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thankyou mandy , for sharing that with us

This is a 'cut and paste' from an article written by a Salvation Army Officer. I hope that it might be of some help. Mandy x Why has God allowed it? by Major Jonathan Roberts NONE of us who gathered for worship on Boxing Day was aware of the full horror inflicted on the people of South Asia by the awful tsunami earlier that morning. As the death toll mounted day after day and we took in the scenes of destruction and misery few could fail to be shocked by the tragedy. A disaster of that scale would have horrified us at any time of year, but in the middle of the Christmas festivities it came to our minds with greater tragic force. At times like this many ask ‘Why?’ Why has this happened? Why has God allowed it? People did the same 250 years ago when a similar event took place. In 1755 an earthquake measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale took place one Sunday just off the coast of Portugal. It created a tsunami that swept over Lisbon and killed 60,000 people. In response to the question ‘Why?’ some said it was God’s punishment on a sinful city. Such an answer then and now cannot be right. In recent days church leaders have offered tentative answers. For example, the Bishop of Norwich said: ‘God has given us an earth that lives and moves. It is not inert, it is alive – that is why we can live. A living and moving earth has its dangers.’ Even though there may be no adequate answer to the question ‘Why?’ it is still natural to ask. The psalms are full of questions addressed to God in the face of innocent suffering. The faith of the psalmist was often shaken, but never shattered. Indeed it was always strengthened. As Christians we can see things more clearly than these Old Testament writers. While Christmas may accentuate the tragedy in our minds, the one whose birth we have celebrated helps us to respond with faith. From now on we see things through the lens of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Our Christmas readings do not usually include the account of Herod’s killing of infant boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem. It comes as a nasty sting in the Christmas tale, but it reminds us that Jesus was born into a world of suffering, injustice, poverty and greed – and, faced with danger, his family sought asylum in Egypt. In his life Jesus encountered temptation, hostility and bereavement. In his death he experienced physical, emotional and spiritual suffering as he plumbed the depths of God-forsakenness. All this shows us that, in Jesus, God had become part of this world. Even now he feels our pain and he is in solidarity with those who suffer. More than that, the resurrection of Jesus proclaims that God has the power to create hope from tragedy. Once we understand the world from this perspective, knowing that God has shown us his love in the person of Jesus, our question must change from ‘Why has this happened?’ to ‘What can we do to help?’ and ‘How can we show the love of God in this situation?’ We may feel that we can give only limited answers to these questions. Few of us will be able to travel to the region and give a practical helping hand. We can, however, clasp our hands in prayer, asking God to console the bereaved, strengthen the relief workers and give wisdom to those in power. We can also put our hands deep into our pockets and give in support of the relief effort. This is the response that, as the Archbishop of Canterbury put it, ‘asks not for understanding but for ways of changing the situation in whatever perhaps very small ways that are open to us’. In so doing we reveal something of the love that God has revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

Paul After a couple of awful years, I can empathise. However.... I was always a non-believer, so haven't really lost any faith as I didn't have any to start with.. my views have been reinforced though. Hope things get better for you soon Paul

Yes thats what my mum says...no matter what we have all been through in our life together, and no matter what we have come up against, she feels she is blessesd to have us skwidderlies, (as she calls us!) xx

Actually no...its not completly lost, but for years now i have found it hard to believe that there is anything to have faith in! x

Hi Paul I'm not a good christian at all but I'm really lucky that I've got a very strong faith that seems to be pretty unshakeable. I might feel angry or confused at things but it's not left me yet lol. I've had some wonderful people in my life but when the really crap things have happened, like most people, I've felt pretty alone and that my faith has been the only thing I've had. I think it gives me a more hopeful outlook on life and afterwards and if it turns out it's all b******s I won't know a thing about it :) David

yep its completely gone! x

thanks for all the replies. i respect all your views and hope that whoever your god is, whether spritual or otherwise, helps you through life. xxxx

Hello Paul, I understand your dilemma, and certainly I've found that the recent tsunami has rocked me a little in my tracks. I have a fairly strong Christian faith, although I certainly don't count myself among the saints, more like an arch sinner! However, the problem that many people have in reconciling events like this to their religious beliefs is precisely the question you ask - how could a good God allow these things to happen? The answer is not easy, but is that God (in our Christian religion) has given men the power of choice and free will, and doesn't try to control every event by central command and control. This arises from our original rebellion against Him, and as a result the whole creation has continued to be in a state of imperfection where disasters can and do happen. Rather like human beings, we're all in a state of imperfection as well. It follows from this that life on this earth can never be made perfect itself, this only comes at a later stage when we've completed our earthly stage and move on to the next heavenly stage. Sorry if this sounds a bit doctrinal, it's not meant to be, but it's never easy explaining why we shouldn't shrug off God when things go wrong. What we can do is to ask for His support in tackling the disasters which have occurred, so that at least we are trying to put things right. I suppose the simple message is "working towards... trying to do our best." Hope this helps, Philip

