Why does God allow bad things to happen?

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I know in the Bible God says he will never forsake us. Then why does he allow for bad stuff to happen in this world? Does he ever feel upset when something bad happens to one of his people?
For example, anyone following national news may have heard of an 18 year old teen named Natalee Holloway who dissapeared on a graduation trip to Aruba. Since she is from Alabama, and I live in Alabama, this story has been not only all over national news, but all over local news as well. It is getting to be overwhelming with her mom on T.V. pleaing for her daughter to come home. What is frustrating is it has been over a month, and those 3 boy suspects won't say anything. What if authorities cannot recover her body? Why did God allow for something like this to happen? It's very heartbreaking to see.

Ask a priest.

Our trials and difficulties are great opportunities for showing us where our hope is, how deep our faith is, and what exactly we are relying on. Second, they are opportunities to trust God in order to see Him work. We need to have such periodic times in our lives in order to refine our faith. It isn't fun, but it is good.

A lot of people like to blame God for things that common sense would dictate have a cause and effect.

There is no God, not as we think of it, not as a personality, at leats.

Good things and bad things happen at random, and also in consequence of our actions, simple cause and effect. What determines our character is how we capitalize and build on our defeats and successes, and whether we use the good things to advantage, to set a chain of positive events (ideally) flowing.

Sit back for awhile, watch other people, and think about this....you will see what I mean.

The answer to your question is very simple. The Biblical God is evil and malevolent.

God gave us freedom, how we would complain if he hadn't but we want to complain when things are not as we would wish; how do you think God feels to see us suffer? of course He hates it, He created us out of love but part of that love is letting us live in the real world with all that entails - the good stuff and the bad stuff.

Are you mad about something or trying to spark a debate?

I think she's just answering the question. I'm sure the thought had occured to many of us!

Thank you, ascan. I was just answering the question. I have no need to be angry (and I'm not) because I don't believe in the Biblical God. I was simply stating my opinion, not purposely sparking a debate.

If you want to know why I don't believe in the God of the Bible, this site pretty much sums it up:

http://www.evilbible.com/

Religion always sounded like cults to me. I hope I don't get flamed for that. I am SO HAPPY I didn't live back then.

Last edited by ilikedragons on 03 Jul 2005, 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

cos "he" doesn't - humans have free wil.

by the way, sean - new signature is suitably offensive. well done.

You know, Jesus did say in Matthew that he did not come to bring peace, but a sword, and would turn brother against brother, son against father, husband against wife, and so on. You do have a point to why would Jesus use such violent force to get people to follow him.

What's offensive about it? I thought it was pretty funny! Or is it the boy scouts bit?

Maybe he meant the whole thing about the "right wing conspiracy".

To the other question: "Suffering produces perseverence; perseverence, character; and character, hope." I can't remember if this is a quote from the Bible or if it's something someone said to me, but I think it suits just fine. If nothing bad happens, then life's perfect and we can sit on the beach and drink lemonade all day. But life's not like that. Through our struggles, we can become better people.

That sounds so much like a textbook answer, doesn't it?

Well, in the end, if you are to believe the bible, then that means that he never forsakes anyone. One could go so far as to say that if the bible is true that nothing that happens to us is bad, in the eyes of god.