Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site hcrvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!hcrvax!ken
From: ken@hcrvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian,talk.religion
Subject: Re: Does the Bible show God's evil?
Message-ID: <2499@hcrvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Sep-86 15:19:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: hcrvax.2499
Posted: Fri Sep  5 15:19:37 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Sep-86 04:29:34 EDT
References: <461@tekfdi.UUCP> <1003@unirot.UUCP>
Reply-To: ken@hcrvax.UUCP (ken scott, [decvax,ihnp4]!utzoo!hcr!ken)
Organization: Human Computing Resources, Toronto
Lines: 45
Keywords: God, justice, evil, puishment
Summary: 

In article <1003@unirot.UUCP> pez@unirot.UUCP (Paul Zimmerman ) writes:

>The lesson we learn from Job is that we are insignificant
>in the eyes of God, we exist only to serve His purposes. If He ``needs'' a
>person to serve as an ``example'' for you, to provide a message or warning, God
>will interfere with that person's life to make it so.

In a word: "Yeah!  Why not?"

I should admit, I am not a fundamentalist Christian, but my understanding
of their viewpoint suggests that that would be just fine.  After all, if
not for God you wouldn't have these riches in the first place.  *Moreover*,
and this is the most important point, suffering to serve God is the best
fate you could ask for yourself!  What is brief earthly suffering against
a lifetime of bliss in heaven?

Also, perhaps God said it best when he spoke to Job and said:

	Where were you when I make the great whale?  When I
	created the world and breathed life into man, and bowled
	two 300 point games in a row, what were you up to?  I
	don't recall seeing you around when I was taming chaos,
	pallywal!

Basically, we are not in a position to criticize.

Having spouted all this, I might as well admit that I'm not a Christian
of any sort.  But even so I find this viewpoint fairly amenable to
my way of thinking.  While I may wail and bemoan my fate at every chance,
I still don't think "Boy are you ever a rotten Tao to be giving me this
boil on my bum!"  Who the hell am I to say that?  Do I know how the
higher purpose is served by my life or death?  Nope, I just muddle along
doing the best I can, and leave the higher justice of it to them as
understands such things!

Cheers,

Ken

-- 
 - Ken Scott
	[decvax,inhn4]!utzoo!hcr!ken

	"You say I contradict myself?  Very well, I contradict myself.
	 I am large, I contain multitudes."