Would you kill someone whom you loved? Would you save a loved one from certain death, even if it could mean your own death?

I know I would.

Then if God loves all of us, then why did he let my daughter and my wife die?

The hurricane hit us pretty bad. My entire house collapsed on us while we tried to exit, as the water levels rose. The water began to seep through our carefully-placed walls of sandbags, through our doors and windows, and into our home. How this happened, I will never know.

We didn't get out. My wife was impaled straight through her back by a fallen water pipe. My daughter was knocked unconscious, and as I tried to save her before her body drifted out of the side of our house through means of the running water, I became entangled by electric wiring. I couldn't reach her, no matter how hard I tried.

After the storm subsided, the fire department and many volunteers poked through the wreckage that used to be my neighborhood. I knew that my wife was dead for sure, but I didn't know whether or not my daughter was. I found out soon enough, though.

Why? Why did he take my wife, whom I so dearly loved? Why my daughter? She was only six years old!

It's just not fair...

-- Torvald Amherst (melloellow@nosuchthing.tx), October 28, 2004

Answers

Unfortunatley, terrible tradgedies do occure, and it is part of the gireving proccess to feel pain, anger, and frustration, as well as sorrow. However, to blame God will neither solve your dilemma, nor will it revive hope withn you.

You currently seek soemoen to blame, but this was a natural disaster, there is no one to blame. So, you blame God. But did you not know, or have you not read, of Job, whose faith was tested? He lost his family as well. Yet, faiht prevailed.

worry not why God did what he did, or didnt do what he didnt do... only worry about doing what is right, and what can be done to rebuild, to honour the memories of these that passed, and ot brign the future greater peace.

we all suffer trials, and, egretabley, we all face such things as loss, but by these thigns we learn, and grow, and become better people, so take heart, and please dont worry so on such matters, for even though it hurts now, it will work out for the bette rint he long run.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), October 28, 2004.

Hello, Torvald.

I cannot even begin to imagine the tremendous amount of loss that you are feeling now. The sadness that I feel now cannot ever compare to your feelings, as I read your post. It is only natural that you would feel such anger towards God. I too have felt that way once in my life. You are right; it isn't fair. Please understand me when I say that you must work through that anger and sadness the best way that you can. Find a way to use it to rebuild your life. It might not seem like a good thing to hate God, but at the very least you have acknowledged that God is still present in your life. Things may never make sense right now. But, as time passes, I hope and pray that everthing will fall into place for you. I hope that you will find the confidence that God is with you especially now at this most traumatic time of your life. It will be bad living in memory of your lost loved ones, but each day will grow closer to better days. Eventually, the best times and memories will dominate your thoughts. You will smile again and you will be at peace, even with God.

May all of our prayers be for you.

......

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), October 28, 2004.

I am so sorry to here of your tragedy. Keep on believing, dont give up. Jesus Loves You.

-- world (not@of.this), October 28, 2004.

I asked myself the same questions you are asking now in 1991.

My wife was pregnant with our first baby. The hospital sent my wife home because we had no insurance. She was feeling bad that day. 3 days later, the same day the First Iraqi War began (AKA The Gulf War) I was outside the hospital I had taken my wife back. She was bleeding profusely. I wsn't allowed inside. Somehow I looked up and said: God, why did you take my son?

30 minutes later I was able to get in. Inside a jar I saw my son. I felt like a knob in my throat. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. I saw the eyes of my wife. Then she looked at th jar.

Martin Luther King Hospital was being used by the army doctors for training for the war back in 1991. Right now, it is under attack by the board of supervisors in Los Angeles. They closed the trauma center already.

I had 4 children since then. I dreamed 2 before they were born. My wife dreamed 3 of them. Since people dreamed my last one. But no one ever dreamed the first one.

Every January I still light a candle for him. The pain is somehow lss now. But there are things that are irreplaceble.

The Christian Yahwist

The Man of Yahweh

PS:Since those days I began to dream people that would die. These are just the latest. To some I have written letters like George Bush, Fidel Castro, Pope John Paul II,...123 People who would die within 3 years

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), October 29, 2004.

umm, excuse me, did you dream Bush was gonna die? I am not clicking on links, dont want no bugs. I am serious, btw. Sorry to hear about your losses as well.

