Who are the Norwegians praying to?
 

The church services, the candle lighting, the shrines


Are they praying to the god who did nothing on Friday?

Hey LT, nice to see ya.

I don't know much about the way God - if she exists - thinks. But I imagine that if you're a Christian (or a Jew or whatever...) you will believe what it says in the Bible. The Bible says that there is evil in the world that isn't of God's making.

God gave man free will

So what does he actually do, why pray to him/her?

Surely an all powerful god can give free will and intervene at times to stop abject cruelty?

or indeed do anything at all, i mean he can only get 5% of this country to church for 1 hour a week.

I would not hire him if i were in the god business

the bible says that all things on earth were made by god.

Going by the bible God is a sadist and enjoys watching people suffer

amen

I just find it incredible that these evil priests and ministers can have the bare cheek to conduct memorial services and no one in the press bats an eyelid

According to the Bible, Lucifer started out his career as an archangel made by God. One third of all angels fell into sin and became demons. Not everything that was [claimed in the Bible to have been] made by God is good and never becomes tainted.

People just need comfort. I don't think now is the right time to hit them with your opinion that God doesn't exist. People are comforted by their religion.

As far as I can see, there is only one person responsible for the atrocity in Norway, and that wasn't God. People who don't believe in God never want to thank him for good things, but are always ready to blame him for bad things.

there is scant comfort in lies. luckily 95% of Norway do not believe in gods.

You could not thank him for anything as he appears to do nothing whatsoever.

the problem for religionists is that they want to praise him for all the good things but bury their collective heads in the sand for the bad. that is why you will not hear any religious leaders talking about this incident. I wish they would.

yeah well, like I said. Maybe save your criticism for the Devil. After all, if you believe in God, then you are duty bound to believe in the Devil.

You are a little ray of sunshine today, aren't you! :-)

Yeah, the Devil. lol:devil:

Anyway how are you Livia?

I'm fighting fit LT, How're you? And what have you done to Uma??

dont look at her beard, its rude

You're a bad, bad man.

I didn't say it was God, if you see my post earlier I said God gave man free will

On the whole i would say that giving man free will has been a bit of a cock up and he should be assessed in terms of eligibility for omnipotence.

i mean he is getting on a bit...

It's just a nice excuse for why god lets people do bad things really lol

When you love something you allow it freedom. God gives us all freedom. That doesn't mean he doesn't care.

If God didn't love us, then we'd all just be his puppets. The world might be nicer, and horrible things wouldn't happen, but we would be miserable slaves.

God doesn't create the horror in this world, we do.

Sorry InOne, I saw your comment about free will, I wasn't referring to your post.

Yes the puppets answer is the stock one but if you buy the god can do anything line and made everything then i am quite sure he could allow free will and stop needless suffering.

If you really loved something you would not let what happens in the world every day of every year.

That is just sick

I have no strong religious identity at all but from reading the Bible, it would seem Humankind was entrusted with the Earth,with total free will to do and choose between good and bad,right and wrong.

This is a bad comparison I know but it's a 'bit' like your Parents,they go off round the World out of contact and entrust their home and land to their Family.
In the time they have that free run of things, should the family ruin or destroy elements or all of the home and land,also should they get into battles and maybe harm or even kill another family member/s , Who is to blame for that? The Parents who entrusted their property,land and all else to them in their absence or the family who carried out and allowed to be carried out the destruction and harm?

I forget who said it, (I think Oliver Cromwell may have), but in despair or conflict everyone who believes,believes God (whatever,whoever any deity may be),is on their side. It may be pertinent to ask 'God must often wonder who is on his side'.

If faith and prayer helps to console in any way then that likely is a good thing.

The Earth though is a very beautiful place,Humans have full access and full running of it, if a mess is made of that surely the only people to blame are the people who cause harm and destruction to it and to their fellow humans from their free will and choice to do so.
Nothing to do with a God who gives the total freedom to choose good or bad, right or wrong.

I'm not a believer. I see this as a horrid case of somebody who was clearly mentally ill

It's sad :(

So what does god do?

he makes it and then nothing?


Its worse than a bad sci fi movie at best