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Do you believe your god punishes people with illnesses and hardships?

Mainly because they don't believe in your god, or your flavor?

Then how do you come to grips with the fact that people, good moral, nice people, within your church or religion struggle with the same things???

Things like cancer, children dying in accidents, acts of nature or war? How can you justify saying, "an atheist I know has incurable cancer given to him by god".

I truly am curious if anyone can explain this whacked out thought process to me?

Update:

To all the believers, and non-believers, thank you for verifying that thinking a "god" (or god-like entity) would be so spiteful to punish the innocent, or guilty, is crazy.

I KNOW it is, just wanted to see if those that DO believe this could justify their reasoning, as you can read, they can't....

Update 2:

To those that believe illness and hardships are caused by Satan, please send me the passage in the bible that tells you THAT. Still how can you reconcile it's "Satan's" fault when it comes to innocent children who could not have "allowed" Satan into their lives? That logic is a skewed as blaming it on god. I wonder if you cheated on your spouse if you would transfer the blame for that too, oh wait, of course you would, as personal responsibility and things just happen don't enter into your thought processes.

Update 3:

Lakota Bob, though I love the fact you are rational enough to realize it is not "god", you are kidding yourself about pollution being the problem. People were having accidents, being struck by lightning and getting sick thousands of years before pollution was even an issue...

Update 4:

Christy - I said "your god" for two reasons.

1- I don't have a god I bow too,

2- I wanted my question to be open to those of ANY faith (or lack thereof)

What a separatist, holier than thou statement, "there is one god".

And btw, SATAN is made up by the church. Historically speaking Jesus NEVER once mentioned him in any of his sermons. Why, because Satan did not exist until the CHURCH needed to put a big fear into people to control them. Jeesh, do any Christians ever crack open a book that does not offer a view not written by the church or its minions?

Update 5:

Smile your statements contradict themselves so I have a hard time following your logic.

And the "no one believes what I believe" implies that your thoughts are the first ever in human existence, I find that hard to believe. And I have studied many of the world's religions, hence I ask "your god" as my question was open to anyone of any faith (or lack thereof--but I knew what the atheists thought).

30 Answers

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  • SDW
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Whoever said that about the Atheist with cancer needs to have a railroad spike to the spine. Bad things happen to everyone. Christians just like to think that they're 'punishments' for the unsaved. They call them 'trials' or 'tests' when they happen to believers, in a grand display of hypocrisy.

    Sometimes, bad things just happen... God doesn't need to have a purpose for them, they're just the way things are.

  • 1 decade ago

    God does not punish and definitely does not put sickness and disease. Why do people focus on God and blame him when something bad is going on? Don't they realize if there is a God then there must be a devil and the devil is the one behind every thing that is evil. The devil likes when the blame is on God because that keeps the evil focused off on him. He likes to blind others from the truth and is very wicked and good at controlling the mind if you allow it. He is the creator of all lies, sickness,disease and death. God is not the cause he is full of love thanks to him by his stripes we are healed and pierced through his head so his people can be delivered from all demonic mental problems. When an atheist is in point of death they must believe in some one right? So many do believe they don't want to commit to the truth and feel comfortable and believe they don't need God for that moment of their life. How could God be the blame of their illness why don't they blame the devil for lying to them that there is no God the devil is very good at that. All the devil wants is to bring as many people down with him. I know people who were atheist and one who experienced death and when God revived him he lives to tell the story and now believes in him why because God new he would tell others who God is and that he does exist. He saw the devil face to face along with his demons explains what he experienced in hell if the devil has such power then why didn't he keep him in hell? Only God can keep you from hell if people would only give him a try. God made our body's to love and to care for it to feed it good things and maintain it he also blessed many talented people to become doctors and help care for those who are sick. If we don't care for our health the way we should then expect to get ill from it. So people shouldn't be saying that God took their life or why did God allowed me to get sick because we are in this world and life does not come with a life time guarantee. There is a time where we all have to expire rather we like it or not let's not take advantage of the life we got time is short. The devil might be behind evil illnesses but The God I know has the Power to give you eternal life.