-- world (not@of.this), October 29, 2004.

Yes, world.

The first time was in April 2003. July 4, 2004 was the second time.

I even told him that.My e-mails to President Bush 2001- 2004

The Christian Yahwist

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), October 29, 2004.

>Would you kill someone whom you loved? Would you save a loved one from certain death, even if it could mean your own death?<

At first I thought this was in reference to God's Son dying on the cross. God could have saved His Son, but he let evil men and a corrupt nature take their course for the benefit of the entire world.

Persevere brother. They're not gone forever. You will hold their hands again someday. That's the hope of the Resurrection which Jesus Christ won for us all.

I won't say much more because I know that in such a time of grief, logic really doesn't ease the pain or bring back someone or fill the empty spot that's been torn into your heart. If I could, I'd hug you. I hope you have people around to help you take care of the basic day-to-day tasks. Don't drop out for too long... You're in my prayers.

-- Max Darity (arrowtouch@yahoo.com), October 29, 2004.

Althought it appear's their was no God that day and your loss is beyond my comprehension...we can only pray that God needed them also for some greater purpose ...I am sure they are with you always and you with them...However it is only with love, theirs'yours'and Gods can you someday enter the new home they have gone forth to build...

with sympathy...joey fiasco.....

-- joeyfiasco (joeyfiasco@yahoo.com), December 03, 2004.

If I had one thing to say to God it would be "how dare you". How dare you God create a world were little kids die horrible deaths. Where horrific tradgedies happen every single day. How dare you God create a world where the is so much pain and suffering. How dare you God create a world where millions starve to death every day and millions die from AIDS every day. How dare you God create a world where humans kill and abuse each other. How dare you God!

-- Andrew W. (avaitionguy1@hotmail.com), December 12, 2004.

How dare you try to blame God for your sin?

God didn't create a world like you describe.

When God created, He stepped back, took a look at His creation and said, "It is good." Do you think He would have said that in light of the things you describe?

No.

This world has fallen and it is on a downward spiral because of our rejection and our sin.

And even though we do not deserve it--God sent His Son to pay the price for our sin. The debt we owe for our sin is death. And the world has been dying a slow death, spiritually as well as physically, ever since the time of Adam and Eve.

We need to stop blaming God. He created us to live forever.

-- (faith01@myway.com), December 12, 2004.

Faith is right. God didn't create sin and pain, man did through pride and disobedience. God does allow evil. But that is only so a greater good can come of it. God allows us to choose freely because He loves us so much. We can't blame God for the choices of human beings.

I know it's hard to see and believe, especially when you watch a loved one and the most innocent suffer greatly. How unjust it seems that the innocent suffer for the sins of others. But the most innocent of all, Jesus Christ, suffered and died because of our sins.

We can take heart that God is not a neutral observer. In fact, He became flesh so that He might experience human suffering and allowed Himself to be tortured and murdered. He experienced an agonizing death on the cross.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), December 12, 2004.

maybe... just maybe...god isn't real. the reason he isn't looking out for you or the one you love is because he was never there in the first place.

but, if you do believe in the christian god, read romans 9. god does hate people. and the ones you lost could be some of them. sorry to deliver the bad news. --but what does the bible say? he hates you for his own good pleasure. even before you were born or did anyhting wrong or right, there he was, already hating you. now, according to the christian faith, i cannot tell you IF you are one of these people god hates, but that YOU COULD BE. yes, i know that christians (as already mentioned above) tell you that we live in a fallen world...but there is so much more to that story.... anyway, any questions? e-mail me. sb

-- stephen p bell (stephenpbell@37.com), December 24, 2004.

stephen,

Doesn't the Bible teach that God is love? Does God hate his own creation? It is sin that He hates.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), December 24, 2004.

I too can't imagine that kind of loss. I don't have faith in any god. My father is a Presbyterian minister. I've heard many answers like those that you recieved prior to this. I think they are the delusional answers of people who have been raised in a world of faith. Just have faith in what you are told, just have faith in what others have written, just have faith in what you see on tv. I try to perceive information as I sense it. I sense that there are higher powers all around me. But I do not think that I or any other human can understand these powers through words. Words are a tool of man. How can man understand a higher power with a tool of his own? These powers are so above our heads that the attempts by religious zealots to define them seem grossly self-serving and meant only to manipulate and control. I don't even really know why I write this...if someone has faith I don't dislike them for it or anything. It would be great if there were a heaven and faith and prayer could make things better. I hope you can find solace somehow. Maybe it's just that we aren't meant to know 'why'.

