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

[hockeybeat]

While I was walking to my subway today, I passed a father walking with his son. Normally, I wouldn't think twice about it.

Except that the father was in his fifties and his son was mentally retarded.

I glanced at them for a second, then put my head down, ashamed and confused. If whatever The Higher Religious Entity is good, why would it damn someone with a life that cannot be enjoyed? The son had to be in his 30s, and he will never be able to fall in love or have a career or get married and have kids. He won't be able to do simple things like go to the bathroom by himself. What did this guy do to be damned for life?

 

[sportschick]

I don't think the Higher Religious Entity is much involved in our day-to-day lives. I think she worries about the big overall picture in the universe and spends the rest of her time playing ski-ball.

 

[Chi City 81]

I don't think the Higher Religious Entity is much involved in our day-to-day lives. I think she worries about the big overall picture in the universe and spends the rest of her time playing ski-ball.

Not if Azrael and his minions have anything to say about it.

 

[Write-brained]

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

How about do the guy a favor and not pity him. I'm sure he doesn't need your precious pity.

Who's to say he won't fall in love or have a career? I know plenty of "mentally retarded" people who have their own apartment and job. And if he's walking I'm sure he can probably wipe his own butt.

 

[sportschick]

And if he's walking I'm sure he can probably wipe his own butt.

Not true. Walking is no guarantee of being able to go to the bathroom on your own or even being able to not need a diaper. It's not uncommon to see a profoundly retarded individual be able to walk, but it's very rare to see one that can go to the bathroom unassisted.

 

[Write-brained]

And if he's walking I'm sure he can probably wipe his own butt.

Not true. Walking is no guarantee of being able to go to the bathroom on your own or even being able to not need a diaper. It's not uncommon to see a profoundly retarded individual be able to walk, but it's very rare to see one that can go to the bathroom unassisted.

Not uncommon but not a given either. How can you know just by walking by someone? Point is, if he's spending time with some rather than just observing and pitying, he might find that there's more than meets the eye.

 

[Breakyoself]

like transformers. which bible camp proved are a gift from god because god created people and people created the transformers. the flow chart proved it.

 

[User 1019]

I see we are striving to meet our quota of religion-is-a-heinous-thing threads today.

 

[sportschick]

Bartleby and Loki are coming for all of us.

 

[SixToe]

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

If whatever The Higher Religious Entity is good, why would it damn someone with a life that cannot be enjoyed?

Gene Stallings has a son, Johnny, with Down Syndrome.

Johnny is in his late 30s, maybe close to 40 years old.

Stallings has had a pretty happy life with a good wife, family and success as a football coach.

He loves his son, who also loves him.

I think Gene and many others, especially those who have deep faith in God or another "higher entity," would disagree with your assessment.

 

[Stretch15]

If whatever The Higher Religious Entity is good, why would it damn someone with a life that cannot be enjoyed?

Gene Stallings has a son, Johnny, with Down Syndrome.

Johnny is in his late 30s, maybe close to 40 years old.

Stallings has had a pretty happy life with a good wife, family and success as a football coach.

He loves his son, who also loves him.

I think Gene and many others, especially those who have deep faith in God or another "higher entity," would disagree with your assessment.

My oldest brother suffered a seizure when he was 3 and was left mentally retarded.

We've been around mentally and physically handicapped people all our lives. We've been very active in Special Olympics and other such organizations. Watching those kids compete is as good as it gets.

We have been blessed to have him in our family. He works hard, he is always cheerful and he totally cracks me up with his Roscoe P. Coltrane impersonation.

We know some families who have gone through immense trials with their handicapped children. Some physical handicaps are absolutely brutal and wear on the parents and family members.

However, in all our dealings with families that have physically and/or mentally handicapped children, I don't recall a single instance where they complained about their lot in life, or that they were mad at God for making their kids this way. And I don't believe that any of them felt like their lives were damned because of their handicapped kids.

 

[Flash]

While I'm not a religious person by definition, I believe the Higher Entity is constantly passing us tests of strength. The situation of which you speak should be considered one of the ultimate tests.

I spent the winter working for a disability non-profit. I can tell you I am 85 per cent sure I don't have the strength to face such a situation and that makes me pretty sure I won't take the chance on reproducing.

 

[Terence Mann]

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

I see we are striving to meet our quota of religion-is-a-heinous-thing threads today.

I don't see anything in this thread that seriously takes a swipe at religion.

 

[slappy4428]

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

god answers all prayers. Sometimes, the answer is no.

 

[Write-brained]

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

I see we are striving to meet our quota of religion-is-a-heinous-thing threads today.

I don't see anything in this thread that takes a swipe at religion.

Some people think questioning God is a negative. That's why I don't believe in organized religion.

 

[armageddon]

I see we are striving to meet our quota of religion-is-a-heinous-thing threads today.

I don't see anything in this thread that takes a swipe at religion.

Some people think questioning God is a negative. That's why I don't believe in organized religion.

Well, when the question suggests strongly that the entity was sitting at home and for kicks decided to "damn" the kid for life, most would consider that tone to be negative.

One of my uncles on my father's side was born with downe syndrome. He led a full and happy life -- he didn't know he was "damned." He followed sports, particularly his fave NFL team. He was like a guardian angle to me while I was growing up. When I got old enough we talked sports all the time until I moved away.

And if you believe in the way God often works, the unconditional love many individuals with downe syndrome (or other issues) dish out to the rest of us might be meant to remind us all of how things could be.

Not that we'll ever get there, though.

And you could argue that some individuals with downe syndrome have it better than many of us. They likely don't understand fully how f---ed up this world has become.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

If whatever The Higher Religious Entity is good, why would it damn someone with a life that cannot be enjoyed?

How do you know he can't or doesn't enjoy life? Maybe he can't or won't accomplish the ideals you hope to achieve in life, but that doesn't mean they're eternally unhappy and doomed either.

I grew up next door to a guy with MS and he had a multitude of limitations, but I'll never ever say he didn't enjoy life. Because he did.

 

[PhilaYank36]

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

Personally, I feel that God allows some bad things to happen as a test (think Job, minus the Leviathan) for all of us. I've always felt that He wants us to reveal, not to Him, but to ourselves what our true character is. Maybe I'm reading WAAAAAAAY too much into Bruce Almighty, but maybe He intends certain bad **** to happen in order for other things in His plans to happen, too.

For example, let's say Bush actually did the right things when concerning Katrina (whatever they may be) instead of leaving large parts of N.O. a wasteland. Maybe a large portion of our population wouldn't be stunned and shaken out of complacency and decide to start taking positive action; making a good difference in the world. I know this is such an idealistic POV, but I don't fool myself into expecting for the best outcome to be the end result. The '04 Red Sox robbed me of that ability. But I hope that is the reason why some things in the world happen the way they do.

Oh, before this gets any further...












This thread will not end well.

 

[hockeybeat]

You're right, I don't know if he enjoys life. I was bothered by the thought that A Higher Religious Entity that preaches love would make someone mentally retarded. For what purpose? And what did the guy do in a previous life to be chosen to be mentally retarded?

 

[Write-brained]

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

You're right, I don't know if he enjoys life. I was bothered by the thought that A Higher Religious Entity that preaches love would make someone mentally retarded. For what purpose? And what did the guy do in a previous life to be chosen to be mentally retarded?

So you believe the "mentally retarded" are being punished for something they did in a past life??

Holy ****ing ****! :o