God mourns for the dead, and He did not want this to happen. From this tragedy, He will work to show His love to all in this world and He will ensure that none, especially the innocent, have died in vain.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…
- Genesis 50:20
- Adam Walsh’s father, John Walsh, co-founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 1984; the television show America’s Most Wanted has led to the arrest of 932 criminals to date; in 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
- Mark Klass, father of Polly, founded The Klasskids Foundation which is dedicated to educating the public on the necessity of stronger laws and cooperation among law enforcement agencies to protect our children. The first line on their website is ‘The KlaasKids Foundation arose like a phoenix out of the ashes of despair.’
- Cassie Bernall was killed at Columbine after refusing to deny her faith, a symbol of faith in a fallen world, doing what Peter could not...
These are just a few examples of how God has taken the evil in this world and He has used it for good. God did not intend for the horror of Virginia Tech to occur, but from it, His love will shine through.
God is good. God is here. Your distance from Him is up to you. Draw near.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen
- Revelation 22:20-21
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Bob
Or... maybe there is no God.
2 - Leslie Bohn
There's no evidence for any gods.
The Cassie Bernall story has been disproved. Didn't happen.
3 - Arch Conservative
There is also no evidence that disproves the existence of god Leslie.
4 - Baritone
God did not "take the evil in this world and ... use it for good." How people can repeatedly believe such drivel is beyond me. Whatever "good" has come out of the recent horrific events was accomplished by human beings, not any god.
Again, how a supposedly omnipotent and omniscient god could not forestall evil events in this world if he didn't want or intend for them to happen is beyond me. If god is as advertised, how does anything get by him? The only answer I can fathom is that your "loving" god did intend for evil things to happen. The Holocaust, 911, Sanjaya, all horrific events which happened in this world at your god's behest.
We can't fathom god's plan? Bullshit! As there is no god, (I know this cause a little bird told me) there is no "plan." Evil happens because people are capable of it. Good happens for the same reason. It is our choice. Cho Seung-hui made his choice. The good that may rise from the ashes of Hui's actions will be the results of choices made by other people, not your's or anyone's god.
Baritone
5 - Leslie Bohn
Sorry, Mr. C:
People have been disproving the existence of specific gods for a lot longer than some blog's been running. The many many inherent contradictions in the Bible, combined with the historical record and the laws of nature and physics, are enough to pretty easily disprove the Judeo-Christian god, for example.
Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then is he malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?
-Epicurus
You can't completely discount the possibility of some hypothetical god beyond logic or something, but every single one humans have come up with so far is demonstrably fictive.
6 - Kaonashi
As noble as the work has been done by John Walsh and Mark Klass, I don't doubt that they would give it all away in a heartbeat if it meant they would get their children back.
7 - Christopher Rose
It's not necessary to disprove the existence of god.
Anybody can postulate the existence of something and then the burden is on them to prove it. There is no requirement to prove them wrong, they have to demonstrate the truth of their assertion.
8 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Chris, I was going to stay out of this entirely - 'tisn't worth arguing over - until you came along and arrogantly asserted that you can state that there is no G-d and not be burdened to prove it.
Weak as I view Leslie Bohn's analysis to be, at least he attempted to prove his point of view, which appears to be not too dissimilar from your own. Where he differs significantly from you is that he at least made the attempt. While I disagree with him (and you, of course), at least he had the class to attempt to prove his assertions. You would do well to take a lesson from him.
I'll not further participate in this "debate." As I said, 'tisn't worth the effort. Rabbis Meir Kahane's, z"l, "Facing the Holocaust - Jewishly" found at comment #14 of this article is more than an adequate complement to this article's general arguments and I leave it top Rick Vassar, the author of the article above, to contemplate its points, should he so desire to.
9 - Christopher Rose
Ruvy, after laughing at your doublespeak of trying to not argue whilst arguing, I sobered up with the realisation that you are simply blind on this point.
My remark is not arrogant in the slightest, it's simply rational and reasonable. If I asserted that the entire universe was created by myself other folk might reasonably ask me to substantiate the point.
It is you that is being arrogant in making your entirely unsupported claims without anything at all to back it up. To rebutt such hollow words is not arrogant, it is sweet reason. If you weren't blinded by your faith, you would be able to see this, but of course you suffer from the zealot's affliction of a closed mind.
This point is supported by the fact that I have told you many times that I am completely open to the idea of god, indeed I wish there was such a thing. However, not having the trusting mind of a child, I'm not prepared to accept it just because some other humans make the assertion but can't support it.
10 - troll
(I invoke the MCH option on any further comments concerning religion by these two bozos who constantly browbeat each other and all readers with their incessant tirades destroying the value of the comments section)
11 - J. K. Jones
Just a quick question.
