How can a loving God allow suffering Michael Ramsden

@kellyjay said
If we know the Lord yes, He convicts so we turn from the evil we do towards Him.

You don't have to try to "turn from evil"?

@kellyjay said
At no time did I say that the life we have with Christ is an easy one the struggle is huge, but we have a Savior who has overcome, one who went through all of this so He can relate with us.

"Struggle" to do what?

@fmf said
You don't have to try to "turn from evil"?

You did read the word 'repent' didn't you?

@kellyjay said
You did read the word 'repent' didn't you?

"Repent" clearly does not mean the "evil" stops.

@fmf said
"Struggle" to do what?

What you didn't do, walk with the Lord against our sinful nature and everything else.

@kellyjay said
What you didn't do, walk with the Lord against our sinful nature and everything else.

I have no problem "struggling" to be a good person without religion.

@kellyjay said
What you didn't do, walk with the Lord against our sinful nature and everything else.

Why are you still, as you admit yourself freely and repeatedly, an "evil and wicked" person, even though you believe in Jesus?

@fmf said
I have no problem "struggling" to be a good person without religion.

You define good by looking at a moral compass that points any ole direction. How would you know what is good, or isn't? You look at what you want to do, by what you want to allow, how is that struggling to be good? A moral compass that doesn't point anywhere, or points every where is useless, that isn't a world of good and evil, that is a world of anarchy.

@kellyjay said
You define good by looking at a moral compass that points any ole direction. How would you know what is good, or isn't? You look at what you want to do, by what you want to allow, how is that struggling to be good? A moral compass that doesn't point anywhere, or points every where is useless, that isn't a world of good and evil, that is a world of anarchy.

My life is not "anarchy" at all. Christian principles - aside from belief in Jesus - are front and centre with my moral compass. It points towards not lying, not cheating, not harming people, not stealing things, not coercing people, not being unfaithful, being fair, trying to be charitable, trying to be empathetic, trying to be compassionate, working for others etc. I am not an "evil" person.

I don't see how you - for ideological reasons - describing yourself as "evil and wicked" (despite being Christian) makes me "evil and wicked" too. I don't need to know what it is you do that makes you - by your own admission - "evil and wicked", but I am not "evil" nor do I do "evil" things.

Not being "evil" in one's everyday life is not difficult at all. It's not a "struggle" for me, even if it for you [as you tell it].

@kellyjay said
You define good by looking at a moral compass that points any ole direction.

I don't see how my moral compass points in "any old direction". What does that even mean?

@fmf said
My life is not "anarchy" at all. Christian principles - aside from belief in Jesus - are front and centre with my moral compass. It points towards not lying, not cheating, not harming people, not stealing things, not coercing people, not being unfaithful, being fair, trying to be charitable, trying to be empathetic, trying to be compassionate, working for others etc. I am not an ...[text shortened]... day life is not difficult at all. It's not a "struggle" for me, even if it for you [as you tell it].

Again, you believe everyone has a moral compass that points in any ole direction, all no different than the next with respect to morals correct? I have shared that in the absence of love we find ourselves without the one thing that sets the moral compass where it should be. You have people in your life you love, I'm sure of that, but do you love everyone at all times?

My admission is I fall short so I need a savior, within me I know dwells no good thing, that is outside of Christ. All of us have been immersed in this life, we have nothing to compare anything to except others like us, until we meet God. Do you think fish know they are wet? It isn't going to be clear until you get confronted with the real thing, only then will you understand the false.

I've seen you act unkind to others, you realize Jesus said that even calling someone a fool puts you in danger. Have you done, or said things worse than that? If there isn't a true scale by which we can compare our righteousness to, how would you know if you are falling short or not? If everyone you know is just like you, and if the whole lump is bad, wouldn't it all look normal, with the possibility you might look better to some and worse to others?

@fmf said
I don't see how my moral compass points in "any old direction". What does that even mean?

I'm not going to rehash things we have discussed before.

@kellyjay said
I'm not going to rehash things we have discussed before.

It seems you did not comprehend the "things we have discussed before". Did you read all the posts I addressed to you?

@kellyjay said
Again, you believe everyone has a moral compass that points in any ole direction, all no different than the next with respect to morals correct?

"No different than the next"? What nonsense. It's as if you didn't read my posts.

@kellyjay said
Again, you believe everyone has a moral compass that points in any ole direction, all no different than the next with respect to morals correct? I have shared that in the absence of love we find ourselves without the one thing that sets the moral compass where it should be. You have people in your life you love, I'm sure of that, but do you love everyone at all times?

My ...[text shortened]... wouldn't it all look normal, with the possibility you might look better to some and worse to others?

If you want to describe yourself as "evil and wicked", speak for yourself. I am not "evil and wicked". Call yourself what you want and then tell yourself that you are "forgiven" by a supernatural being for being "evil and wicked", be my guest. Speak for yourself. If telling yourself you are BOTH "evil and wicked" AND "forgiven" gets you through each day, you go for it.