Praying to the God who caused the tornadoes

LadyJazzer wrote: Telling you I believe it's a fantasy is not being "intolerant", no matter how much you want to play the christian/victim/persecution card. Trying to codify your superstition into laws that govern my life is intolerance, and I'll fight it at every turn.

Maybe it wouldn't be intolerant if you referred to it as a fantasy one time, but every post from you shows an incredible amount of derision regarding other's beliefs.

That is intolerance.

Change your tone, quit being beligerant about your hatred of other's beliefs, and nobody will be able to refer to you as 'intolerant'. Until you do change, why not just own up to it?

JSG

I have a hard time "defending" G-d ---- I think He can defend Himself just fine.

I figure you ask a sincere question - so let me try to provide a sincere answer.

My response draws from a traditional, conservative theological stance.

Although G-d could certainly cause a tornado, I'd prefer to believe He simply
allowed it to happen. I'm not much into speculating about whether or not the residents of those
towns "deserved" what happened. I'm not G-d, and don't really wish to become G-d - in the eyes of others or in my own eyes. I believe there's a purpose for everything, although frankly, I don't need to know the purpose behind each and every event on the planet.

Why did bad things happen? Romans 8:20-22 extends the so-called "fall of man" to all of creation.

We live in an imperfect world, where tornadoes strike, floods rip through towns, and cattle get caught in cabins. All of these deadly imperfections are the product of a sinful, fallen condition.

Is G-d in control? Absolutely. He was in control when Lazarus died --- I'm sure He was in control when the midwest was flattened by tornados. Why did it happen? I don't know

---

but I know that He can make lemonade out of lemons ---- and has done so a lot.

I make three assumptions in life:
- G-d exists
- G-d has a purpose
- G-d's purpose is good.

In terms of a "Christian" reaction to these disasters - mourning seems a little more consistent with the words and actions of Christ. He wept when he saw Lazarus dead (and He was in control) ---- I think he'd do the same, now.

The good news from the Christian world view - is that death isn't the end of the story.

If you're still reading this thread, wondering if there's an answer beyond lunacy ---- let me refer you to the writings of a nearby 285 resident --- Phil Yancey.

Yancey tackles some really tough questions. I think he likely surprise most readers - Christian and Non-Christian - and leads them to a place they might not have considered, otherwise.

I hope this response helps.

Nobody that matters wrote:

LadyJazzer wrote: Telling you I believe it's a fantasy is not being "intolerant", no matter how much you want to play the christian/victim/persecution card. Trying to codify your superstition into laws that govern my life is intolerance, and I'll fight it at every turn.

Maybe it wouldn't be intolerant if you referred to it as a fantasy one time, but every post from you shows an incredible amount of derision regarding other's beliefs.

That is intolerance.

Change your tone, quit being beligerant about your hatred of other's beliefs, and nobody will be able to refer to you as 'intolerant'. Until you do change, why not just own up to it?

What she fails to recognize is that those who believe in the same fantasies as herself are engaged in the exact same behavior she, and they, finds so abhorrent in others. Codifying the superstition that destroying a human life in the womb is somehow different that destroying human life which has emerged from the womb, to pick one of the many they engage in. Trying to compel others to participate in schemes which violate the very fiber of their conscious to pick another.

It always gets back to this - regardless of how Mao thou are, there is always another more Mao than thou. They are so busy and intent on setting snares for others that they fail to realize they have walked into the very same ones they themselves set earlier. So intent on putting the intolerance of others on display, they have yet to realize that they have "progressed" to the point that they become all that they despised.

Arlen wrote:

JSG wrote: You missed the point.

I'm wasn't talking about changing the laws of physics. I was talking about the question of whether God causes tornadoes or doesn't. If he has no control over them or other life/death events, then what's the point of praying to him to help you, or others. If he has control over them, why does he let them kill people and what good is asking for his help?

If he created the Heaven and the Earth, why not have a static Earth where there are no earthquakes to kill people?

You missed the point. The laws of physics are complete. Take something away and the universe does not exist. Add something and the universe does not exist.

You are not asking a profound question, but rather the musing of adolescence.

Give it a little more consideration.

It's interesting that some posters really try to explain their beliefs and others answer in a condescending way. It's also interesting that Arlen thinks God is bound by the laws of physics.
It's interesting that some posters try to explain their feelings our faith

And the laws of physics ARE NOT complete. There is still much to learn. The unifiedfield of physics comes to mind.

JSG wrote: And the laws of physics ARE NOT complete. There is still much to learn. The unifiedfield of physics comes to mind.

The laws of physics are not complete because we do not understand them all? Are you serious? You make it sound as if the laws do not exist without our acknowledgement. Isn't that a rather illogical, arrogant proposition?

And it seems that you believe that God is separate from the laws of physics. I do believe that the Christian teachings tell us that it is within God that we live, move, and have our very being. This is worthy of a bit of consideration.

JSG wrote: It's interesting that some posters really try to explain their beliefs and others answer in a condescending way. It's also interesting that Arlen thinks God is bound by the laws of physics.
It's interesting that some posters try to explain their feelings our faith

Interesting, and illuminating as well I might add, what you chose in way of response. Not much doubt remaining as to your original purpose in starting the thread, is there.