If evil disproves God's existence, then why do you have a basis to call something evil?
12 - Christopher Rose
troll, although I love the elegance of your rhetorical attempt to use my own invention against me (it's exception not option though), I was pointing out the error of Arch Conservative's opinion when Ruvy gave in to temptation.
I must therefore reject your clowning around with the same two words as in my last comment to you. You do remember what they were, don't you?
LOL
13 - troll
Chris - I bombard you with smiles and suggest that a 30 day cooling off period might do you a world of good
I am serious (somewhat) about your duel with Ruvy
and oh yeah - bite me
14 - JC Mosquito
If God manipulates human affairs, then we are merely His puppets. His non-interference allows choice and free will.
BTW... He also doesn't interfere when good things happen to bad people - which happens more often than you'd like to think.
I really don't believe anyone here is going to convince anyone else here to change their minds. Look, if there's no God, we all end up dead as posts. If there is, all can be forgiven. Win win situation I figure.
15 - Rick Vassar
I appreciate all your comments.
This article is not about the existence of God. It is an observation based on my beliefs, which I am allowed to have, just as you are allowed to have your own beliefs.
As a Christian, I believe in God, and I chose to write from that belief system. If you disagree, that's okay. I know He exists, and I neither attempted to prove it or disprove it. I chose merely to proclaim it.
To attack because you disagree does not help the conversation and is unfair.
Now, it's either that or somebody missed snacktime.
16 - JC Mosquito
Good for you, Mr. V - a nice place to leave it hang (if people are willing to leave it).
The problem with belief in God is that it's often assumed automatically that one is a Bible thumpin' zealot ready to call down damnation on non beliveres. It's possible to believe in God and be a sane, rational kind & caring human being, and I suspect that you yourself might actually be that kind of person.
Pax Vo,
Sk.
17 - Rick Vassar
Thanks (I think)
18 - fitman
God says, "My kingdom is no part of this world". He has nothing to do with what is going on in this world today. Satan controls it all for the time being. God's time is soon to come. It is very short in coming. All wickedness and unforgiving sinners will be wiped from the earth.
All false religion, which is 99 per cent of it, will be destroyed by the world governments, and then when everything looks like it is going well and we have peace, "The end will come upon them like a thief in the night". Search for the truth, and be ready!
19 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Rick,
Just asking if you looked at the link I left in comment #8, and was curious what you thought of it. It, obviously is a Jewish point of view dealing with a related topic.
And no, I'm not looking to argue with you over it. The main reason I have not commented very much here is that, from your own perspective, you said much of what I would have.
20 - JC Mosquito
Yep - it's s'posed to be a compliment. Unless you were about ready to thump somebody. ;)
Hey, that could be a Dylan type song: "You Gotta Thump Somebody." Maybe I can sell that idea to Weird Al.
21 - seamus
So if I go out and slaughter a bunch of people, then God will create good from it?
Yay, Virginia Tech killer! I can't wait to see how God turns this into something awesome!
And God, way to go with that Holocaust. And Darfur. And Nagasaki. And the Black Death. So much good created there.
22 - Leslie Bohn
Mr. Vassar:
I find the assertion that your entry titled "Where is God?" isn't about the existence of God confusing.
You asked, I answered. Where's the attack? Maybe you didn't mean me, and if so, I apologize.
And my other point was just a correction of your incorrect information about Cassie Bernall.
23 - JC Mosquito
Naw, God doesn't cause that stuff to happen - it's just the way of the world. Hitler had a choice to do what he did, just like everyone else had a choice in how to deal with him. Too bad they couldn't have dealt with him sooner & saved a lot of grief and lives.
If anything good has some out of that, it's not God making Hitler rise to power just so he can make some good out of it - once again, it's a human choice.
So, you can look at this two ways - it's all about a godless world with human choices, or it's about a world where God has to allow all things to happen: the bad things that happen to good people as well as the good things that happen to bad people. And, the mediocre things that happen to mediocre people.
What's the diff? Why choose God? For me, because the evidence of the world around me and my understanding of God coexist and support each other. Actually, Genesis Ch 1 - 11 pretty much says the same thing. But people keep interpreting the Bible like a science text, which the Bible itself says it isn't.
Like I said before, if there's no God, we're all dust. If there's God, he'll be forgiving and all will be well. We'll all get a chance to find out if Eddie Van Halen really is as good (or better) than Hendrix.
24 - Baronius
There was an article about a week ago, about the golfer who acknowledged God after his Masters victory. Some people replied, "sure, you thank God for the good stuff, but what about the bad?" I think this article answers that question. It's interesting that both articles got the same kind of reactions.
25 - meeee
I really like that song Every Grain of Sand!!!