Earthquake, tidal waves Southeast Asia.

[Go_The_Mighty_Magpies]

Please ffs DON'T start another religious debate on here! The last one was ridiculous and went no where but around in circles.

[Dr Alf Andrews]

This is not a great time to be scoring points in a religious debate.

Atheists will say that this proves that God doesn't exist.

More optimistic people will say that the deceased have gone to a better place.

Some fundamentalists will say that these people are being punished because they're all Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims, instead of Christians.

Some will say that the Lord has wreaked vengeance on a sinful planet.

Really, you can read whatever you like into this, depending on what you believe.

But no theological or philosophical explanation can detract from the magnitude of this tragedy.

[Birdy]

Like to hear a comment from the god lovers.
What excuse does your god have to oversee a tragedy like this?

You can't blame God for such a thing, He didn't cause it to happen. This world is in a fallen state because of our sin. People die everyday, however some will live on with God after this life. It is sad that in this part of the world, there may be many unsaved souls who died in the tragedy.

[Eunos]

Please ffs DON'T start another religious debate on here! The last one was ridiculous and went no where but around in circles.

I have no real intent to start another pointless debate.
I do however require the god botherers to tell me why their god, and I don't care which one it is, can reign this type of devastation upon what are clearly god-fearing people who live their lives in abject poverty.
What the **** have they done to deserve this?

Oh, and btw, for anyone else interested, why do we treat the 8 dead, 8 missing aussies, as if they are above the 50,000+ dead Asians?

If ever there was a reason not to believe this is it.

[Eunos]

You can't blame God for such a thing, He didn't cause it to happen. This world is in a fallen state because of our sin.

Ah, a response. And the predicted one at that.
Please tell me what sin have these simple fisherman, villagers and poverty stricken Asians inflicted upon your god?

The sad, sad thing about all this is your justification of their death and injury by the simple term "sin".

Isn't your god open to "repent"? Isn't your god famous for the ability to grant access to heaven by a simple deathbed confession of "sins"?
Pity your god oversaw a wave of death that gave no chance of a last minute confession to open the pearly gates.

Your god is a false god.

[Go_The_Mighty_Magpies]

He didn't cause it yet it happened because of our sins? Wouldn't that mean in your books that god did this to 'punish' these people? Would it not mean he caused it?

[Birdy]

Ah, a response. And the predicted one at that.
Please tell me what sin have these simple fisherman, villagers and poverty stricken Asians inflicted upon your god?

We are all sinners, every one of us, and fall far short of the glory of God.

The sad, sad thing about all this is your justification of their death and injury by the simple term "sin".

I can understand why you would feel this way as your things are of this world only, the things of God are not of this world and for His children this life is only temporary.

Isn't your god open to "repent"? Isn't your god famous for the ability to grant access to heaven by a simple deathbed confession of "sins"?
Pity your god oversaw a wave of death that gave no chance of a last minute confession to open the pearly gates.

Thats right, you should therefore remember that you can't try and cheat God by living a sinful and wicked life while planing to repent on your death bed, as the end could come at any time.

Your god is a false god.

This is emotionalism. I would strongly recommend thinking this through a bit more before you decide to reject God.

[Eunos]

We are all sinners, every one of us, and fall far short of the glory of God.

Care to tell me my sins?
I have none that I am aware of, but I'm sure you'll find something.
Please, I await your "judgment"

This is emotionalism. I would strongly recommend thinking this through a bit more before you decide to reject God.

I think "God" has rejected the human race a long time ago. In fact your blanket judgment that

We are all sinners, every one of us

shows this to be an absolute truth.
No matter our redemption there is no salvation. You have said so your self.

Despite this, I would still like to know why your god is so vengeful against the "meek" who surely must "inherit the earth"

I await your 11th commandment.

[Go_The_Mighty_Magpies]

Ah, a response. And the predicted one at that.
Please tell me what sin have these simple fisherman, villagers and poverty stricken Asians inflicted upon your god?

