I don't understand God.

I don't have a problem understanding God - or the existence of a higher power. How do you explain how we got here? I don't necessarily believe we just suddenly were here. That is why I am not atheist. What I have a problem understanding is the judgements of HUMANS based on WHAT THEY THINK God is. So... if God is loving, and he says not to lie, hate, steal, kill, that persecuting people is wrong - then in essence God wants people to treat each other decently and with respect. Always. No matter what. As far as rules, again, this is man-made human generated crap. God has not come to me (or anybody else here) and said 'you have to do this or I will kill you'. I don't know anybody whose family claimed they were offed by God because they did or didn't do something HE wanted them to do. From what I know, God hates hypocrites. He doesn't like judgemental unaccepting intolerant people who act like jerks all the time just because they can. Does he allow them to exist? Well sure. I suppose people like that exist to test people to see if they will flip their lid, walk away, etc. My experience has been that people like that never see the error of their ways though. My hope is that they will discover that they ruined their future, whether that is reincarnation or an afterlife - by their actions against other people - believing they were the only right one and everyone else was wrong lol. That would make me feel so good, because I am so sick of encountering people who are so closed minded that they believe anybody who thinks or believes differently is wrong and they will stop at nothing to convert or convince them otherwise. That behavior is so sickening, so disturbing, it makes God seem like a greedy televangelist or something lol. I don't think that we are meant to know the whys about everything, especially not in this life. I have no answers for you about why awful things happen, why everything seems as unfair as possible. I will say though that God in his wisdom picks and chooses how to influence or not influence things, some people survive cancer, other people don't. Some people struggle their whole lives, some people never struggle. I don't know if you believe in karma but if you do, the things you do and how you treat others and more than that, your motivation for what you do influence what good comes to you in the future. In the same vein, whatever you do that is bad, that could also come back to bite you in the butt. Really, we could all be a science experiment gone awry, but I kind of like to think there's a greater purpose to our lives, even if there isn't. I'm secure and fulfilled, I don't need to sit here and question anybody's plan for me, I don't wonder what my life is for, like some people do. Rather, here I am, I'm enjoying it.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I ask the same questions. I don't have the answers. I don't completely belive in The Bible and I don't follow any particular religion. I do believe in Jesus and God, but I couldn't honestly tell you why. There does seem to be a lot of contradiction in the Bible and in what the different religions teach. I just try to live by the "Golden Rule" to the best of my ability and hope that whatever "sins" I commit will be forgiven. But I don't believe very much in the idea of "redemption" because I can't truly be sorry for the "sins" I've committed and my understanding is that part of redemtion is truly being sorry. I simply do the best I can with the challenges and obstactles that have been put in front of me. I do have some regrets, but I can't apologize for making the choices that I've made...

God LOVES the sinner. He hates the sin. Otherwise, why would He go through the trouble of giving us His ONLY Son to die for our sins so that we may have His forgiveness and His undying love. I have children and believe me, I would NEVER give up either one of them to save an entire planet of strangers. If that is not love than I don't know what is. There will be a judgement day for all but for now it is not our business to judge others. They will reap what they sowed soon enough!! God did not create evil. He did not create robots either. We still have free will and unfortunately some people use it for bad. Every time something goes bad everybody wants to blame the CREATOR whom they would not exist without. That is pretty unfair. God is love. PERIOD.

Sometimes, WHEN WE DO GOOD,WE SUFFER. i have been in a similar situation like yours before. i was like thinking i have been working and trying so hard yet i am still suffering and it still is not enough. It feels like God is working against me! But i came to realize rewards are always in the end..:)) i am satisfied with my family now and though at times it has been rough, we still are able to live by it.. Nothing is really fair in these world..but maybe in the after life, if there is any in at all..it will be different for me. i am a believer but not in all the things told in the bible or by the catholic church, there are still a lot of confusions as well..but i do what i believe is right and that i do not hurt anyone, i know i am going the right way