Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: duncant@mbunix.mitre.org (Thomson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: An atheist's question Message-ID: Date: 25 Oct 90 06:58:13 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 24 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I don't know if you'll want to discuss this on your group, but I am really interested in how Christians will answer this question, so here goes... I read a story in the news yesterday about the killing of a politician and his family in Lebanon. Gunmen came into his house, and shot him a few times in the head and stomach. His children, age 6 and 10 (Ithink), ran screaming to their mother. The gunmen pursued them, and shot the mother while they clung to her. They then shot both of the children. A third child, an infant, escaped death because the killers did not know she was there. My question is this: How can events such as these be reconciled with the christian notion of a god who is both omnipotent and benevolent? It seems to me impossible to accept that an all-powerful god could allow a child to be murdered in such a brutal way. If any person had the power to prevent such an atrocity, and failed to act, in my opinion such a person would be completely dispicable. Is there an answer? ("The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways" does not hack it with me.) -- (Please excuse the typos and garbage caused by line noise.)