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December 14th, 2012
06:17 PM ET
Massacre of children leaves many asking, 'Where’s God?'By Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editors (CNN) – As he waited with parents who feared that their kids were among the 20 children killed at a Connecticut elementary school on Friday, Rabbi Shaul Praver said the main thing he could do for parents was to merely be present. “It’s a terrible thing, families waiting to find out if their children made it out alive,” said Praver, who leads a synagogue in Newtown, Connecticut, and was among nine clergy gathered with parents at a firehouse near Sandy Hook Elementary School, where the shooting occurred. “They’re going to need a lot of help,” Praver said of those who are close to the dead. From the first moments after Friday’s massacre, which also left six adults and the shooter dead, religious leaders were among the first people to whom worried and grieving families turned for help. Over the weekend, countless more Americans will look to clergy as they struggle to process a tragedy in which so many of the victims were children. “Every single person who is watching the news today is asking ‘Where is God when this happens?’” says Max Lucado, a prominent Christian pastor and author based in San Antonio. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Lucado says that pastors everywhere will be scrapping their scheduled Sunday sermons to address the massacre. “You have to address it - you have to turn everything you had planned upside down on Friday because that’s where people’s hearts are,” Lucado says. “The challenge here is to avoid the extremes – those who say there are easy answers and those who say there are no answers.” Indeed, many religious leaders on Friday stressed that the important thing is for clergy to support those who are suffering, not to rush into theological questions. A University of Connecticut professor on Friday hung up the phone when asked to discuss religious responses to suffering, saying, “This is an immense tragedy, and you want an academic speculating on the problem of evil?” “There is no good answer at that time that anyone can hear and comprehend and take in,” said Ian T. Douglas, the bishop for the Episcopal diocese of Connecticut, referring to counseling family and friends of the dead. “They’re crying out from a place of deep pain.” Praver, the rabbi, will join a memorial service Friday night at Newtown’s St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church. “We’re going to have a moment of prayer for the victims,” Praver said of the service. “We cannot let it crush our spirit and we march on.” Some national religious groups are also sending staff to Newtown, with 10 chaplains dispatched from the North Carolina-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association on Friday. Public officials including President Obama, meanwhile, turned to the Bible in responding to the shooting. “In the words of Scripture, 'heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds,' ” Obama said from the White House, citing the book of Psalms. On Twitter, #PrayForNewton became a trending topic. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Some religious leaders argue that modern American life insulates much of the nation from the kind of senseless death and suffering that plagues much of the world every day. “Most of the world, for most of the world’s history, has known tragedy and trauma in abundance,” wrote Rob Brendle, a Colorado pastor, in a commentary for CNN’s Belief Blog after this summer’s deadly shooting in Aurora, Colorado, which left 12 dead. “You don’t get nearly the same consternation in Burundi or Burma, because suffering is normal to there,” wrote Brendle, who pastored congregants after a deadly shooting at his church five years ago. “For us, though, God has become anesthetist-in-chief. To believe in him is to be excused from bad things.” My Take: This is where God was in Aurora Lucado said there was an eerie irony for the Connecticut tragedy coming just before Christmas, noting the Bible says that Jesus Christ’s birth was followed by an order from King Herod to slay boys under 2 in the Roman city of Bethlehem. “The Christmas story is that Jesus was born into a dark and impoverished world,” Lucado says. “His survival was surrounded by violence. The real Christmas story was pretty rough.” Many religious leaders framed Friday’s shooting as evidence for evil in the world and for human free will in the face of a sovereign God. “The Bible tells us the human heart is ‘wicked’ and ‘who can know it?’” the Rev. Franklin Graham said in a statement about the massacre. “My heart aches for the victims, their families and the entire community.” Many religious leaders also said that such tragedies are a good time for lay people to express doubts about God – or anger. “This is a time to go deep and pray,” says Lucado. “If you have a problem with God, shake a fist or two at him. If he’s God, he’s going to answer. And if he’s in control, he’ll find a way to let you know. soundoff (9,195 Responses)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 Next » |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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You only ask when tragedy strikes you. God has been there the whole time. Real question is, where have you been?
God hasn't been any where, ever. Where have you been? Most likely in a church, safely tucked away form intelligent conversation.
No, Huebert. I do not attend church. Never have. In fact I would wager you have been inside a church more than I have. Nice try though.
Well, if god exists, he's keeping a very low profile.
God's a spectator in this sport we call killing ourselves. Thanks god for virtually nothing.