-- M.E. (goy_bot@yahoo.com), December 30, 2004.

Nice input, M.E. You are a person with a lot of insight. It ain't easy being a pastor's son; probably one of the hardest jobs in the world. Dad is always "ministering" to everyone else. You always have to take last priority while the "church" gets it all.

Hope you stick around, without the name-calling and profanity though!

Gail

-- Gail (Rothfarms@socket.net), December 30, 2004.

M.E.,

Gail's right. You have some good input and I hope you stick around.

One thing you said struck me as particularly true.

Maybe it's just that we aren't meant to know 'why'. - M.E.

I have to agree with this. That's where faith comes in, I think. And I have to agree that words definitely fall short of fully describing the reality of God. But it's one of the few tools we have to "sense" who He is.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), December 30, 2004.

There is no jesus, there is no god. it's all just hype and [censored]. a loving god would not let the horrible things on this earth happen. we have been misled and lied to. [censored]jesus and [censored] god. they don't exist.

[Obscene lanaguage is not permitted.]

-- take a guess (dancingwithkali@yahoo.com), January 13, 2005.

Neither cleaver nor bright, are you?

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), January 13, 2005.

You faithless creature, You. It would be a good idea to get some books and study up on a little history, science, and The Gospels before you go on and continue digging a hole for yourself that you may never be able to climb out of. What you are saying about God and His Son isn't gonna do you any good. Now, before you get hit with a life changing event, which will surely bring you back to life, you may try to consider the possibility that you are wrong about God. I tell you what. You show your evidence to support your belief of a universe without God and we will show you the errors in your evidence. Ok?

........

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), January 13, 2005.

The simple truth is, that unwilling as we are to admit, there is no "God". I see no possibe truth to this superstition. We don't believe in Vampires and Werewolves, nor do we believe in simple things like atheists. Well i'm new to this religion and I say there is no point as far as I can see. I'm sorry for your loss. Now you know why I refuse to love. Pain. I dno't know what will happen when we die, nor does anyone else, but if the bible speaks the truth then why doesn't God himself come and tell us. That would save him all the trouble of making Hell, and why make Lucifer or the Tree of Knowledge, he "knew what would happen". Oh, thats right, his big plan that we can not comprehend, YOUR GOD YOU CAN GIVE US THE ABILITY TO COMPREHEND. I'm sorry for my lack of belief in something I see no point to. Now, I'm going to go and find out what REALLY happens at death. Farewell.

-- Void Guardian (void.guardian@yahoo.com), January 17, 2005.

Why did you even bother to post, Void?

.........

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), January 17, 2005.

The simple truth is, that unwilling as we are to admit, there is no "God".

{Reminds me of Psalms 14... the problem is I cant admit his because its not true. I know theres a God. And Im not speakign frm feelign here. God exists. He must because ts the only logical conclsion, iven how th Univers eis formed and thigns rn, the queasion is what IS God. An impersonal, all powerful force, or a persoanl God?}-Zarove

I see no possibe truth to this superstition.

{God sint a superstituon, hes a Philopsphical nessesity. God is defiens aas thatwhich began and sustains the Universe. so even if its all natural provccesses in a cold and uncairgn Universe, teres stilla God... and its hardly sypersiiton... Not that I expect you have read much Spinoza or Plato...}-Zarove

We don't believe in Vampires and Werewolves, nor do we believe in simple things like atheists.

{I beelive in Atheists, if its any consolation. and ar you sure aotu Werewolves ans Vampures? Just asking...}-Zarove

Well i'm new to this religion and I say there is no point as far as I can see.

{The pint is to gve you a set of reasonabel principles to improve your live and faclitate hange and positive growth. Read the Psycology of Religion.}-Zarove

I'm sorry for your loss. Now you know why I refuse to love. Pain.

