tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post1226480265218559326..comments2024-01-10T15:59:25.095+05:30Comments on Reasoned Musings: Justice in SufferingRaj Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-64262956852798480892013-04-06T22:15:49.988+05:302013-04-06T22:15:49.988+05:30Sarah,
Thank you so much for sharing your thought...Sarah,<br /><br />Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. <br /><br />Years ago, during Christmas, a group of us brought a few families of sanitation workers, and treated them to games, Christmas drama, food, and gave them some goodies as well. It was enjoyable and more than that, an eye opener. <br /><br />These people came in their best attires, but when we hugged them goodbye, they were surprised. Then one man came to me and invited me to his home. I told him that I will surely come. That response itself astounded him big time. He asked how on earth will I come into his rather simple home. I said, I dont have a problem. If my memory serves me right, he shed tears. <br /><br />All am saying is that we need to be proactive. <br /><br />On an another note, when a person sells himself to be a slave, he is under compulsion. :)<br /><br />God bless U sister :)Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-40576764035711680252013-04-06T18:41:20.253+05:302013-04-06T18:41:20.253+05:30I think, a person sells himself or been forcefully...<br />I think, a person sells himself or been forcefully taken as slave. Given a choice, he would not want either of it.<br />If he sells himself, can we call that a vocation ? or oppression ?<br /><br />Sanitation worker's children will/might continue to remain in the same job unless we give them a helping hand. We can stay away from giving that helping hand by thinking that there is justice because God has assigned that lot to him.<br />There is a problem there. A tension. .<br /><br />Its not very simple, I know, because we constantly strive to improve our situation and every person wants better life for their children. In this process, I think we need to strike a balance of not being dogmatic and continue to be compassionate. This subject is not easy, I agree. I am not able to express the tension that I feel .<br /><br />SarahSarah Bhuyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-91280067777635656242013-04-06T15:40:16.099+05:302013-04-06T15:40:16.099+05:30Sarah,
Doctor's and Sanitation workers are vo...Sarah,<br /><br />Doctor's and Sanitation workers are vocations, whereas slavery is an oppression. <br /><br />Oppression is not essential to our existence, whereas vocation is. <br /><br />Hope am making sense.<br /><br />Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-70890299145317809262013-04-06T10:42:11.071+05:302013-04-06T10:42:11.071+05:30" For instance, doctor’s and sanitation worke..." For instance, doctor’s and sanitation workers are essential to our existence, but their characteristics are poles apart ".- quote from the blog.<br /><br /> Pages of history says that christians looked at Slavery as an accepted privilege until it was abolished.<br /><br />Are we also saying that slaves are essential to our existence , I am just wondering,..<br /><br />Sarah BhuyanSarah Bhuyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-77945848583889417602013-04-03T19:46:17.211+05:302013-04-03T19:46:17.211+05:30Quote Raj :
"God has not failed in being just...Quote Raj :<br />"God has not failed in being just; we are failing in our responsibility. God’s people are to serve to alleviate pain and poverty, for we are the body of Christ. We cannot ignore our neighbor in pain". It is so true.<br /><br /><br />Duet.15 :4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today."<br />Duet 15:11 " There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open handed toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land".<br /><br />We believe that the Bible does not contradict itself. So, what does it mean when we read in the same chapter, ' there should be no poor' and ' there will always be " ?<br />When we look at the context, we find , it is our hard heartedness and pride that resulted in unequal distribution of wealth. At the core of our heart is sin, selfishness,<br />God being God, He uses every situation and works out every situation for the good of those who love him.. Let every man be a liar, unjust. But in god there is no injustice. The wise will make his nest close to the Almighty.<br /><br />SarahSarah Bhuyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-66610962628500384822013-04-03T12:16:36.766+05:302013-04-03T12:16:36.766+05:30Anyone who negates God's presence should expla...Anyone who negates God's presence should explain:<br />1. The origin of life (where did I come from).<br />2. The cause for suffering (within our context) or broadly speaking, Morality. <br />3. Meaning behind our life (what am I doing here).<br />4. Destiny (Where am I going?)<br />(ref. Ravi Zac)<br /><br />Reg. Unfair deaths: Bible teaches that God who is the creator and sustainer of life has the right to take away life. <br /><br />The point about raped girl is that of justice. <br /><br />About evidence for existence of God, this is a much debated topic. So without reinventing the wheel, I will refer you to http://www.existence-of-god.com/does-god-exist.html. I am sure much is said there. <br /><br />Love your participation, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Do keep them coming. May God bless you richly. <br />Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-8122254779471467282013-04-03T01:52:37.303+05:302013-04-03T01:52:37.303+05:30Well, in Job, on the other hand, all Job's kid...Well, in Job, on the other hand, all Job's kids had to die just so God could prove a point. In Exodus, women and children had to be killed so the israelites could come in and live. In the Mosaic law, women were treated as property - if an unmarried girl was raped, the rapist's punishment was having to pay the bride price and then having to marry the girl...unless her father decided against it.<br /><br />In the New Testament, Paul forbids women to speak publicly, or to appear in church without a veil, or to teach another man - so you are violating scripture as we speak.<br /><br />Unless you consider places like Saudi Arabia or Iran to be the closest thing we have to heaven, you probably don't "follow the Bible" as much as you say. And this God is not the sort that I could ever love. Fortutantely, there's no evidence that he actually exists. I think we would be much worse off with him than we already are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-50953817203576203752013-04-02T11:35:35.453+05:302013-04-02T11:35:35.453+05:30Please permit me to dialogue reg the analogy of th...<br />Please permit me to dialogue reg the analogy of the ' abusive marriage 'in terms of God as the abuser is not right. I follow The Bible and hence the Bible is my basis. In Hosea, God is the one who is going after the abusive,adulterous people. All the abuse and insults comes from us.<br /><br />The Messiah died for us who are made in His image -<br />Vermin has no image of God - and it was love and justice that took him to the cross.<br /><br />Thank you for reading,<br />SarahSarah Bhuyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-79901696307475388062013-04-02T11:21:50.311+05:302013-04-02T11:21:50.311+05:30The very fact that we question and seek explanatio...<br />The very fact that we question and seek explanation points to some one who is answerable. The one who is answerable is the one in authority. Head of the family, or church or State.<br />We do not ask a peon or the office building to explain a multi crore scam, do we ? Hence, we assume there is some one out there to whom I can raise my questions.<br /><br />An honest cry from our heart when everything around us crashes<br />is understood by God and He can handle it. The fact that we use<br />"if there is a God..... We are half way through the fact that there is a God, but at this moment I am feeling like He is not there. God is capable of handling that situation and He will enable us to move from that "if" to " Yes, He is who he is ."<br />Bible gives examples of people like Sarah and Benjamin and Raj.. God knows who we are. All our bravado at times crashes, But our God doesnt. He says, "walk with me, I am capable of handling your life." We know it only in hindsight.<br /><br />Remain blessed all you guys,<br />SaraSarah Bhuyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-90482539573755759412013-04-02T02:15:21.565+05:302013-04-02T02:15:21.565+05:30Thanks for your response, Bro.
