Is God really there?

[naomi24]

This follows on from a conversation with Lonnie. So many people the world over are praying for the safe return of the little girl abducted in Portugal. If God really exists and if he does personally take care of us, couldn't he at least have put a handy brick in the culprit's path ensuring that he'd trip and break a leg to prevent him from carrying out his plan to take her? I don't say hit him with a bolt of lightening - just a relatively minor accident would have been enough to keep her safe. Men may have free will, but little children are completely helpless against adults, so where was God when this happened - and why wasn't he looking out for this poor little mite?

[Theland]

jackthehat - In your last paragraph you requested an example of what I presume to be prophecy? If I understand you correctly, then I would suggest that the whole history of Israel was foretold in the Bible. There are many sites and books dealing with the subject, which is too vast a subject to detail here. Suffice to say that the formation of the state of Israel in1948 was prophecy fulfilled.

[jackthehat]

Completely incorrect, Theland.

I asked for examples 'after the fact' where it had become clear just what God's plan had been...........

James Bulger; Caroline Hogg; Sarah Maxwell; Jason Swift; Jeanette Tate; Lesley Ann Down; Keith Bennett; Sarah Harper; Lesley Moleseed; Adam Unknown; Victoria Climbie; Maria Caldwell; Jasmine Beckford.............

and they are only ones off the top of my head. Surely you ought to be able to make a stab of explaining how their tragic stories reveal God's great plan. Or is this where the trump card about 'passing all understanding' gets played ?

[Theland]

jackthehat - No, I'm not going to worm out of an answer if I haven't got one that will satisfy you.
All of the evil you refer to, are just the tip of the iceberg of the totality of evil.
According to the Bible, this world is under the dominion of Satan, the evil one, and Christ came to redeem it from his authority. The point is, evil still dominates, but but will not ultimately triumph.

[wizard69]

Theland...WHY is the world under the dominion of Satan?

[Maisie Doats]

It is interesting to note that the parents of Maddie, in spite of their terrible, terrible distress, are themselves visiting the local church everyday and praying and asking God for help in finding Maddie and for her safe return.

It seems that despite the pain they are going through they have not once turned against God or blamed Him for their beloved Daughter's abduction.

They (and Maddie) are the most involved people in all this.
yet they are still able to ask for God's help. Their faith should be an example to us all.

[naomi24]

Hello Maisie, they might be asking for god's help, but they're not getting it are they, so why should their faith be an example to us all?

[MartyW]

I'm an Atheist, I do not personally believe there is a god, I believe in science, but I respect what other people believe and won't go about saying 'you're an idiot he's not real'.

I believe God and other 'religiousy' things were created all those years ago to provide answers to the inexplicable. - To prevent chaos.

In modern times however, there are now answers to these things and they can be explained scientifically. to put it simply, - A god is not needed.

As for little Madeleine going missing, thats just because there are some horrible people out there.

[Grandpappy]

Why don't you listen to John Lennon's "Imagine" ?
Life CAN be so simple!
If we want it to be...do we??
Grandpappy

[naomi24]

If only, grandpappy, if only.

Maisie, an answer would be appreciated.

[Theland]

John Lemmon? Yuck! And they ruined a perfectly good airport to name it after this fool, (... on a hill ...)

[naomi24]

Theland, why is it so wrong to wish for a world of peace and harmony? If you aren't doing that, aren't you as bad as the rest who are contributing to the misery and suffering on this planet? Tell me what's wrong with this ideology?

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

[luna-tic]

I've just watched "The U.S. vs John Lennon" DVD.
It seems he was allowed to sing about things that mattered but not allowed to live it or act upon it.
Maybe his message had just as much, if not more resonance with the public than the guy put on the cross.
If you speak you're mind and it has a profound effect on the way people think to the point where they are idolised then they are quickly done away with.

[naomi24]

Hi Luna, I haven't seen that. It sounds like a conspiracy theory movie. Is it? Please tell me about it.

I think Lennon's message probably did have a more profound effect on his generation than the message of Jesus - although having said that I don't think we should blame Jesus. His message was fine until meddling men decided to meddle! They must shoulder the blame for the confusion there, don't you think? What a sad bunch. We have people proclaiming to be Christians and yet so spiteful and hateful towards their fellow man that the concept of Christianity within them just doesn't gel, does it? What do you think Grandpappy?

Luna, I would really love to have a proper one to one discussion with you. Our ideas seem to be so similar.

[luna-tic]

Hello Naomi, The Lennon DVD is a documentary and shows just how worried the U.S. presidency were at the power of music and of course the people that John was mixing with and even funding at the time: Black Panthers(African American Liberation) and activists against the Vietnam War or indeed, any war.
It would be great to have a one to one discussion with you Naomi but Answerbank obviously isn't the right space to use and I'm afraid I only have one humble email address that includes my real I.D. so being a complete dunce with computers, I'm not sure how we could go about that?
Do you know?

[naomi24]

Hi Luna, try this. Hope it works.

[email protected]

If you're with BT and don't want to divulge your identity, let me know on this AB thread and I'll talk you through setting up a new address.

[naomi24]

Luna, is everything ok?

[luna-tic]

Naomi, I sent another email last night, did you receive it?
Or has Spam sent it elsewhere?
:0)