tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post2432299100114927724..comments2024-01-12T12:39:47.241-08:00Comments on The Christian Monist: When Bad Things Happens to Good People - Holes in the Evangelical Prosperity NarrativeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-55041147511037791832009-03-02T12:49:00.000-08:002009-03-02T12:49:00.000-08:00MJ, I agree. Bad things do happen to "good peop...MJ,<BR/><BR/> I agree. <BR/><BR/> Bad things do happen to "good people".<BR/><BR/> In this sin-soaked world, there is enough pain and suffering to go around.<BR/><BR/> We all have to deal with it and that's just the way it is.<BR/><BR/> Even the Son of God had to be mocked, tortured and murdered.<BR/><BR/> And He was really good!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-85884976985298504842009-02-27T16:56:00.000-08:002009-02-27T16:56:00.000-08:00The term "Good" is a relative term. If you are say...The term "Good" is a relative term. If you are saying that everyone is crap (which I don’t think you are) then I disagree. God made us . . . then he said his handiwork was “good.” <BR/><BR/>Then we get into the area of deserving of consequences. One could say that everyone deserves to burn in hell forever because they were born into sin. Okay, that’s a fair statement. <BR/><BR/>But then if you say, “A six month old baby gets burned with cigarette butts then starved and beaten . . . finally to death by their mother’s abusive boyfriend and they didn’t deserve it." and that would be a fair statement too.<BR/><BR/>That’s what I’m talking about. My friend Terry doesn’t “deserve” to suffer and die from cancer any more than you or I. So, in a relative sense, “He’s a good guy.” Of course I’m not saying it in am absolute sense that he is without sin nor am I; nor am I less of a sinner than the most hideous of them. <BR/><BR/>My friend Amanda was a “good gal.” I’m saying these things in opposition to the Evangelicals who claim that if you are “good” or follow “God’s will” then you will prosper and be protected by God. Listen in church. You will hear it every day. Every TV evangelist says it.MJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240462070445948163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-7693199328196291572009-02-27T15:08:00.000-08:002009-02-27T15:08:00.000-08:00First off...there are NO good people.First off...there are NO good people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-90584927704490198052009-02-27T10:48:00.000-08:002009-02-27T10:48:00.000-08:00Thanks for your comments.Thanks for your comments.MJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240462070445948163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-35582510009744554612009-02-27T09:08:00.000-08:002009-02-27T09:08:00.000-08:00We were told, by pastors etc, that the book presen...<I>We were told, by pastors etc, that the book presented a God who is too weak to overcome difficulties in this world. I really need to read the book for myself to see if this is really his conclusion.</I><BR/><BR/>My gut feeling is, it's probably another attempt to resolve the paradox between these three axioms:<BR/>1) God is all-powerful and all-knowing.<BR/>2) God is all-Good.<BR/>3) Evil exists.<BR/>Any two of these three make sense. All three of them together, and you get a paradox that burns out your brain like the supercomputer on that episode of <I>Star Trek</I>. And Rabbi Kushner is just the latest one to tackle it and come up short, probably by downplaying axiom 1.<BR/><BR/><I>I was devastated and very, very confused. I knew guys in high school that drove their supped up cares at a 115 MPHs on those twisty Appalachian roads, and with a 1/5 of Jack Daniels half drunk. These guys hated God (by their own words) and did as much evil as they could find to do. They are in their 50s now and have never had a car wreck. Why did Amanda.</I><BR/><BR/>1) "God looks out for drunks, fools, and the American Army."<BR/>2) "Shit Happens." Just like that tower collapse in Siloam...<BR/><BR/><I>As a young evangelical I did the same thing as I see Terry’s Christian friends doing. I went silent. I never visited Amanda’s parents again nor her older sister, who had been a good friend. I simply didn’t know how to process the loss. It is one of the biggest regrets of my life.</I><BR/><BR/>At such times, I'm usually at a complete loss myself. I tell them that "at a time like this, anything I say is going to sound real stupid" and then I just BE there and don't say much.<BR/><BR/><I>In Terry’s case, I expect people start to talk about God had this “wonderful” plan for Terry to suffer really bad, then go through an agonizing death . . . for a good reason.” Often people start the name the reason, teaching someone something or bringing a relative of the victim to the Lord. But often people settle on (thinking it is a great expression of faith) simply, “Only God knows . . . but he did it, he is in complete control and I trust that he knows what he’s doing.”</I><BR/><BR/>Question, JMJ, OFT: How does that differ from the Total Blind Faith or Resignation to Fate you find in Arab tribal culture? And if it doesn't, why are you not Extreme Muslim, drinking that kind of "Inshall'ah" Faith on the rocks instead of watered-down?<BR/><BR/>-- Headless Unicorn Guy<BR/>(in a really down-and-bad mood today)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878914472051909043.post-39719658919744039502009-02-26T16:04:00.000-08:002009-02-26T16:04:00.000-08:00I too was told the exact same thing about Kushner'...I too was told the exact same thing about Kushner's book. Maybe I need to get myself a copy and read it for myself.<BR/><BR/>Growing up pentecostal/holiness, there was another dynamic at work as a response especially if the person who endured the suffering was young.<BR/><BR/>Blame the victim...... (unless they were an deacon and family, the biggest financial contributor and family, or the pastor and their family then it was called 'the great Satanic attack')<BR/><BR/>He/she must have lacked faith, 'secret sin', disagreed with the pastor or some Christian mega celebrity (aka touching the anointed), must have done something so bad that angered God to the point of wrath, didn't pay his tithes, or not praying long and hard enough.<BR/><BR/>If that was not bad enough. When that person eventually died, those pastors would preach their funerals about going to Gloryland and the following Sunday while the family was absent from church still grieving, then preach to the congregation that the person was in a state of eternal torment of hell because they died so young and therefore must have lacked faith, 'secret sin', disagreed with the pastor or some Christian mega celebrity (aka touching the anointed), must have done something so bad that angered God to the point of wrath, didn't pay his tithes, or not praying long and hard enough.<BR/><BR/>It rains on the just and the unjust. <BR/><BR/>I am looking forward to part 2 and pray that your friend will see a miracle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com