Q & A

Good morning! 

Let's answer some internet questions. 

*Please forgive the grammatical errors. 

1. Why Does God Allow Suffering?

If you are an innocent suffering as Christ suffered on the cross you are ascending to Heaven. You are closer to Christ in that very moment than the rest of us.  Christ has chosen you. He wants you by his side embrace Him. I pray that you have a speedy ascension to Him. If you are experiencing unbearable pain and survive you were meant to educate your experience. Tell your story. Educate others. That is what Christ wants. You were meant to survive your suffering to help others survive. We humans also need good people like you among us for guidance.   

If you are not innocent and suffering all I can say is God sees all. Knows all. Repent. Beg forgiveness. 

When people say, "There is no God. I'm still so miserable."

Those people might want to take a moment and reflect.

2. What Proof Do You Have God Exists?

Questions like this can be answered with "What proof do you have God doesn't exist." More to the point, God is not a fix-it man at your command. You do not command God to appear at your pleasure. Humans need to take responsibility for their actions. Cause and effect. Do I believe in the big bang theory sure why not but who created it? Something started it all at the very beginning. God exists even if you choose not to believe.  

3. Why Are There So Many Religions If There’s Only One Truth?

This is a question for the Catholics to answer. Protestants like me believe every person has an individual relationship with Christ our Lord in Heaven. My relationship with Christ is my own. Your relationship with Christ should you choose to have one is your own. 

 

4. Why Do Religious Texts Contain Contradictions?

Example? Without specifics to this question, I can only answer that one disciple's experience differed from another disciple. One witness saw one thing while a second and third witness saw another. My experience with Christ may differ from yours. My story will absolutely be different from yours. I was first spiritually enlightened when I was about eight years old. 

5. Why Is Morality Often Tied to Religion?

Morality isn't just tied to religion. Humans are taught the difference between right and wrong. By adulthood we instinctively know the difference between right and wrong. We know the Ten Commandments without reading them. When you chose to break a commandment there will be consequences. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but there will be consequences. 

 

6. How Do You Reconcile Science and Religion?

Both exist. What is there to reconcile. You either believe in science and/or religion or you do not. There are people who believe the earth is flat. We know that isn't true especially after space exploration and yet there are believers. I do not subscribe to missions of religious conversion. You either believe or you do not. 

7. Why Do Miracles Seem So Selective?

Perhaps you are selecting which miracles you choose to see. Perhaps your definition of a miracle is narrow and superficial. Yesterday I saw a lone bee drinking water from the neighborhood cats outdoor water bowl. It warmed my heart as I know lone outdoor bees are either older and dying or a male bee that has been kicked out of the hive. It warmed my heart knowing the cats water dish was right where this bee needed it be. That is a miracle.

8. What Makes Your Religion The “Right” One?

Again, your relationship with Christ should you choose to have one is your relationship with Christ. No one instructed me how or why or when to have a relationship with Christ. I just knew. 

9. Do You Ever Doubt Your Faith? 

Yes, in my 20's and 30's I was very defiant. Thought I was smarter than everyone including Christ. 

10. Why Do Prayers Often Go Unanswered?

Do you pray for others or for yourself? Are you praying for guidance or for reward and instant gratification? Have you built a faithful loving relationship with Christ or are you around just for the holidays?

11. Why Does The Bible Have Harmful Ideas?

Harmful ideas or recounted stories? Need specifics to answer this question. 

13. How Does The Afterlife Influence Your Actions in This Life?

Life itself I would think influences your actions in this life. Don't you want a good life in this lifetime.

14. Is Your Mission To Convert Non-believers To Your Religion? 

No. I'm against it actually. Pick your battles. 

15. What Role Does Community Play In Your Faith? 

My Faith and my community are two separate entities. 

16. How Should Atheists Approach Discussions About Faith?

Why would you want to. Atheists who want to argue and dismiss your faith is not a battle worth picking. I chose my faith when I was a kid and again as an adult. For a long while my priorities were messed up. Then I reassessed and returned to faith. The only atheists I know are men who want to fight because chaos is all they know. They correlate love with chaos, friendship with chaos, community with chaos, work with chaos, family with chaos, nothing is good in their eyes because they don't know what healthy love is, only chaos. But more-so they simply don't want healthy love because it's not as "exciting" as chaos. Sorry but I'm not a therapist. If you haven't accepted Christ in your heart, at bare minimum we can still be civil and chat about something else. Live and let live.

Grant peace in mercy, Lord we pray, peace in our time, O send us! Amen.