Wow I missed a lot... I love this post. I read through the posts I missed and it sounds like you two had a great conversation. I am a believer don't go to church.. But my guy was dragged to church by his dad and then he turned the tables on his dad making his dad go when he didn't want to.. LOL.. He tried to get me to go and I never did. I still had my wall built up then and just couldn't see getting involved in his church then have something happen in our relationship and I couldn't go any longer. His family all go to that church, in fact his Aunt is the minister/preacher. But when he comes home I'll be attending with him every single Sunday. It's a nondenominational church so that fits me. I often times will watch some preaching on the tv and it always hits an emotional note for me, which is another reason I never went to church with him too.. I just don't want to start crying in church, and think it wouldn't take much. I went to Ark. a few years ago, went to the glass chapel and about cried it was so beautiful you could see God's hands in the whole setting, then there is Christ of the Ozarks there and I had to walk off on my own. It just doesn't take much to get me to cry when it comes to God and Jesus. I went to the movies with my mom and step dad to see oh what was the name of that movie that what's his name made.. Boy amnesia here.. LOL DUH Passion of Christ... And in the part where they were dragging him through the streets with the crucifix I was balling like a baby. Buried my head in mom's shoulder I was crying to hard... It was terrible.. In fact I could cry right now.. I won't but I sure could. And this is from a person that doesn't attend church never have on a regular basis really. But I am very much a believer in the basics of the bible and very much a religious person on my own.

Anyway... This is certainly a great post.

I have always been a Christian. When my dad died I clung hard to my faith and studied it and became involved with a church and went to school for pastoral care. I have started to question God myself. I don't think it's a bad thing at all. What matters is your faith.

This has been an interesting post. I am a PK(preachers kid). I believe, yet I also question. My Dad wrote in my Confirmation card 32 years ago "it is healthy to doubt, but don't let sincere doubt take your faith, it is in sincere doubt that you learn and grow." Four years after that he died suddenly. I was mortified and hated God.

I have always believed but with disdain so to speak, I then suffered infertility, and pregnancy losses, thinking God was punishing me.

I have realized that we live in a fallen world,God hurts when we hurt. His Son died for us. Yes we pray when we're desperate then we are upset when the prayer is unanswered. Sort of like when our children ask for something outragous that we can't afford, or something that we know is not good for them; sometimes the answer is NO, or sometimes the answer comes much later.

Tragidy is not His Will, but He walks with us through the pain. I so wanted children of my own but suffered 5 pregnancy losses; at the time I felt he was not there, but He was with me, and my prayer of having children was answered through adoption.

Yes right now I question what He has in store as my son is sitting in prision not getting the counseling he needs. But I also know that my son has made the wrong choices and that God is there for him when he calls on him.

Smoking, drinking, etc. God knows we are not perfect that is why He sent His Son. The story of the adulterous woman about to be stoned, Jesus looks to the crowd and says "you that have no sin cast the first stone." He wasn't hodie-todie with the uper crust , he was there with the lowly and outcast; He was ultimately put to death for no reason, when a murderer was set free.

I know I would not be here, living, functioning had it not been for my faith; As the poem of "Footprints" There are always two sets as He is beside me, but at my lowest there is only one set , so "where are you then, I ask" ; He replies, that is when I carried you. For me that is oh so true.
Faith is to believe in what can't be seen.

I feel as a believer in God that who are we to question his motives, but it is human nature to question what we don't understand. But I feel when God calls a child home that there is a purpose either to teach someone something or show someone something for every thing there is a reason. If we know what the reason is or not it may not be a purpose that deals with you it could be for someone whose life the child touched to show them something, maybe lead then to Him, this child is with the Father, the greastest thing a believer could ask for is to go home where their Father is. The ultimite trip.

so when if ur child dies your suppose th thank god for taking him/her home?
if you can produce one person who had has there child taken away with that attitude then ill agree.
a child like say Jamie Bulger (a Liverpool 2-3 yr old was dragged from his mum in a shopping mall, made to walk for 2 hrs, stoned to death by two 10yr olds and abused and died to a train track to die) you telling me god let all that happen to show someone something or to help someone whos life jaime had touched?
he should be 18 this weekend and he is still with his mothers thoughts every single day, the pai she cant forget, that is not a blesing from god, thats a curse!!

That's the human nature that Sinder is talking about. We are given free will and some people do horrible things. Those are times when we thank God that that poor child will be with him instead of suffering, because he survived such a thing. Many, many people do things to others that are not God's will and that is when most of us will question why God let it happen. I don't really have any kind of answer for that, except that He can't prevent the horrible things that happen at the hands of people that don't do His will. We can only hope and pray that at some point in those boys lives that they do seek God for forgiveness for what they did and change their ways, so that they do not continue to do terrible things like that. It would takes days and hours to try to explain this, but know that NO, it was not God's doing. Even in the bible their are stories of how people were brutally murdered and terrible things happened and God punished them.

but there boys who did it arnt being punished, they are living lives with new identities and will prob never seek god.
answer me one question, if Jamies mum was a firm believer and knew the two lads had found god and accepted god have forgiven them, do you think she could forgive them? i dont understand how god could forgive two people for doing that, to end another person life should be the greatesr of all sins, they should never be forgiven. I dont even think faith can over come that feeling of hatred Jamies mum must have?

Ok, your talking about God and forgiveness, what about Gods son Jesus, although we have been taught The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit? Jesuse died on the cross for our sins, didn't he forgive as he was dying. If I remember correctly he did, Jesus was in the middle, or at least thats how it is potrayed in history, he forgave, certain things I believe are in the devils hands, but I have difficulty believing that when you die you go to hell. I truely believe earth is hell. I believe we are free of hells earth once we die, there has to be a better tomorrow some where out there.

Lets just make it simple, so you have free will to choose.

Heaven or Hell
God or Satan
Good or evil
Peace or stress
Question GOD or Seek God

We'll only find out on the JUDGEMENT DAY!

"Lets just make it simple, so you have free will to choose.

Heaven or Hell
God or Satan
Good or evil
Peace or stress
Question GOD or Seek God

We'll only find out on the JUDGEMENT DAY! "

If it was that simple do you think this post would even be here? your attitude in the last post is exactly what scares none believers.
so if u dont seek good your seeking satan? belivers say hell is earth and heaven is when u die, others believe hell and heaven are both places you can go when deceased, doesnt god forgive those who commit evil? so there can be no choice? and peace and stress? i have no doubt believers still feel stress!

I can get into deeper conversation of religion, but we all know that would lead us debating w/out a conclusion.
Why would anyone be scared?
It's your own FAITH. "scared" is a feeling... of something unknown. When you have Jesus in your heart, why would you be scared? And there's heaven, mighty GOD waiting for us!
I would never question GOD.
Why? I have all the answers in the BIBLE and before I even ask, he gives me wisdom and answers.
Maybe I'll question SATAN !

so Moazart you saying there is only a choice between god and satan, i dont believe in god but i dont believe in satan either so i have no need to question that theory.
And for the people who dont have god in there heart when people like you say on judgement day "if you dont follow god you will go to hell" is exactly what im talking about.... trying to scare people into believng! my autny died at the age of 87, she was a devout christian, and she told us as a child she was terriified into believing in god by her piers, tolod if she didnt do this, didnt do that, she would go to hell when she died. Alot of people want piece when they die, and although i dont beleive in god i would like to think when i did i go to a nice peacefull place, not somewhere yo suffer for eternity!!