If there really is a god
 

If there really is a god, why does he let bad things happen to good people?

I have said that and believed that all my life. I wasn't raised in a religious household, my parents never spoke a word about it that I can remember. Before my mother became heavily involved with alcohol I do remember going to sunday school with my cousins, but I was about 5 and don't remember a thing. As a pre-teen my best friend had to go to church every week and a few times I went with her. But I was confussed by the sermon, and after awhile I stopped going with.
For these reasons and more, I am having trouble with getting past step 2, and I know that it is impossible to complete the steps without truely beliving in your HP. I also know that some of you reading this now are having the same problem.
I am trying to look at it this way, imagine that you were born into an extremely wealthy family, a family who cushioned you everytime you fell, and handed you everything you ever asked for. They got you out of trouble whenever you needed it and never let you feel the consiquences of your mistakes. With being spoiled rotten growing up, how do you think you'll turn out as an adult?
It may sound like a good life, but imagine if everyone was handed these things as well. We'd have an entire world of adults who would always expect to get their own way. They'd be selfish and wouldn't know how to react when things go wrong. I think it sounds alot like living with an alcoholic and being an enabler. Could you imagine a whole world of alcoholics?
For this reason, our HP makes us work for what we want and need. He lets us feel the consiquences so we understand what our mistake was and hopefully learn from it. He throws us a lot of hurdles in our lives to make us stronger people so we can survive out there in the real world, so we can be better parents/teachers/workers/lovers.
I just thought I'd share, thanks for reading.
:wink3:

What a wonderful perspective. It took me a long time to figure out that just because I think something is good or bad, doesn't mean it is that way. Thanks for sharing that. Hugs, Magic

Hi mamma,

Your higher power can be called God, Buddha, Allah, the universe, nature, the sky, or someone who has passed on, that you continually feel their presence, or whatever gives you a connection to or the feeling of accepting and believing that there is something or someone out there who is able to assist you in your growth and recovery. I believe that's why the referral is always "higher power" because not everyone believes in God, but may be spiritual or just don't believe at all.

If there really is a god, why does he let bad things happen to good people is your question?

I don't believe this. What is made of love and gives love would never make us suffer. This statement reminds me of the nuns at catholic school. We were punished by "God" because we obviously were bad people. Such a crock. It wasn't until I got out of the dysfunctional house I grew up in and mingled with people who had other beliefs that I discovered that God/higher power was pure love.

Over the years and particularly over the last 4 years, I've learned and believe that we are the makers of our destiny. If we think miserable thoughts, that's what our lives become. If we think healthy, happy and positive thougths, our lives will head in that direction.

We were put here to enjoy the fruits of our labor and the gifts given to us by........... We were not put on this earth to suffer and be punished. If that were true, why is the earth, with it's magnificent beauty and colors, species of animals and birds, the glittering stars at night and the sun during the day part of our everyday lives? Wouldn't it seem logical that it would be dank and dreary without light and life for us that should be punished?

I feel that I was unlucky to be part of a dysfunctional family; equally unlucky marrying an alcoholic, but I don't feel punished because my son is also an alcoholic. I see that I don't have to be part of the sickness anymore. Just getting out of it and free of all the ties is the bi***. I felt that I was forever doomed with my situation, but through alanon discovered a deeper meaning to life, not just to set myself free from the disease.

Totally my beliefs. Probably 1 of millions.

Blessings, Kathy

God doesn't let bad things happen to good people...He allows us to make our own choices in which there are consequences.

I believe everything in my life except sin is a gift from God...even if I don't always know what the reason is right away.

Hugs

Actually, accepting "God" as we know HIM was the hardest step for me. Since I have my feet strongly planted on my path now, the term "higher power" means a whole lot more than it used to. And I also believe we are in control of our own destinys. Our higher power is part of us, therefore we have more power than we could possibly dream!

Blessed Be!
MysticCat

MAMMACAT: Re:If there really was a god...

Let me tell you a short story that will answer your question....

One day, a man decided to go to the barber to get his hair cut.
He had been an addict/alcoholic for years and was in the midst of recovery. He had lived a very hard life full of addiction problems, lies, relaspeses, having no money, no place to live, and whatever else.
While sitting in the barber's chair getting his hair cut, the topic of religon and God came up. The man had stated that God helped him turn his life around.
The barber looked at him like he was crazy and said "I don't believe God exsists." When the man asked why, the barber said "because, if God exsisted, bad things wouldn't be happening to people."
The man didn't want to cause an argument, so after his haircut, he paid the man and left the store.
Outside the store there was a man begging for money. He had dirty, ripped clothes and his hair was long and stringy.
The man turned around and walked right back in to the barber shop and said "I don't believe that barbers exsist." The barber looked at him completely surprised and said "what? Why not?"
The man answered,"because, if barbers exsisted, there wouldn't be anyone walking around with long striny uncut hair." And with that said, he left.

I think we were given freedom of choice. I don't think Gods test us or lets bad things happen to us. I think we put ourselves through things until we learn the lesson we need to learn. By turning my life over to a Higher Power I will hopefully make Higher choices.

mammacat

What a wonderful way to put it.
Thing is now though... I feel I am that spoiled kid. Protected, lifted up when I fall. Given things I do not deserve. BUT I still am allowed to feel the consiquences of my mistakes. They are the thing that helps me grow. Also I find that when troubled times come to life... I draw closer to God and that also helps me grow. The more I rely on Him and trust in Him... the better my life becomes.
Troubles in life can be such a blessing for sure.
Troubles in life also make the joys of life that much more a joy filled time.

I know that I am in no position to question what is the will of anyone other than myself...be it God, my husband, my children or my friends.

I have a life. I make choices. Things happen. I make more choices. More things happen.

I have friends who die for no reason. I have no say in that. I have a choice in my reaction. I rage, I cry, I question, I rebel and then I accept that it happened. I have no say in the reasons that it happens.

I liken my choices in living with an alcholic husband to living with the rest of my life. There are some things in which I have NO SAY at all, such as my husband being a drunk or my friends dying. There are plenty of things that I have a total say in...after grief I can help my friend's family raise their child. I can love my husband. I can be a good person.

Bad things happen. I can't stop that. What happens after the bad stuff...well some that that I have a HUGE say it...other things, I have no say it.

I find that if I am quiet and if I am peaceful and if I listen. I just know...I know that I can do and what I can't do. I have no rights in questioning WHY things happen. I have a big part is doing WHAT needs to happen after I listen long enough to hear about the path I need to take.

I have learned that when I am screaming for answers, I can't hear.

Jenny

I struggled with that for years but had to go through the hard times to figure out what it meant. I was pretty messed up, selfish, stubborn and arrogant, when I was younger and it took living with an A and the deaths of 2 of my sisters, my husbands 13 year old son, 2 of my BIL's and my cousin in 14 years. My older son was and is also pretty messed up, which isn't easy to deal with. I was humbled and beat down and pretty much reached my bottom.

Now I know and feel God's love and no matter what happens I know He's there with me. I feel that I needed to go through all of that to reach where I'm at now. Not all that great but learning all the time. I don't like the person I used to be and I kinda like who I am now.

Thanks for all your replies :)