The Pope had no answer...do you?

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nogard

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
331
2
0
#1
So the Pope went to the Philippines for the first time in 2 decades. While many of us may not care about that little fact, what I did find interesting is a question asked by a young girl that he had no answer to. The article, found on cnn.com, is posted below:

"Ex-street kid weeps as she asks Pope why God lets children suffer in Philippines"
Ex-street kid weeps as she asks Pope why God lets children suffer in Philippines - CNN.com


To those who don't feel like clicking the link, here is the start of the article and the beginning of her question:

A few years ago, Glyzelle Palomar was begging for food on the streets of northern Manila. This week, the 12-year-old girl was on a stage in front of tens of thousands of people, asking Pope Francis why God lets children suffer.

"There are many children neglected by their own parents," Glyzelle said Sunday at a ceremony at a 400-year-old Catholic university in Manila. "There are also many who became victims and many terrible things happened to them like drugs or prostitution."

"Why is God allowing such things to happen, even if it is not the fault of the children?" she asked the Pope, breaking down into tears as she spoke.
 

Jon4TheCross

Senior Member
Oct 19, 2012
1,864
7
38
#2
Simple...evil chose a reward, and because it's what they chose for reward they will be allowed to experience that reward... to kill,steal...and destroy through lies, and much more. They have little time left, depending on what you consider little. To God...The Bible is probably like a mustard seed. To us, who have been motivated by birth to develop patterns of thinking...actions, attitudes, thoughts and words....we find The Bible huge...kinda like a baby would. That is good, because the faith of a child is very valuable indeed.
 
Sep 6, 2014
7,034
5,435
113
#3
Isaiah 57:1-2
1
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
 
P

prodigal

Guest
#4
Psalm 73 King James Version (KJV)


73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.


2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.


3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.


4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.


5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.


6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.


7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.


8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.


9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.


10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.


11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?


12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.


13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.


14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.


15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.


16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;


17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.


18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.


19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.


20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.


21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.


22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.


23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.


24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.


25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.


26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.


27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.


28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#5
Because of sin and no other reason.
 

Jon4TheCross

Senior Member
Oct 19, 2012
1,864
7
38
#6
I love those scriptures. Thank you much.
 

nogard

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
331
2
0
#7
Because of sin and no other reason.
Sin is the reason for why it happens, but not for why God allows it to happen.


But that is a beautiful Psalm Prodigal.
 
Last edited:

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,023
1,020
113
New Zealand
#8
What would happen if he didn't allow suffering to happen?

I would think that we would learn nothing from experience.

But when looking at why suffering happens - and evil happens.. look at what happened in the beginning.

God didn't create sin, He didn't create evil. Men went there own way, and then God gave the natural consequence.

Pain, sin, suffering is the result of people going there own way. And there will be people who are suffering for no fault of their own.. but that is because of the initial history of people going their own way, and that affecting generations to come.

A God that steps in and prevents pain and suffering every time.. is the lollypop, give me give me give me God.. without any truth. We wouldn't learn anything.

But in the end, according to the bible, God does deal with suffering in the right time. All done with, completely.
 
M

Mitspa

Guest
#9
So the Pope went to the Philippines for the first time in 2 decades. While many of us may not care about that little fact, what I did find interesting is a question asked by a young girl that he had no answer to. The article, found on cnn.com, is posted below:

"Ex-street kid weeps as she asks Pope why God lets children suffer in Philippines"
Ex-street kid weeps as she asks Pope why God lets children suffer in Philippines - CNN.com


To those who don't feel like clicking the link, here is the start of the article and the beginning of her question:
Its very simple.. God says because man disobey Him and follows after evil...its this evil that causes them to suffer. And the pope should have admitted that he did not really know God and his church was the cause of the great curse and suffering of the people there. That is they would accept the true Gospel and the true Jesus Christ ..they would be blessed like the other Christians are blessed.
 

nogard

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
331
2
0
#13
I guess I just wonder where the compassion is in all of this. So there is sin and it causes all of this suffering to happen to innocent people, notably children. So where is the compassion from God for these people who are suffering? Throughout the Bible and through testimony from modern-day Christians, we see God interacting with the world and the people in it, often alleviating suffering and rescuing those in need. But then there are those whose suffering is not alleviated and who do not find rescue.