God is real, you just have not the desire to discover him, because you're an abomination.
You need a psychiatrist.
if god has "been there the whole time", then this god you speak of is the abomination.
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
Maybe he cant find us, he s supposed to be everywhere even in that school where those poor kids got slauthered .
Our country has fallen into moral degredation where anything goes, it is always somebody elses' fault. All influenced by a Liberal America, spearheaded by Bollywood. We have gone from the days of Bob Hope and Lucile Ball to J. Foxx where he says the N word over 100 times and Bollywood cheers its' success and it is on track to receive an award. Children grow up learning no repect, no conequences everything they do is ok because we don't want anyones feeling being hurt... Then people wonder how they grow up and become evil. If you don't have the morals to belive something is right or wrong, then this is what society will cultivate.
We need to stop killing children in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Palestine.. That is when god will come and protect our children here at home.. May god protect America and lead up to the right path... Ameen.
Go sell crazy somewhere else... we're all stocked up here.
Only Israeli Jewish children are fair game – right muslim brother?
Where are the gods ? Nowhere. There are none. Get over it. Grow up, and grow a pair.
Don't blame God. You removed Him from school, and guns came in. Then when you reap the fruit of your own liberal politics, you blame it on God.
Who are you talking to?
Randy=stupid.
Wat a load – no one has ever removed god from the schools.
So an all-powerful, omnipotent god can't enter a school building because the children aren't forced to pray to him every day?
we have the power to remove god? I thought he was all powerful...you've been duped.
That's fvcking stupid.
Again, suggesting that God sent that madman into the school because he was displeased about separation of church and state makes God a vert evil one.
I don't get it
I thought god was all powerful, so how come we're powerful enough to 'remove' him?
Not a very good god...
I couldn't have said better. This incident will bring the country together. It's ashame it had to be at the expense our little ones. My heart goes out to all of the parents who lost a child, and may God bless each and everyone of them.
god is that wimpy and impotent, huh?
just call me lucifer- An atheist historian will tell you Christ existed its up to you to believe if Hes the Son of God. I m sure you wont because you are wayyyyyy to smart for the rest of us. your knee will bow to Him just like the rest of us.
Amend,,,To that
So god is basicallly mad and throwing a tantrum like a 2 year old. wow god way to lead by example.
For those who said God does not exist, just look for him, I guarantee you will found Him and you will never be sorry.
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
God is supposed to be in you so you dont feel him something wrong maybe a bad connection?
God is very real. What also is real is that God gives all of us freedom of choice. Why is it when evil/bad things happen we ask where is God? Why is it when things are great, life is good, business is growing, unemployment is down, we don't need God because we are doing great without Him. As a parent, I lost my 20yr old daughter to murder. Easy to blame God, I hold the person that killed my daughter accountable and God will as well. God has held court with the gunman and has welcomed those children into a place where they will never have to worry or be concerned with the Evil that runs rampant in our world today. God gives us all a choice, do terrible things happen with that choice? Absolutely. Parents and society are grieving today with a terrible loss. I have been there and it is difficult to wade through. I am looking at the big picture though, I WILL see my daughter again, she was killed, I grieve, oh and by the way, a court of law found him not guilty, but I guarantee you that God will hold him accountable and still work to save his soul. Is it hocus pocus and a pipe dream you say? No I will say, just Faith.
Where is God!?!?
You might want to consider what happens when God lifts His protective hand.
While this is incredibly awful, things could absolutely get much, much worse.
I think you are right... and sadly it will get worse.
@Steve You're correct. Many don't know their Scriptures. I read Scripture and seen the several of the historical account recorded. This is all very tragic.
What? Where did he lift his hand lately? Is this the part where you imagine some good thing being his fault?
Your god doesn't have a protective hand. Your god doesn't exist, which means he doesn't have hands. Grow up you weak-willed zealot.
Steve,
I want to thank you for your "Pat Robertson-Jerry Falwell" style response.
You encourage me with such a response in 2 ways:
1. In just a few words your comment proves your god does not exist.
2. In those few words, you confirm what many here know...that the Body of Christ does not care for the living.
I am grateful that you define your god so well in so few words, for any "loving, all powerful, all knowing and just" god would not "lift his protective hand." You clarify the fact that your god is immoral, as are you and the Body of Christ.
Bravo!
Where was his "protective hand" to begin with?
@ Safety of the North –
I guess I'm missing a few steps in your logic there... how does this prove there is no God?
