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(a little inside title joke for those who think CS LEWIS is a witch...)
Anyway, I have been having HEATED (to say the least) discussions with my brother about a lot of topics I remember discussed in this book...
Mainly, as he seems almost a convert to atheism lately, that he believes that a Father that is God would not let the suffering that is in the world happen...therefore he does not believe that there is a loving Father that truly looks after everyone...
A simple example he likes using is that a 3 year old? was raped by like 3 men, sold by her prostitute mother in some foreign country--he's studying to be a doctor, and they discussed how her organs had to be surgically reformed after being thus brutalized...
I want this thread to become quite complex, and tackle all sides of this issue if possible, so that those like me may find helpful witnessing tools to witness to people like my brother...
First, I tell my brother that who am I to answer for God...like the end of Job states...Our minds cannot comprehend why anything happens the way it happens, and I want try and justify something God not intervening in a circumstance...
Second, I tell my brother that since man is made in God's image, spiritually humans have a lot of authority to use rightly or wrongly, to create paradise or hell on this earth.
Third, I told him not to deal with 'abstract other people' use himself as a witness against God, but its like trying to fight an unknown ghost to claim 'someone somewhere' is suffering needlessly.
And today I though of two more, thoughts on this...
Fourth, innocence suffering is an example of Christ suffering...the innocent will always suffer from the hands of the wicked, its what happened on the cross; and perhaps? it still serves as a witness to this greatest of all sufferings...but if you do not see that the Cross of Christ is of more value than any other suffering, than you do not see how it pays for all sins, and further more how it alone is the greatest tragedy turned romance that has ever occurred...that is why is his qquestion not simply...Why does Jesus have to suffer?...
Fifth, I think in his mind specifically this problem arises because being brought up Lutheran, we were not taught that Satan was really real if you know what I mean... It was more or less a force, or some abstract evil, but not a creature that is completely evil and really is bent on wrecking God's creation for everyone, and specifically for him...and I read by a Christian author once that it is almost as important to believe that Satan is real as it is to believe in God...because the second can deceive you, if you just think everything is God...that there are many ways to heaven, or that the chaos in this world was God's plan...
And now for your help, may God bless you
Tony Copeland
Anyway, I have been having HEATED (to say the least) discussions with my brother about a lot of topics I remember discussed in this book...
Mainly, as he seems almost a convert to atheism lately, that he believes that a Father that is God would not let the suffering that is in the world happen...therefore he does not believe that there is a loving Father that truly looks after everyone...
A simple example he likes using is that a 3 year old? was raped by like 3 men, sold by her prostitute mother in some foreign country--he's studying to be a doctor, and they discussed how her organs had to be surgically reformed after being thus brutalized...
I want this thread to become quite complex, and tackle all sides of this issue if possible, so that those like me may find helpful witnessing tools to witness to people like my brother...
First, I tell my brother that who am I to answer for God...like the end of Job states...Our minds cannot comprehend why anything happens the way it happens, and I want try and justify something God not intervening in a circumstance...
Second, I tell my brother that since man is made in God's image, spiritually humans have a lot of authority to use rightly or wrongly, to create paradise or hell on this earth.
Third, I told him not to deal with 'abstract other people' use himself as a witness against God, but its like trying to fight an unknown ghost to claim 'someone somewhere' is suffering needlessly.
And today I though of two more, thoughts on this...
Fourth, innocence suffering is an example of Christ suffering...the innocent will always suffer from the hands of the wicked, its what happened on the cross; and perhaps? it still serves as a witness to this greatest of all sufferings...but if you do not see that the Cross of Christ is of more value than any other suffering, than you do not see how it pays for all sins, and further more how it alone is the greatest tragedy turned romance that has ever occurred...that is why is his qquestion not simply...Why does Jesus have to suffer?...
Fifth, I think in his mind specifically this problem arises because being brought up Lutheran, we were not taught that Satan was really real if you know what I mean... It was more or less a force, or some abstract evil, but not a creature that is completely evil and really is bent on wrecking God's creation for everyone, and specifically for him...and I read by a Christian author once that it is almost as important to believe that Satan is real as it is to believe in God...because the second can deceive you, if you just think everything is God...that there are many ways to heaven, or that the chaos in this world was God's plan...
And now for your help, may God bless you
Tony Copeland