    Read the bible it'll help any confusion.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Everyone, all races, religions, whatever experience hardships. We all eat the same polluted foods, drink the same water, breathe the same air. I am thankful that I am not handicapped in a terrible way. I know many that are and I have to tell you, they are the brightest stars I have ever met despite their lack. And they are thankful for their limitations because they say they would not be where they are at or doing what they are doing without it. We are all the same in the eyes of the Lord. The only difference is saved and unsaved. Both suffer hardships and disease, and tragedy's. I know if I get Cancer it is because I smoke.

  • 1 decade ago

    NO I don't believe your god punishes people with illnesses and hardships.

    You have the right to think any thing you want to.

    What "Flavor" do you think I am? And what does what I taste like have to do with anything?

    I have NEVER said "an atheist I know has incurable cancer given to him by god". Nor would I ever!

    I don’t know, why do you have “this whacked out thought process”?

    Source(s): z
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  • 1 decade ago

    I think god will never give all these to humanbeings, humanbeings are the main reasons to happen like this illness, poverty, cancer like diseases etc. because in the every day life we breath and eat and feel lot of poison in directly or indirectly, in the case of earth quake sunami and other nature distroys that all happens from the ancient ages by history we can know it very clearly.because change that is a very truth to all human beings places animals etc for all things all will automatically changes, god we think he is the creator of all things if belive in god this earth will once distryed that is a very fact. In the life we had to accept good and bad that will happen to all human beings even from President to begger isnt it ? So god will decide all thing, for human beings there is only one god but familiar in in various name in various religion and various nations, so be belive in god for our patience in mind and for love each other see all human being as equal, that is what we believe in god and pray god

    Source(s): Myself Sreelas from Kerala thiruvananthapuram
  • 1 decade ago

    In the first place, I couldn't worship a God I could understand. I will always have a human brain capable of understanding things on a level that's not God-like.

    Secondly, I think bad things happen to everyone. Even atheists! We're supposed to learn from them and maybe relate to others through them.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    you have no idea what my 'religion' is but yes god punishes people, for thier own sins, sometimes not for thier sins although that is not punishment. Even punishment is a natural consequence, cancer is because you smoked camel non-filters (or just dumb luck, randomness which is fine with my god), diseases because you had promiscuous sex or just with the wrong person. There is no right true path, just better ones and none have truly perfected it, plenty better than me no doubt. Just cause a person goes to church doesn't mean much to me. Even if you do everything you can naturally right it ends some time, to me it has nothing to do with being a believer, what i believe no one believes, but as i've said people live better lives than me. on the surface at least.

  • Janey
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    ok streching my brain here.

    I know that most christians believe that when something bad comes along it really isnt a bad thing, its actually a good thing because God causes these things in a positive way, its only us in our disbelief and impatience that believe that when something bad happenes all of a sudden God dosent care any more and were all alone, when in reality he is there more than when good things are happening.

    Hope I helped

  • 1 decade ago

    My god? You say that as if we all have a different god. There is only one god.

    And I don't think He punishes people with illnesses. I believe there are consequences to disobedience and improper behaviour. For example, if I touch a hot iron, I'll get burned. Do you consider that a punishment from God?

    Also, everything has it's opposite: hot/cold, light/dark, good/evil. How do you figure God represents both good and evil? I think if you believe in God who represents all that is good, you have to believe in Satan, who represents all that is evil. Isn't it possible that man creates these bad things himself, be it knowingly or unknowingly, through free will and Satan encourages it? Satan, not God.

  • 354gr
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Sometimes it may feel like someone is responsible for our suffering. But, generally speaking I think if there is a god. That our suffering is only a process to build our character and make us stronger. But, I can see where people may feel punished.

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