We are all sinners, every one of us, and fall far short of the glory of God.

So basically we all deserve to be punished because we are less perfect than god?

You can't blame God for such a thing, He didn't cause it to happen. This world is in a fallen state because of our sin.

So it's our own fault? Should we now be thankfull god has shown us the error of our ways as we have sinned.

If your god is oh so glorious he would find other ways to punish us in a way that is equal to the 'sins' we commit.

[Birdy]

He didn't cause it yet it happened because of our sins? Wouldn't that mean in your books that god did this to 'punish' these people? Would it not mean he caused it?

It's not punishment, but the state of a world that is in separation from it's creator where natural and man made disasters happen. There will also be more of these disasters to come as stated in prophecy, which are signs that the end times are near and Christ will come again.

[Birdy]

Care to tell me my sins?
I have none that I am aware of, but I'm sure you'll find something.
Please, I await your "judgment"

So you're absolutely perfect are you? Never done anything slightly wrong? I'm sure you can think of something if you try a bit harder. It's difficult for me to point out all your sins from here, but the obvious one is your choice to reject God.

I think "God" has rejected the human race a long time ago. In fact your blanket judgment that

We are all sinners, every one of us

shows this to be an absolute truth.
No matter our redemption there is no salvation. You have said so your self.

Despite this, I would still like to know why your god is so vengeful against the "meek" who surely must "inherit the earth"

I await your 11th commandment.

You could not be more wrong here. God has not rejected us but has shown His love and persistence in offering us the greatest gift of all in salvation through Christ.

[Birdy]

So basically we all deserve to be punished because we are less perfect than god?

Thats the rules of the game, however God loves us and does not wish for any to perish but that we may come to Him and be forgiven.

So it's our own fault? Should we now be thankfull god has shown us the error of our ways as we have sinned.

If your god is oh so glorious he would find other ways to punish us in a way that is equal to the 'sins' we commit.

You should be thankful that Jesus died on the cross for you and not be so foolish as to try and judge God, especially as He has offered you salvation through Christ, although you choose to reject it and then complain.

[Birdy]

Hopefully one thing we could all agree on is that arguing over crap like this is plain wrong when so many lives have been lost and affected from this awful trajedy.

[Eunos]

So you're absolutely perfect are you? Never done anything slightly wrong? I'm sure you can think of something if you try a bit harder. It's difficult for me to point out all your sins from here, but the obvious one is your choice to reject God.

Yes, you are quite right, you CANNOT judge me, not at all. I have tried harder and still believe that I have/am leading a just and proper life that had little impact on my fellow man.
Personally, I have/am living my life without "sin" as I don't actually believe in such a thing. I do believe in treating others as I would like to be treated myself. Hardly a sin.

Now, the biggee.......

but the obvious one is your choice to reject God.

Wow!!!
So my free will, my ability to think for myself, to make decisions for myself is a "Sin"?

Woo hooo.......!

Amazing....that a person who is so influenced by other peoples thoughts that he cannot have the free will to make up a comment of his own astounds me.

I still await an actual reason for yours, or any others, god to pass this punishment upon innocent human beings. Oh, and lets not forget that babies were amongst the dead. How on earth have they "sinned" to deserve that?

Maybe this time you can reply with your own thoughts, not those of a book. It would be refreshing.

[Birdy]

Eunos I understand you are emotional right now, however using this to launch attacks on God won't achieve anything. You will only mock any answer I give you as you don't seem to be interested in finding God but continuing hostility towards Him. The sin of rejecting God is nothing to be shrugged off as it's the only sin that is unforgivable.

We don't know why all bad things happen the way they do, however what is important is that we keep our faith, just as Job did in the Old Testament who had everything taken from him. He did not know why this had happened but he understood that he would continue to remain faithful to God.

That is what we need to keep in perspective, that we were never promised that our short stay in this world would be easy, there are hard times which many will go through, but the one thing we can trust is that eventually it will all be worth it in eternal life with God.