If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible things

Don't be dissing my friend, hb. He's trying to make sense of a big question and if he comes from a different understanding than some of us, that's no reason to make assumptions about his character.

 

I haven't read the book, but I think the answers might be in here:

 

If someone hasn't known anyone who was developmentally disabled, they may not know all of this. It seems unkind to call them ignorant.

I'm sure that I could mention the most inane things about opera and well known classical singers and most people here would have no idea what I'm talking about. It doesn't make them ignorant ... it makes them uninformed on a particular topic.

We are all so quick to dismiss people as 'ignorant' because they don't have the same life experiences we do.

 

Making statements and assumptions about something you're uninformed about could be construed as ignorant ...

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

I worked with developmentally disabled people for five years when I was in my 20s. Many of them are happier than "normal" people. Are we going to talk about handicapped people or why God allows evil?

Hockeybeat is a good guy. I think his question was a little impulsive and not fully thought-out. We can talk about the question, which is a good one, or give him hell about his choice of example.

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

I don't think religion or faith can answer this question, but it does provide a framework to mentally digest it. I think people ask this question when something bad happens, not realizing that faith exists largely to help us deal with these unanswerable questions. It has since the cavemen. Without faith many people would feel "shit happens", whether its somebody being struck by lightning or someone delayed on the way to a flight that crashes. With faith we can explore the meaning of this as much or as little as we care to. I think it allows many people comfort that they perceive some order and reason in a world we can't always control. Faith is what you make of it.

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

I'm willing to do both.

Good guy or not, I think we should be allowed to question people who assume others are miserable or damned because they don't act/look/behave like them. Just because they're not "perfect" doesn't mean they're unhappy or damned or being punished for something they did in a past life.

I think you can also have faith without thinking God preplans everything. God made us and gave us free will. We make our own consequences. We see it everyday. Moms smoke when pregnant. Babies' umbilical chords wrap around their neck during childbirth and snap the oxygen from their brain. Some of its just genetics.

Whatever WE do affects other people. God didn't do it. The only thing He did was trust us with the keys to the car, so to speak.

That's why bad things happen to good people.

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

WB and Jerry, I agree with both of you. You're both right. I think hockeybeat can be released from the SportsJournalists.com pillory now. Point's been made.

WB, I also agree with the second part of your post. That's pretty much how I view the question.

 

Good guy or not, he asked a difficult question. This from a guy who's openly shared his personal struggles here in search of understanding, support and maybe answers. What does he get? "Hockeybeat, you sound pretty full of yourself and sort of pathetic"

This is one of the things that drives me crazy about this board. I am not in this business but I've met some wonderful people that I count as friends and who have helped me over some really rough patches. But as often as not, when people come with a question or problem, they get shat on.

I don't care if you're liberal or conservative, believer or atheist, can't we have a little compassion and understanding? We're also dealing in a written medium where tone of voice can't be conveyed, where nuance is a little more difficult and where thinking out loud happens over a longer period of time and people are ready to jump on you before you've barely formulated your question.

We can ignore trolls. We can ignore the obvious assholes. But for Christ's sake, can't we cut people just the teeniest bit of breathing room ????

People post things that are against my country, against my size (yes, I'm fat) and against my sex (if you don't think there is misogyny on this board, you're a guy).

I feel like an idiot somewhat posting this but I've been reading this board for a number of years and enough is enough. In the words of another naif "Can't we all just get along?"

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

Personally, I respect HB for sharing his depression with the board. Takes a lot of nerve.

But what does it have to do with this thread? He brought up a point or a question and I'm making mine. I should not make my point so as not to offend the guy? I haven't called him any names (can't say the same for Mr. Nice Guy.)

The whole point of the board is to debate and discuss. That's all we're doing.

 

Re: If The Higher Religious Entity is so good, why does he/she/it do terrible th

Well, that's you. We all view the world differently. There's no need to be a dick about it.