You can't have it both ways... either God controls what you do, or things like this can happen. My point about God 'lifting his protective hand' (figurative speech, of course... we know God doesn't have actual hands... sheesh) is that God might be allowing more evil acts to be done for some reason. I didn't say I know that, I'm speculating based on a number of things I'm seeing go on in the country.
There is a pattern Christians should probably recognize which happens over and over again in the Bible. People begin to reject God. God is often patient as this gets worse and worse. Then, eventually, God's patience runs out and he 'give them over,' which means allows them to self-destruct. This often also involves them weakening themselves to such a point a foreign invader comes in and finishes them off. I'm not claiming any kind of omniscience here, just recognizing historical patterns.
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
Thats what he did with those poor kids ?
God doesn't exist. Maybe that is where.
God doesn't exist? Prove it.
Don't have to. Total lack of any proof he does exist is good enough for me.
The burden of porof lies with the people making extraordinary claims – not the people who reject such claims.
How big does the universe have to be, and how much life on Earth do you need before you believe?
@ John
The universe is constantly expanding, and I still don't believe in the talking snake.
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
@T Jacobsohn – And I say pink unicorns with purple polka dots exist. Please prove they don't.
Or is it your contention that any silly, imaginary thing someone claims exists MUST, in fact, exist because you can't prove it doesn't.
What proof would one accept that God exists? Too many of us on both sides of the "belief fence" act as if we have proof when we do not. I happen to believe in God and in His goodness. I understand that others do not. Neither of us can prove the other wrong. That said, I don't understand why there must be all the insults, name calling and condemnation– and it comes from both sides. (To Christians: please consider how you say things to those who do not (yet) believe. Do you hope that they will one day believe, or do you hope that they get the punishment you think they deserve. I hope that it is the former.)
It's not God. It is Satan and this nation is going downhill everyday. You think God told this guy to kill these innocent children???? No, it was Satan and this nation is bowing down to him. The evil that exists in this nation is mind boggling. It is atheists, like you, that fight hard to take God out of everything in this nation. This nation was based on Christian beliefs, but this nation has turned it's back on God. One day, you will have to bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. It doesn't matter whether you believe it or like it, but you'll have to. I feel so sorry for people like you who have no hope.
If you believe in god thats cool but god is not necessary for happiness or morality.
your an idiot....
Satan, huh? Let me see...I bet your idea of evil has to do with whatever you don't like. Bowing down to Satan = 'letting those gays marry' and 'letting women choose abortion' and probably something about liberals.
Bowing down to Satan = getting you religious idiots out of power and moving out of the dark ages. I'll take Satan.
It's "you're," not "your."
Weren't you people supposed to be sucked up into the sky by now?
god must be a wimp to let satan be so powerful.
just call me lucifer- why would God need to stop you? you're just some idiot with a computer. You have no power, you are weak on here and im sure that reflects your physical power as well. lol
We dont have hope for you people thats very sad.
You said nation 6 times.
I am so shocked and deeply saddened by the shooting. I am also angry because this has happened too often AND it will happen again. Why? The reason is Bible and God have been taken out of schools since the 60’s and replaced with the hypothesis of evolution; no, evolution isn’t even a theory! (If you believe I am wrong, please at least read the rest of this letter before making a final decision.)
By removing God, hope has also been removed from children’s hearts for more than 40 years. Instead of teaching children that they are each special, loved, unique and created in God’s image they are taught that we are the accidental product of some mystical & unproven evolutionary process. If we are accidents then our lives therefore have no real purpose. We are just “higher mammals” and the highest law is, “survival of the fittest.” The rise of bullying and disrespect shown by children towards adults and each other attests to this. Furthermore, there were hardly any school shootings like this before the 1960’s. Neither were drug abuse, divorce, and violent crime as rampant in society. There is a dark hopelessness over this land, and it is seen everywhere. Have you noticed how dark even TV & movies have become?
Some will say that we should look to advanced nations like Switzerland for solutions. Good idea. Do you know religious instruction is taught in most Swiss schools? It seems in their pursuit for freedom they have been wise enough NOT to throw God out.
Sadly, shootings like this will happen again, and again, and again – unless God and the sense of worth He teaches is brought back into schools.
God has a good plan and purpose for you, and each individual and nation, but we must claim it. He says:
I know the plans I have for you. Plans not to harm you, but to prosper you and give you a hope and a future. Then you will come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will find Me when you seek Me with all your hearts, and I will return you from the captivity (Jeremiah 29:11-14 – paraphrased).