What further convolutes things is the way God acts according to modern-day Christians in developed countries. We believe and credit God for helping us with these small, trivial things. Helping us find a job. Healing us from a minor illness. Comforting us when we are sad. Leading us to our future spouse. We believe God does all these things, yet for some reason He feels no need to help or rescue those who are truly in need in impoverished nations like the Philippines, where hundreds, no, thousands of children are left homeless, many of them abused, never knowing what it's like to be loved. Yet praise God, he helped me find my lost dog yesterday. Does anyone else see what's wrong with this picture?
 

Jon4TheCross

Senior Member
Oct 19, 2012
1,864
7
38
#14
Just like in the game I posted...which is a parable to the world...those participating can use powers to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, or use powers to bring glory to God.
Evil gets their temporary and eternal reward, and so do we.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,706
3,650
113
#15
Look around. Those countries choked in paganism and superstition reap the gods they have been serving.
America is on a bullet train in that direction while still eating out the last particles of leftovers from her Judeo-Christian past.
 

nogard

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
331
2
0
#16
Not to beat a dead horse...but after reading the last two posts, I have to ask again. Where is the compassion?

And by the way, the Philippines is the most Christian nation in Asia. Granted, it has a large Catholic contingent, but it also has a large Protestant/Evangelical contingent. And should that even matter. These are children we are talking about who didn't ask to be born where they were born. I also find it a bit concerning how everyone is fine believing that God does all these little pithy things in our own lives but couldn't give a rip about people, children especially, who are truly in need. Please someone go back to my post two posts up and actually respond to it.
 

djness

Senior Member
May 16, 2014
502
13
18
#17
I guess I just wonder where the compassion is in all of this. So there is sin and it causes all of this suffering to happen to innocent people, notably children. So where is the compassion from God for these people who are suffering? Throughout the Bible and through testimony from modern-day Christians, we see God interacting with the world and the people in it, often alleviating suffering and rescuing those in need. But then there are those whose suffering is not alleviated and who do not find rescue.

What further convolutes things is the way God acts according to modern-day Christians in developed countries. We believe and credit God for helping us with these small, trivial things. Helping us find a job. Healing us from a minor illness. Comforting us when we are sad. Leading us to our future spouse. We believe God does all these things, yet for some reason He feels no need to help or rescue those who are truly in need in impoverished nations like the Philippines, where hundreds, no, thousands of children are left homeless, many of them abused, never knowing what it's like to be loved. Yet praise God, he helped me find my lost dog yesterday. Does anyone else see what's wrong with this picture?
There is a scripture that says if you do not do what you know is good you sin. I asked this the other day in the bible study room''How is it then that God knowing to do good and not doing it, like feeding the starving children is not in sin.'' I got a lot of various answers but nobody can really say why you get to live and have water and food and obvious luxury of the internet and some poor baby dies face down in a puddle covered in flies.

The only answer i can personally come up with regarding your call to compassion is this. First of all I do do something every month...second..this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8



I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
 

djness

Senior Member
May 16, 2014
502
13
18
#18
Psalm 73 King James Version (KJV)


73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.


2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.


3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.


4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.


5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.


6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.


7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.


8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.


9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.


10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.


11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?


12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.


13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.


14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.


15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.


16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;


17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.


18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.


19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.


20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.


21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.


22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.


23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.


24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.


25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.


26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.


27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.


28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
This psalm is my favorite psalm because the very first time the Lord ever answered a prayer of mine He responded with this.
 
Mar 21, 2011
1,515
16
0
#19
Atheists have been banging on about this.
My question to atheists is: "okay, then why do YOU atheists let it happen?"
 
Sep 6, 2014
7,034
5,435
113
#20
Look around. Those countries choked in paganism and superstition reap the gods they have been serving.
"After her speech, Pope Francis hugged Palomar and 14-year-old Jun Chura, a former street dweller who also delivered a message. The Pope also gave them rosaries.(John 5:21)

"I'm very happy," Palomar said of her close encounter with the Pope. "He's like God."(Exodus 20:3,Psalm 81:9)

"I also felt he was like my father. I no longer have a father," added Palomar, whose father died when she was younger."
glyzelle-011815.jpg
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