{Pain I mnow too well,but tonot love is to not have meaning in life, and you wll live as an empty shell. Ive had too much pain in my life, yet I love. strenght is love, to not love only misury. Love may bring pain, but also joy, not loving only brigns a dull sence of numbness.}- Zarove

I dno't know what will happen when we die, nor does anyone else, but if the bible speaks the truth then why doesn't God himself come and tell us.

{If thre Bibel speaks he truth he has... thats the whole point of the Bible... }-Zarove

That would save him all the trouble of making Hell,

{No it woidlnt.smpleu knoing God exist doesn save one form Hell. Obeing God saves oen fom Hell... because its sin tha palces you in Hel. Heck, even when Jesus came to earth, ( and remmeber he was od incarnate) people wo BELEIVED him STILL turned on him, ala Judas/. Heck, if KNOWING God eists keeps one out og Hell, how do you explain Satan?}-Zarove

and why make Lucifer or the Tree of Knowledge, he "knew what would happen".

{1: Lucifer wa an angel.

2: It wasnt the tree of knowledge. It was the tree of knowledge of Good and evil. And theologiclaly had the tre of the knoledge of good and evil not been made, man woidl have no ral choice and wihtout choice no meaning to hs obedience, which woidl be blind.}-Zarove

Oh, thats right, his big plan that we can not comprehend,

{I comprehend it. maybe you need a pictue book...}-Zarove

YOUR GOD YOU CAN GIVE US THE ABILITY TO COMPREHEND.

{And he has, and I appriciae hat Gift... your just not trying to...}- Zarove

I'm sorry for my lack of belief in something I see no point to.

{No your not or else you woidlt post here...}-Zarove

Now, I'm going to go and find out what REALLY happens at death. Farewell.

{Somehow I doub htis is a legitimate post.}-Zarove

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), January 18, 2005.

Interesting comments. I feel very sorry for the man who lost his wife and daughter; perhaps I feel more sorry for those that refuse to believe in God. He is real. He is our Father. Why then is there so much uncertainty about His existence? Why is there so much pain in life, and why would God allow, or perhaps even cause the natural disaster that has taken 150,000 lives and destroyed millions of others?

The difficulty in our understanding, or lack of understanding, is in our limited perspective. Why does a child cry when separated from his mother? Separation creates fear, uncertainty, and insecurity. Yet as we grow in this life from infant to young adult, we learn to accept separation, knowing that it is only temporary.

Like infants, we view separation from our loved ones with a skewed perspective. Our loved one's are so close, yet feel as though they've been permanently removed from our lives. And as we grow in our eternal development, we learn that life is so very brief. The departure of our loved one's is not permanent.

So why doesn't God declare that He is God, show us His power, or give us reason to believe?

That would defeat our purpose of spiritual growth and development. We are spiritual beings experiencing mortal life. Only through spiritual growth and maturity can our infantile perspective change to an eternal one. The choice is ours. The opportunity of life is for us to choose to become like our Savior, or to choose to forsake the blessings that have been offered to us.

It's natural for us to want proof. We want God to reveal Himself on our terms. As mortal beings, we are basically lazy. And commanding God to prove Himself to us is not how eternal development occurs. God has revealed the prescription for knowing Him through His Holy Scriptures. Those that do His will and follow the example of Jesus Christ will come to know Him, not through grand, earth-shaking declarations, but through the still-small voice that speaks peace to our hearts. The Holy Spirit is real and is available to all men. The more we follow the example of Jesus Christ, the more we feel the Holy Spirit in our life. And this, having the Holy Spirit in our life, is all the evidence of God's existence that is typically offered to us. Any persuasion, coercion, or proof that God exists beyond the whisperings of the Holy Spirit defeat the purpose of freely choosing to follow our Savior. Yes, there are exceptions, but for those few who have extraordinary experiences, they have such experiences for particular reasons, not because they demand God to reveal Himself to satisfy our laziness.

-- Tom Clark (taclark@networld.com), January 18, 2005.

So true Tom Clark.

and this that you said also: but for those few who have extraordinary experiences, they have such experiences for particular reasons, not because they demand God to reveal Himself to satisfy our laziness.

Every person God Yahweh appeared to never asked him to do so.

Why? Because once God Yahweh appears to you you know you have to do what he asks of you. We have no other choice.

The Christian Yahwist

The Man of Yahweh '

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), January 19, 2005.