Our only hope is to seek God again. The founding fathers knew this. That is what made this nation powerful in the first place.
Let the little children come to Jesus in schools so this nation can be returned from this dark captivity.
Amen and Amen!
Bukksh1t. That's all your post is. Bullsh1t. It's you and your NRA, and their assault weapons availability. There are no gods, and no debils. Grow up. Idiot.
>>Let the little children come to Jesus in schools so this nation can be returned from this dark captivity.
Apparently school is a little too dangerous for children, why don't you suggest something else
Taking the bible out of schools is not an answer. Granted it may offer a re-solidification of of morals or ethics, love, the best parts of the bible, I'll grant you that. BUT, I've seen little religious school brats turn out to be the WORST people. Not all but sure are MANY.
It may be in the way its taught, something that makes them feel superior, which may even lead them to be atheists and THEN continue acting as if superior, arrogant, in deviance or rebelliousness as a result of how bible study is taught or something.
My grammar is not good, I'm rush typing but basically the solution is NOT religion, it may be a part, but not completely. This will not fix this.
The solution is in the problem. And the problem is our mainstream culture, something or many things are producing these geeks that do very violent acts, as if they are acting out violent fantasies they read in comic books, super hero movies, TV violence, music genre's, video games... etc. etc.
There's something thats gone totally wrong in our society. Something in our CULTURE. Thats the key – not religion.
So forcing school children to pray to your god every day is going to magically stop a lunatic with guns from entering the school building?
What a load of bullshit. Keep religion out of schools. It changes nothing. All you religious bible babblers are going to claim this is the fault of us following our own constitution. Well, I'm not buying it. It was some deranged individual with a mental problem, it wasn't god getting even with us for "kicking him out of schools" or some such BS.
So your god doesn't save innocent children as payback for not getting prayed to in schools. You are one sick motherfvcker.
Forcing children into believing something to be true is no better than brainwashing them. We must allow new generations to find and form their own decisions on these matters, not try to hook them when they're young like some money-grubbing ad campaigns. If you force someone to believe anything they often times tend to reject it in the end. Faith must come about naturally. If the child wishes to believe in something such as God, he will seek it out.
Wow. You got almost everything wrong that you could. There are more guns available now than in the past. There is more media coverage now than in the past. Lying to children and telling them that a god exists so that they feel special is one of the dumbest arguments I've ever heard.
If you're a crazy Christian, then this was god's will. Anything that happens, no matter what, is god's will.
If you're a rational human being, then you know that there are crazy people out there. Crazy people + guns = dangerous. Simple as that.
very well spoken! now if only every body listens and agrees...
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
powerful killing all over the world is powerful its happening even in your schools with Young kids is that powerful or a weak weak Nation?
Thank you. Well said.
only people who don't know God ask where He is ...
And yet not a single person who claims to know god or "where he is" can prove he exists.
I know where he wasn't today. I guess he's working his "mysterious ways" magic again.
I think I saw him at IHOP this morning.
You are so correct answer. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and foolish person says there is no God.
_ God Is Imaginary ___ http://www.GodIsImaginary.com ___ (visit this website)
And you talked to him lately ask him how is he feeling about the killing in that school .
Where's God?
You kicked him out of the schools, your lives. He is there, but your have denied Him. He gave man FREE WILL – he does not control. A man did this horrible act, not God!
Gun control will not be the answer. A gun cannot kill -a person does; just as a knife doesn't, nor a vehicle driven by an intoxicated person. Plus, you take away guns from legal and responsible citizens, then the only people who will have them will be the criminals. Then how will you defend yourself?
You want to craziness to stop – put God back in your lives and live morally!
There is absolutely no need for any god in order to live morally. People commit crimes for many reason – no god or lack of god involved.
Find morality, respect for life, ethics, for yourself. Don't depend on other things, have the strength and character to do it alone. If each and everyone does this, each one would change or improve or re-solidify what we is in essence a natural attribute that the human species has.
It's only when some or many, like the geek culture, which I suspect this criminal was part of, does that kids are pulled away from that which is natural, they get deviated into thinking violence, guns, like in their geek cultural things are an answer or simply... kewl.
If you could have acted to stop this, despite the gunman's "free will", would you not have had the ethical obligation to do so?
God is a fairy tale. He didn't stop this atrocity for the same reason Harry Potter didn't stop it.
