Is God Good?

        Is God Really Good?

    In this article I am not attempting to discriminate, taunt or make fun of anyone who believes in the god of the bible. This article is my reaction to the popular meme that god is good all of the time. I am an introvert and that means, blunt, to the point and calling a spade a spade. If in reading this you feel like I am being mean , know that I am not. It is just the way my INTJ mind operates.

    I not only challenge the meme ' god is good all of the time' I challenge the very notion that the god of the bible is good at all. I think that if looked at rationally and through the eyes of the true reality of the wold that we cannot arrive at any other conclusion than in fact god is not good. If we really look at it rationally and not through god goggles, god is the opposite of good.

    The bible tells us that god so loved the world and even that god IS love.  If the bible is our moral guide and teaches us about love then our understanding of love should be the very same as gods' understanding of love. If our definition of love and gods definition of love are different then the bible is not clear on what love is. This means that it would be deceptive.I believe that it is deceptive, and I believe that our understanding and gods understanding of love are in fact different. 

   The bible teaches us that we are gods children and that he loves us. God is good and loves us like we are his children. If we have the same understanding of good and love as god then we should find that god treats his children like we would treat ours,, even better though since god is supposed to be the very definition of love. But what I find is that god does not act like a rational, good and loving parent. In looking at the world outside of our church bubble we find that god absolutely does the opposite of what  a loving parent would do.

      If your child does something that has been established as bad we punish him or her. For some that may be grounding or taking away privileges. And some of the more extreme parents will spank their child. If our child breaks our rules do we punish that child for the rest of their lives? I say that no matter what my children do, even if they deny me as their father, I would not punish them too harshly or for very long. Why? Because I love my children. I care about them and for them. Would you burn your child for one second as a punishment? Any good reasonable parent would not, no matter what their child did wrong. Would you let your child starve if you had the means to feed him or her? Would you let your child get molested or hurt in any way if you had the power to stop it? As loving, caring parents we do everything in our power to keep our children from harm. We do this because we love them and want to be good to them.

       God, your loving, caring deity created hell to punish his children. Not for a day or a week but for eternity.Is this something that a loving parent would do to a rebellious child? I say it is not. If the only way that god could come up with to keep his children in line is to scare them with hell then god does not act like a loving parent would. God has the power to simply forgive. Why would he punish souls for eternity? Is this a fitting punishment for someone just not acknowledging god as god?  

     Let us go further. If you had ultimate magical powers and were a kind, caring and loving person and had the power to stop atrocities from happening, would you? Would you let children be harmed or starved? Would you prevent senseless killings, devastating earthquakes or tsunamis? Would you help all of the world to live in harmony? If you loved the whole world as you love your children how would you act? 

    When we look outside our church bubble we find that the god of the bible does none of these things. We see wars and famines. We see tornadoes devastating towns. We see earthquakes and tsunamis. We see a world of chaos. God has the power to stop all of these things but does not. He watches children being hurt, molested, starved or killed daily. Countless multiple time a day these things happen  and god does nothing.

         The worn out lines like' god works in mysterious ways' and' we cannot know the mind of god' are completely invalid. For if we understand love like god understands love these things would not happen. If god loves all of us like we love our own children then those old statements mean nothing. They are things people say in order to feel better about gods absence.

           There are 3 possibilities that can explain these things.  1. There is no god(I prefer this one. 2. Gods definition of love and ours are completely opposite. 3. God does not interact with humans. 

            My wife, who keeps me in check(mostly) would say that some people need to believe because it brings them comfort and hope. She tells me to look in the grey areas. That people are just doing the best they can. I do try. But it is impossible for my mind to overlook the obvious fallacies because I want to be comfortable. 

      I say god is not, cannot be, good. In my mind god is closer to evil than good.A lot closer. I say god does the exact opposite of what a loving father would do. Not that I for  second even believe in the god of the bible. But if it turns out that god is real I could not and would not worship it based on moral grounds. I would deem it unworthy of worship and devotion. 

      So there you have it. God cannot possibly be good. I could go on writing about why god cannot be good, but for today I have had enough.   

Who sent the tornados?

     Many people lost everything due to tornados in Arkansas last night. Some even lost their lives. I cannot imagine the devastation and sorrow felt by those that did loose everything or a loved one. 

       I want to stress that I am not at all insensitive to those that were affected by the tornados. I just want to make a point here. Stick with me.

        This morning there is post after post wanting prayers for those people here in Arkansas that were affected by the tornados. I understand why people feel the need to seek help. But nobody is asking god why he sent the tornadoes in the first place. I mean if god is in fact in control he did send them right? So it is kind of gods fault. 

   There are those that are thanking god that the tornadoes did not affect them, while others have lost everything. What makes those who weren't affected so much more special to god than those that were? Did they just have it coming? What reason did the almighty have to spare some and take everything from others? Are we supposed to thank god for doing this to those that did loose everything? 

    The worst tornado was headed straight toward Searcy and at the last minute it changed direction. Was it gods guiding hand that did this? There will be sermons and prayers thanking god in Searcy this Sunday for his intervention, while in the other towns there will be prayers of sorrow. 

     Do you see the problem here? If god is in control he sent the tornado. He directed its path. He caused the devastation. But instead of people wondering why he did this, some pray for help and some give prayers of thanks. I guess god likes the people of Searcy more than those he put in the path of the tornadoes. 

