if god is so loving

Organised religion is simply a way of keeping the people quiet while the elite enjoy themselves. It's all jam tomorrow. I ditched it years ago.

Redl, your question , to the effect of why does anything exist anyway? is a separate one from the problem of evil. This is because your question could be asked about an evil deity as about a good deity.

In actual fact a poetic answer to your big question is in Genesis I.

PurplePixie, you seem to be an independent thinker, so I'd like to recommend to you the Unitarian Church, or perhaps the Quakers (Society of Friends).

I always remember my Grandmother saying "Leave it all to

God - he will know what to do"!

I believe in God. I was brought up in a Christian household.

When I was a child I used to go to church with my mam every sunday morning. I HAD to go to Sunday school and I hated every minute of it. Sometimes on a night we went to the evening service at 6pm as well. Dad never came along with us. When dad died I was only 19 and married to a wife beating pig. Why had god let my beautiful dad die? Why did this pig live? I had so many questions. Years later I eventually got away from this evil excuse of a man. BUT something changed in me and I never went back to church again. I am not a believer but neither am I a non believer. I dont know what to think. Would a true and loving god really let these world wars and atrocities happen?

Not in the least, I don’t expect anyone to type that lot out!

Thanks GSM
Whoops do you mind your pseudonym being shortened?

It’s spam. I’ve reported it.

Who is your post addressed to Molanajosef?

Molanajosef

I appreciate your perspective as a confirmed atheist. It's understandable that the existence of evil in the world raises questions about the concept of a loving God. Your experience of being taken to church and the lack of room for questioning led you to your current stance, and that's a valid journey.
The diversity of beliefs across various religions indeed poses the question of which, if any, is the 'real' God. The issue of suffering, especially among innocent children, is a poignant one, and your comparison with parenting choices adds an interesting dimension to the discussion.
Your choice to live by the principle of 'Do as you w' reflects a personal philosophy. If you have any questions or topics you'd like to explore Ayat Kursi in Latin

I respect your journey as a confirmed atheist and understand the challenges raised by the existence of evil. The diversity of beliefs does indeed prompt the question of the 'real' God. The issue of suffering, especially among innocent children, adds complexity to the discussion, as you've highlighted with the comparison to parenting choices.

Your personal philosophy of 'Do as you w' is noted, and if there are any questions or topics you'd like to explore further, feel free to share. <a href="https://ayatkursilatin.id/">Ayat Kursi in Latin</a>

I am assuming you mean, God has an overview? And an ultimate plan?
Yes he does.

I am not quite seeing how the two things cant go together?

It is like having children, you try and bring them up well, but they sometimes rebel, and worse?

Thank you for replying fancythat.

Have you considered?
Romans: 8: 28-30
1 Peter 1:2
Romans 9: 22-23
Acts: 15:12
Ephesians 1: 9-11

These are just a few from New Testament.

Old Testament - Genesis 6 and Jeremiah 3. God was surprised by the level of wickedness. To such an extent in Genesis 6, that he wished he had not created mankind. Which may cause you to want to ask more questions, which I personally may struggle to answer!

New Testament
Mark 6 - Jesus was surprised by the lack of faith.
Luke 7 - Jesus was surprised by the great faith.

Yes. I will find some Bible verses.

I am interested how you know this fancythat? Are you able to elucidate for me?

Farzanah

MOnica I have problems with your explanation for evil in the world, that humans have “free will”.
It is believed by Christians I understand, that God is omniscient, all seeing, all knowing and in possession of perfect foreknowledge.
If this is the case God knows in advance how humans will behave and the choices for good or bad that they will make, and the fact that they will be punished if bad. ie predetermined .

Isn’t this a contradiction?

What then is the point of pretending that humans have free will? It seems a bit of a cop out to the “evil question” and one which has long troubled theologians and philosophers alike.

God doesnt have perfect foreknowledge.

I agree with M0nica.
Free will is choice. It may be awful choices, but choice none the less.

Katie I think you are misinperpreting what free will means. It means that the world is ours to do as it wills and if it results in a terrorist saying join us or else, that is one of the results of the misuse of global freewill.

Freewill can also deprive you of freewill. Equally llegidlstive laws say I cannot drive on pavements, through red lights, steal my neighbours goods.

Choices aren't always easy.

Free Will, yes we would all like to believe in free will, but what do you do when an extremist comes along and says “ join us or we will kill your family”.

There are many countries where free will is not a practical reality you have to support whoever is in power.

Free Will is a theological doctrine which was invented so as to be able to say of a sinner "She could have done otherwise than she did".

Jesus on the Cross said God, forgive the soldier because he knows not what he does.

We have something in common then MOnica. I am agnostic because I don’t know whether God actually exists or not.

So many unknowables in this life. I am suspicious of those who claim to know THE truth.

No, it is - and has always been part of Christian teaching - that humankind has free will to make the world as they wish..

The fact that a God knows what is happening and will happen is no reason for them to interfere, when they have already said they won't.

If you read the bible story of Adam and Eve, free will is the punishment for eating of the tree of knowledge.

I am, if anything an agnostic, and to my mind a god either has complete interference in people's lives, in which people are merely puppets with our strings pulled by a god, or, however omniscient he is, he leaves us(as a people) to make our own decisions and live with them.

What I cannot accept is the idea of a god who interferes now and again in some people's lives.

I appreciate your perspective as a confirmed atheist. It's understandable that the existence of evil in the world raises questions about the concept of a loving God. Your experience of being taken to church and the lack of room for questioning led you to your current stance, and that's a valid journey.
The diversity of beliefs across various religions indeed poses the question of which, if any, is the 'real' God. The issue of suffering, especially among innocent children, is a poignant one, and your comparison with parenting choices adds an interesting dimension to the discussion.
Your choice to live by the principle of 'Do as you w' reflects a personal philosophy. If you have any questions or topics you'd like to explore Ayat Kursi in Latin