If a god did exist, the excuse that he allowed it because it's "man's free will" is just another reason not to worship such an immoral being.
That won't stop craziness. Believing in god is craziness.
...but note that 20 children have survived the knife attack in China this week, versus 26 dead here... that is the power of a gun in the hands of said mad man.
Hey creepella
Why don't you tell us how we're supposed to put god in our lives and live morally
Every one of you fundidiots has a different answer every time
Let me guess, god's getting even for abortion
You ask where is God? Weren't you all the one who removed God from our schools?
@Limayri Very good point. They took the 10 commandments out of the schools and replaced them with metal detectors.
Exactly!
So god is that kind of azzhole? You don't do what he wants so he lets 19 small children be killed? Sounds like Osama bin Laden to me.
So now he gets even by killing little kids? What a load of crap, Lim. Wake and see the truth. There is no god. There never was a god. It's all made up. Fiction. Myths. Think for a change.
Exactly!
Try not to sound too dumb
Having prayer in school would not have made any difference
I don't know how you people manage to work at a job that requires any intelligence at all. NOBODY has "kicked god out of school," you fvcking moron.
I don't get upset or hurt by any comments here. All I can say to you all, May God Bless you.
Yes, you are right, Limayri. Atheists take Him out of schools, then blame Him when things go wrong. Sorry, you can't have it both ways.
Appears we struck a nerve with ignorance here. Commandments and prayer was removed from public schools. Don't go blaming God now.
Again, do you not realize you're basically saying we're more powerful than god? Hello? We 'removed' him, so he's turned away from us. I didn't realize god was so little that he goes off to sulk like my dog when I put him outside.
If he exists I hope your god sees you making him look small, petty, and dumb.
@;p; A a bit narrow minded and ignorant are we
"Atheists take Him out of schools, then blame Him when things go wrong. Sorry, you can't have it both ways." Are you seriously that stupid? Actually, you don't have to answer that, it's pretty obvious.
@xman,
"They took the 10 commandments out of the schools and replaced them with metal detectors."
If this school had metal detectors, they weren't very effective.
Exactly!!!
It's time people realize if there is a God, he has no plan. I find it impossible that a loving God's plan for 20 of those school kids was to die at the hands of a mad man.
We're on our own.
Fred there is a loving God but do we love him?, he's not obligated to protect us if we do not love and serve him.
@Tonya why are you making god sound like such a dick?
Ton, why should I worship and love a god who allows innocent children to die just to prove the rest of us are "sinners?"
Don't worry. God has a plan. All those kids are now in heaven. That is how He catches the innocent caught up in people's wicked actions. I am so sad for the families, though. He has a plan. There is evidence of Him everywhere, and he gives us free choice. Seek Him and you will find Him. At the right time He will bring His plan to completion, and all those who trusted Him will move up. Those who weren't honest enough to look at their own hands and see incredible design will get their wish: eternal separation from Him. He has a plan.
Oh good, all those children who had to suffer horribly before they died, not to mention all the parents and traumatized children that survived, it's all ok, because god has a plan. God is a monster if he exists. Luckily for us all, he doesn't.
The saddest part about this is that people like T Jacobsohn are able to vote. They don't have a solid grasp on reality. Religion is like a parasite that infects those that lack common sense and critical thinking skills.
If there is a god, he turned his back on this sad nation long ago. Right about the time we turned our backs on him.
I guess somewhere along the way
He must have let us all out to play
Turned his back and all God's children
Crept out the back door
And it's hard to love, there's so much to hate
Hanging on to hope
When there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above say it's much too much too late
...because things were so lovely back in this imagined nostalgic past when he was properly worshiped? Civil war, two World Wars, nuclear bombings? What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun - certainly not violence or suffering.
An omnipotent being who sets up a universe in which thinking being proliferate, grow old, and die (usually in agony, alone, and in fear) is a cosmic sadist.
If schools does not want God to be there, then no rights to ask. God is LOVE!
God is not. period.
Don't you remember? Our country kicked Him out of the schools. We are reaping what we've sown as a country. He never has left, we have left Him....
What a stupid reply.
Kathy, he never was, and never will be. It's all made up, don't you get it yet?
Right because if we had prayer in schools the mad man would have set hsi gun down and this would have never happened?
Is that what you think? Really?
Wow, so prayer in school would have prevented the whole thing??
Lunatic
Kathy, you are an idiot. Nobody has "kicked" god out of school. Anyone is free to pray in schools. People like you are the reason we need to ensure a separation of church and state.
