morally ideal end conditions", then the answer is obviously "no", trivially so, almost by definition.

[RipplecutBuddha]

Does everything happen for a reason?

Is everything that happens directed by God?

Is everything, therefore, the way it should be?

Does everything happen for a reason? Yes, because something or someone caused it to happen.

Is everything that happens directed by God? No, because evil is clearly prevalant in the world. God gave us the gift of agency, or the freedom to think and act for ourselves.

Is everything, therefore, the way it should be? No, not at all. Not even close. However, everything is the way it is because we, not God, have made it that way.

Look at the suffering in the world. Consider all the atrocities that we have put upon ourselves throughout history. Can any person think that a loving, caring God wants these miserable conditions and horrible events to be a part of the world he has created for His children? Instead, can we think that a loving, caring God wants such things to be removed from the lives of his children? If so, why does he not remove them himself?

The answer can be found in the attempts of the infant in learning to walk. From the first attempt failure is certain, yet the loving, caring parents of the infant allow the failure, and the frustration that comes with failure, to be a part of their infant's life. Why? Because it is through our failures that we learn to succeed.

God has given us a powerful gift in being able to think and act for ourselves. He knew then that such a powerful gift would be both a blessing and a curse to us here on the earth. Why did he allow it? Because he knew the blessings of succeeding with the gift far outweighed the consequences of not having the gift in the first place.

Without the risk of failure, there is no reward in success.

[Snow]

Is everything that happens directed by God?

Do you imagine it possible that God is an accomplice in murder, rape, grand theft auto, hooliganism and other crimes and misdemeanors?

Do you believe that God is moral?

[Snow]

Sorry - just notices this is an old thread.

[Snow]

I want to say sorry one more time.

[Snow]

I need the extra stats for the holiday season.