I think your negat...Thanks for your response, Bro.<br /><br />I think your negation of God is due to the unbearable circumstances. At the core of your argument is the conflict between God and 'No-God.' <br /><br />If God does not create or sustain, then who does? From your response, I reckon it's the 'universe.' So, we are essentially talking about an Almighty living God or a universe that is not a living being. What I don't understand is how a lifeless universe supports living beings - you and me? (Where does life originate from?)<br /><br />If suffering can only be explained without God, then what is the cause of suffering? Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-30865182831734433752013-04-02T01:45:24.363+05:302013-04-02T01:45:24.363+05:30Well, the "blessings" come simply from h...Well, the "blessings" come simply from having a universe which supports life. If you don't die off immediately, it will still support you to some extent, even if you're weak. Although every once in a while there are tornadoes and tsunamis and all that...<br /><br />You don't really need God to explain the universe. Nor life. We may not know much about it, but what we do know doesn't really point to anything - life just points to life - it simply leaves everything to be interpreted.<br /><br />The universe certainly isn't concerned with cruelty. Around 17 000 children die daily of hunger. Contrasting that to a sunny day is unfair, it should be contrasted to human kindness. But human kindness is just that - human, not divine.<br /><br />So no - the blessings don't point to God for me. Life and the universe can be explained with or without God, but suffering, for me, can only be explained without.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-23269059157914097772013-04-02T01:44:42.067+05:302013-04-02T01:44:42.067+05:30Benji, Thanks for your candid comment. When we wal...Benji, Thanks for your candid comment. When we walk with God, He gives us the necessary strength with which we can tide over any situation. I dont mean to say that life will be easy, but His power would be made perfect in and through our pain. Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-86195798261670198132013-04-02T01:39:21.734+05:302013-04-02T01:39:21.734+05:30Bro, First, thanks much for sharing your thoughts....Bro, First, thanks much for sharing your thoughts. Second, I agree with your thoughts, for you are speaking the cries of the heart. My heart cries too...and so many times at that...so, I can honestly say that I know where you are coming from. Third, may I seek clarity on "faint blessings" and "bound to encounter." I ask since this seems to be the foundation to your thought. Look to your response, brother. God bless....Much love Raj Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11043347477044729583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-49263728677032155332013-04-01T19:33:09.673+05:302013-04-01T19:33:09.673+05:30The trouble with this idea that although God deter...The trouble with this idea that although God determines our circumstances (which sometimes are nothing short of unbearable), he is still good because of even the most faint blessings that we're all bound to encounter, is that it sort of resembles an abusive marriage - the hand that smites you is also the hand that feeds you and also the hand that caresses you and so on. A relationship where love and fear are intertwined like this simply becomes too confusing and too exhausting.<br /><br />Either that or love needen't be part of the equation at all. There are those that say he really doesn't like us very much and simply pities us enough - us being the vermin that we are - that he at least temporarily allows us to live. Gratitude, in turn, means being glad that he doesn't kill you on the spot. But if this is genuinely the sort of figure you look up to, it becomes impossible ever to like anybody, yourself included.<br /><br />So anyway...it's all a bit long and a bit out of the blue...I can't agree with your post but I just wanted to say that I value very highly the rare occurences of geninue compassiion toward others. So it was heartwarming in a way :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237936242445786797.post-73552416847169421782013-04-01T18:59:52.329+05:302013-04-01T18:59:52.329+05:30God's perspective of justice has been made ve...God's perspective of justice has been made very clear to me after reading this.<br />I have often questioned God's plan in my life....at times even shouted out loud that "If there trluy was a God then i would not have ended up in this mess !!! " questioning His very existence.<br /><br />Its always difficult to put complete trust on Him when it seems like our life is crashing in on us...but God never puts us in situations if He thought we didn't have what it takes to get past it.<br /><br />We just have to walk with God to make sure that His block buster plan for our lives actually happens :D :D<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16338829259972178754noreply@blogger.com