I recieved a email a couple of days ago, from my sisters friend and her husband, they were in Sri Lanka they had gone out for six weeks, to relax ready to start their new life togethr when they came home. They were going to start a family and their own business they had all the plans. They had a James Bond Wedding 3 years ago and spent 2 years on honeymoon travelling the world. But disaster struck, we knew they wer out there when it happened but no one heard anything, finaly after 5 days of waiting they had been found. The first email she sent to me last week saying that they didnt want to talk to anybody they were getting medical treatment here and councillors. they couldnt venture out. And 2 days ago the email she sent well it has really disturbed me. She has tried going out just for a walk but she is so frightend of everything a falling tree cars everything. And she dosnt want to tell her story to people as it is just so traumatic so they wrote it all down. They were snorkelling when it happened they were sucked under and out to sea they made it to a big rock and thought they were safe but again the sea was dragging them under, she was swept under again, and they both went through the motions of this is it this is the end, as she is not a very strong swimmer she knew she couldnt survive, anyway eventualy after many times of being swept away and under and reaching 10m away from the shore line and again being dragged back and not knowing if the other had survived thye made it to the beach. It was amazing that they had found each other again, and they had been fighting for their lives for 3 and a half hours. She should have died but she didnt they had survived. They were led to a locals house and they had no medical assistance they had a bit of water and they had to stay there for 4 days and on the 5th day people managed to get through to them an dtake them to safety. To survive that I think was an act of god. And she hadnt had a period for 5 years and had come of the injection 6 months ago and was waiting for a period, ready to start a family in the new year. and the day that it happened she looked down and saw blood and thought that she was bleeding internaly but it was her period. which I think I know it sounds stupid but god must have certain people picked out for life, these 2 people have been very lucky and are meant to go on to have children and enjoy life. but after what they have been through it will take a time to get over. So finaly yes I think I do have faith. I dont really know what I believe. they shouldnt ahve been throuhg what they did so why was god so cruel yet on the other hand he let them survive but took a lot of others which is not right.

Paul i lost my RC faith at the age of 12, so 31 years ago, i believe in life after death in a scientific way, with the crap i have had over the years from 3 bad marriages, physical/mental abuse and cancer, now a spinal disease, i just think if their is a god he certainly gave me a rough deal, i must have been awful in a previous life,and as you say the recent disasters, does make you wonder keep your chin up sandra

PS But I have and still do question why many, many times - why does my uncle have to have lung cancer? why did my mum die only 71 when her mum and dad lived to 92 and 100? why did my friends have to die so young of ovarian cancer? why can't my stepdaughter and her ex-partner get together? why can't my stepgrandchildren live near us? oh yes, many whys, and more!!! Joy

Hi , Paul , Don't apologise for "rambling " as you call it . Life has thrown quite a lot at you , hasn't it ?? It's natural that you feel some angst..who wouldn't ?? So very sorry to hear of the troubles of your Mum , boss and friend . The news about your birth mother would put anyone on a "downer "...that's so sad . I can detect that you have a sense of humour....hang on to it . I can't say much about faith ...I'm a bit of a "don't know " but I admire anyone who has solid faith ... Talking about problems can help and you'll find many listeners on this board.. regards Joyce.

There was a thread a while ago, I think, asking where was God. I think the person meant when there are disasters. *He* is where he always has been. *He* has not changed. He has not moved anywhere. I *do* judge God often by my own standards, but feel that I shouldn't. God is here during the good, happy times. He is here during the bad, unhappy times. I *do know* that it is not always easy to believe all of that though!!! I find it is easy to forget about God during happy times because it is then that I don't feel a need to turn to him! :) Joy

Paul, that certainly is a lot to cope with!! You are still on this site looking for relatives so you must have some faith left after the experience of your birth mother. I am sure most of us never want to give up hope so that must be having a faith in something. Jacky

this is a bit deep and meaningful for me but i was thinking, i was brought up as a good catholic boy and while i admit the halo has definately slipped over the years i still like to think i'm a fairly decent chap and all that. i believe in life after death so by that virtue i must believe in a higher force, or a 'god'. just recently with the tsunami and iraq, the mud slides and everything i have come to think well actually it must just be pure science that makes this world of ours because how could a being let all these things happen? on a personal note, in the last year my boss contracted breast cancer, my mum got cancer for the second time and i just found out that a girl who i used to be extremely close friends with only has 2 months to live and she's only 37. add to that the fact that i finally found the woman who gave birth to me after 32 years and found out she's an alcoholic who has been sectioned in a mental home and is it any wonder that i question the existance of an all knowing all powerful generally good guy? sorry to ramble! just been on my mind a bit thats all. paul....

In what or whom, Paul? Joy

Never had any to lose Paul! Joan

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