So the all loving God takes his revenge, is that what you're saying?
I love the hyprocracy. He loves me and allows innocent children to die because of a decision the state made.
What a crock.
Are you suggesting God senbt this madman into the school as revenge for separation of church and state?
How very vengeful of him.
Thank you Kathy. You are right.
"Thank you Kathy. You are right."
So because of that your God killed innocent children, that is NOT right.
Luckily religion continues to decline in USA. It's scary to think that people like Kathy and T Jacobsohn could be your neighbors rather than in a looney bin.
if there were a god... he allowed this to happen
if he could have stopped it, he obviously didn't
if he couldn't stop it, why call him a "god"
gun control, ammo control, and annual psyche evals on all gun owners to renew their priviledge to own a firearm.
I own a gun. I've been properly trained to handle a gun. I don't own more than one box of ammo, because it's unnecessary.
My deepest sympathy to the families of these innocent victims.
Amen. So sad.
Where was God?
...Right there...pulling that trigger...
If you are Christian you should know the answer, god gives people free will, no matter what. If you don't believe in god believe what you want.
God only gets credit for the good things. All bad things happen because of free will.
John Thomas ..............you claim that GOD was there pulling the trigger, so sorry to hear that you choose to lead your life believing that is the truth. GOD is everywhere we need him to be, GOD is everywhere we allow him to be. We need to let him in our lives and in our schools and stop blaming all these horrific senseless crimes on GOD. We started the Pledge of allegiance with the words " under GOD" why take them out because people felt it was discrimination against some religions? We didn’t stop printing money because of that did we?
"God only gets credit for the good things. All bad things happen because of free will."
Exactly. So simplistic and childish. Definitely not a belief system for rational adults.
So during a week with two gunmen gone mad, can we talk about gun control yet.
Is Bob Costas still a pariah for suggesting there is a problem with gun culture in the NFL and the country at large?
Categorically there is no omni-benevolent and omnipotent God.
Evidently, were God to exist, s/he is either loving but impotent, OR omnipotent and doesn't care.
Why worship a God who doesn't care about the torture and death of innocents?
"A University of Connecticut professor on Friday hung up the phone when asked to discuss religious responses to suffering, saying, “This is an immense tragedy, and you want an academic speculating on the problem of evil?”
This is a cop out.
It's the same nonsense as "it's too soon to talk about gun control right after a mass-killing, because it disrespects the grieving.
I'm not buying it.
Gun culture? The real problem that YOU and even COSTAS are carefully not wanting to really point out is that we have a MAINSTREAM CULTURE that has guns, violence, thuggery, terrorism, fantasy violence, in every part of our mainstream mass culture – from movies, TV, comic books, books, video games, apps, web content, fashion even, everything, has a perverted, deviated fascination and LOVE for violence.
@the StONE
"The real problem that YOU and even COSTAS are carefully not wanting to really point out is that we have a MAINSTREAM CULTURE that has guns, etc"
Who says? Pretty big assumption there I think.
We do indeed have a "MAINSTREAM CULTURE that has guns, violence, thuggery, terrorism, fantasy violence, in every part of our mainstream mass culture"
What part of that do you expect me to argue with?
where is god?? heck – should have just asked me.
gods exists in only one place.... between the ears of the delusional people who choose to "believe".
evolve.
I'm an non-believer and I can't stand atheist arrogance.
Ethics, morals are the point of these questions, not religion. Where have WE as a society have/are failing to uphold our NATURAL instinct of morality, ethics, respect for life.
Comments like yours never offer a solution, just arrogantly, like almost ALL non-believers do, Atheists, look down on others as if you are superior.
let me be clear: i am an anti-theist.
i was not attempting offer any solutions in that post.. just pointing out a flat fact.
and yes – those who do not suffer from the god delusion are superior.
save your ire for the enemies of reason.
cha cha cha
You state God does not exist. And then you call it a "flat fact". Do you have concrete proof of this claim?
So, have you have searched every part of this earth and universe and this has enabled you to make this "wise" conclusion? If you have not, you cannot make such a claim.
Jack_Simth and T Jacobsohn: your argumentum ad ignorantiam is as laughable as always.
pay close attention: the onus of evidence lies wholly and entirely on the shoulders of those who claim gods exist. i need do nothing
just give up... you cannot win.
there are no gods.
zoop!
@the stONe
Morality and Ethics are not natural... and there is nothing wrong with saying that.