Introverted

      As I sit here with my computer and my cup of Earl Grey, alone, I am feeling good. I do not have any music playing, the rhythmic ticking of the clock is soothing and keeps me in my thoughts.I do not feel the need to go visit or to have visitors. I am just fine right here by myself. You see, I am an introvert.
      I am not anti social, I just find social gatherings to be draining. I don't mind social events, but I would rather be watching and listening to them rather than participating in them. It is fun for me to watch and listen.
Small social events with people I know well are different. I can open up a little more, participate a little more.
     I am not one for small talk, never have been. My phone calls are usually to the point and brief. Talk about what is important the end. If you ask me about something I find important or interesting, I am not one to shy away. If I think something is important, I become very passionate about it. I do not have the gift of gab. I cant sit and talk about nothing for hours on end and usually draw a blank with people that can.
     When I travel to work, I will get food to go and eat it in my hotel room. This is comforting to me. I don't want or crave a bunch of stimulus. I am good with my own thoughts.
      I am quiet and reserve (unless you happen to be someone I know and am comfortable with) most of the time. People ask me all the time if everything is ok with me.I do not show emotion freely.
     I have always thought that something was wrong with me. Our society praises people who are outgoing and outspoken. All of the self help gurus try to tech us that this is the only way we can be successful. But there is nothing in the world wrong with being an introvert, some of the greatest people are or were introverts.
     If you have some of the same characteristics as me , maybe you are an introvert and thats ok. The world needs us. Be happy knowing that there is nothing wrong with you at all. This is who we are.Done

Something that really disturbed me

   A while back I saw a video that was put up on a  site that really disturbed me. It opened with several men with guns dragging another man through the streets. I dont have any idea as to why they were doing it. The man was begging and pleading for them to stop, even though I could not understand a word he was saying I knew this to be true. The man was so very terrified that he soiled his pants. My heart went out to this man as his mortified pleas were unanswered . He knew what was going to happen to him.
  They dragged him into an alley, laid him in the dirt, and shot him. The first shot did not kill the poor man. In that video I heard such a scream of agony, it is imbedded into my mind forever. The pain he must have felt as the bullet tore through his flesh. The next shot did kill him , because it went through his head. His screams were immediately silenced.
    The men in the video that killed the other man celebrated their murder. They were happy that the man had been killed. I do not know why, and probably never will, this happened. But whatever this man had done these man were his judge, jury and executioners.
  This all brings me to something I found even more disturbing. On a facebook post I saw a quote by a leading preacher, Joel Osteen. It said that there was nothing that could stop gods plan for your life. Hmmmm
I think that if the man in the video had a chance he would say that gods plan for his life sucked pretty bad. God planned for this man to be executed in that manner? What a horrible plan.
   What about a child that is molested and murdered by some horrible person? Think of the torture they go through. This is gods plan? Horrible, just horrible.
  I know I know , insert free will. We can all make bad choices. I say make up your minds!!! Either god is in control or he is not. If I had the power to stop a child from being harmed I WOULD DO IT! Wouldnt you? or would you just sit back and think, " it is all part of gods plan", or the old bullcrap ,"god works in mysterious ways". What is so mysterious about watching children get tortured and killed?
   If the god of the bible is real and has the power that you believe then he has the power to stop these things. But yet he does nothing, NOTHING, to stop these things.
  If god knows what is going to happen and does nothing how can anyone claim that this is a god of love?
How can the plan for the poor man in the videos life be seen as a good plan. If nothing can stop gods plan for our lives then god planned for this man to be murdered in this fashion. God plans for children to be hurt.Are you still excited about gods plan for your life? Not me.

The great plan. Just for today

  You have heard it said god works in mysterious ways, and that everything happens for a reason. These are said when believers cant explain away why so many bad or evil things happen in this world. I hear it said or see it written every day. We dont know why there is evil but just know that god is in control. Ok? God is in control huh? So everything that happens,, god allowes, better yet god planned.
   Yes my friends your loving god has everthing that has happened, and everyhing that will happen planned. Lets look at just one day of his great plan.
  Today 18,000 children will starve to death. 18,000 children (2007 UN) But their parents can go to bed tonight with a glad heart knowing that their children we part of gods big mysterious plan!!! Yeaaaaa!! Praise god!!!
    Today an estimated 781 (1999) children will be sexually assulted. Just here in the goood ole USA.Man does that god work in mysterious ways. Praise god?
    Today an estimated 3 children will be murdered. (2008). Just in the US. God needs those children.
    Today 2,185 children will go missing. All according to his divine plan.
    Today, 6 children will loose their fight with cancer. Even though many prayers were sent skyward. Cant change the plan you know. That is over 2000 children a year, and just in the US.
     Well there you go, just a little bit of the fun god has planned for today. So lets get on our knees and that him for such a wonderful plan!!!! Yeah god you go!! But I have only written a small part of his plan for today. Want to know the rest? Watch your news channels.
  I know I know, it is not god it is satan right. SO Satan is in control? He has the power to change gods plan? Does god have a plan for each of our lives or not? Does it not say in your book that he has planned everything in advance and nothing happens unless he allows it? I mean it should not supprise you that god will allow, or has planned, for all these bad things to happen to children. Just read your book. There is page after page of god ordering the murder of children.
    There are many excuses believers use to justify the actions of their blood thirsty god. But they are only things said to make themselves feel better. I myself see zero evidence that there is a just and loving god in control of this world. My question to you believer is, how do you live with this? How do you justify your gods actions? Do you really consider all the evil in the world?
  

Follow in his footsteps

I am back.

Well here we are again. I have decided to continue my blogs about religion. I know this topic upsets many, but I think it is important. My first blogs were very angry and hurtful, I was mad.
With this new blog I hope to be respectful and considerate. No matter how I approach this subject some will feel I am overstepping my bounds and some will even be offended. There is no way around this.
I am not apologetic about my stance against faith. I believe it to be a bad thing. I will not debate any blog related material on my fb page. If you wish to comment please do so on the blogger site.
Bit religion will not be the only thing I write about. So stick with me.