A thread to debate the existence or otherwise of the Christian God

The BIble is full of things that God did.
The Bible is full of things written down by people thousands of years ago about what they attributed to God.

And are there any bad things that you might attribute to god?

Yes. Weather is by God for example.
And random things.

Even if we pray to God, the things that happen or not happen are his choice.

So not much point in praying then?

Not correct. Praying is requests. Sometimes we get them, sometimes we dont.
We are not allowed to pray for money constantly!

Money never crossed my mind - it isn't something I'd ever consider praying for.

Asking for what we want in prayer, no different really to asking our parents for something we want. The answer can be no.

The answer can also be wait.

Or yes, but not in the way we think.

I was thinking on the lines of more altruistic prayers, or perhaps a way to improve our own behaviour rather than asking for something we want.

It's just childish to expect God to give you a pay-rise, the new job you want or a child, for example.

I wouldn't choose to place a child in the same list as a pay rise or new job

It's still a selfish request though.

Yes. Weather is by God for example

I think most scientists would query that.

And random things
What kind of random things?

I have never thought of the longing for a child as selfish ,if praying for a child is selfish then wanting a child is selfish, a lot of selfish people on this forum

soon thank you for your answer at 19.03, it does help me understand faith a bit more. When bad things happen or there is temptation, I have often heard it said this is God's way of testing someone's faith, so your answer fits with this way of thinking.

A man after the tsunami said he believed that it had been sent to test his faith - all those people dead just to test his faith. Hmm.

Ana as a child I was taught that praying was our way of talking to God and that as God is all knowing, there is no point in not being honest when praying. I don't see anything wrong with praying for a child.

Luckygirl perhaps he was not the only person whose faith was being tested.

I cannot agree that God tests us, for what purpose ? And anyone who believes as the man who claims a tsunami was sent just to test him surely has psychological problems

Wilma, why would God kill so many atheists to test people of faith , this would mean he places those of faith above those of no faith, I cannot accept this ,

Whatever brand of religion it is that imagines that god tests people by sending tsunamis is one that I wish to know nothing about.

For every Christian there is a different interpretation of the bible - as for all religions and their texts.

Vengeful capricious god or a loving one? - there seem to be believers on here who fall into different camps.

The man after the tsunami had lost all his family - I expect that the poor man was trying to explain the unexplainable. But the concept is grotesque.

AnnieBach I don't believe in God so I don't know and agree with Luckygirl. At some point in recent years I realised that although I was still going to church in my early 20s, I never really had faith and I had gone because I had been 'trained' to do so. My faith was never tested back then and when bad things happened in my life, it never occurred to me God was testing me.

I have never thought of the longing for a child as selfish ,if praying for a child is selfish then wanting a child is selfish, a lot of selfish people on this forum

Agree with Anniebach.

rq. For that bit I go by a tower fell randomly on some people in the Bible. Maybe it wasnt built well? It doesnt say. But the people killed were random. So I assume that other things happen sometimes where who gets killed is random.

Rain falls for nice reasons because we need it. Rain falls and causes floods. Rain falls to help the ground keep moist.

Is rain nice or not?

In the same way, things happen that are caused by God for nice reasons, caused by God for reasons we dont like, caused by man, or randomness. Often we dont know which.

Actually that is not the most well written post.
It could be said that rain is nice? But sending too much of it isnt.

But in the last 50 years or so, instead of teaching being "the end of the world is nigh" stuff, it has swung the other way to no hell and everything is fluffy kittens.

Which has done people a disservice and worse.

If people read the Bible themselves, all of it, they get the full picture from beginning to end.

Someone, I think asked about eternity.
There is no beginning and end of God. He has always been. Now that takes an open mind.