A question of values.......

[Chubminnow]

the West End of Louisville

Hurricane Bob speaks the truth!

[Tim_T]

Detroit
Harlem
And the West End of Louisville

I don't know anyone in Harlem or Detroit, but the people I know in the west end are either unarmed or have a CCDW. I have spent a lot of time in the west end and think most of its bad reputation is based on fear. Sure there are a couple of isolated areas you don't want to get lost in, but it is not as bad as people try and make it sound.

[Chubminnow]

Sure there are a couple of isolated areas you don't want to get lost in, but it is not as bad as people try and make it sound.

Bob's probably like me in that he paints the west end with a four inch brush, in other words he doesn't know enough about it and which pockets of town you don't want to stop and ask for directions, niether do I....Newburg area is another area that has it's share of shootings that makes the news.

All told...I'm a caucasion male, I drive a pickup truck and there isn't anything in the west end that I need or want either one.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Sorry Bug but we will agree to disagree. No I never blamed God for what happened to me. What I said was if there was a God then why do things happen the way they do? For me to blame God then that would mean I 110% believe there is a God in the first place. Yes I was very obese when I had a weight loss surgery. No I was not always that way and it had absolutely nothing to do with food because it only took 2 years to gain 160 lbs and even though I was constantly on a strict diet as far down as 1000 calories a day my body kept gaining weight. So I wad not shoving food in my mouth to get that big but a thyroid condition that they could not figure out that caused my last 2 years prior to my weight loss surgery issues. No I am not a fair weather Christian. Even when I did go to church for a year, was baptized and such I had 3 surgeries during this time. It was not like all was well so I went to church then it went bad so I quit going to church. Like I said I thought "maybe" the fact that I was not going to church and believing was the issue but found out it did not matter for my health was still the same. If that was the case I could say I have not been in the hospital for 7 months now and hopefully I will make it to November which would make it 9 months which is the longest I have been out of the hospital in 6 years. So I guess not going to church is the answer. All I am saying is I am not 110% and NOBODY is 110% sure there is a God. I respect your opinion and your right to believe what you want and certainly deserve the same in return. Maybe God had kept me around maybe I am a stubborn SOB that refuses to die maybe some doctors are better than others maybe I check out tonight or maybe I live to be 156 years old ( hope not). But nobody knows

[jcb]

No I am not a fair weather Christian. Even when I did go to church for a year, was baptized and such I had 3 surgeries during this time. It was not like all was well so I went to church then it went bad so I quit going to church. Like I said I thought "maybe" the fact that I was not going to church and believing was the issue but found out it did not matter for my health was still the same. If that was the case I could say I have not been in the hospital for 7 months now and hopefully I will make it to November which would make it 9 months which is the longest I have been out of the hospital in 6 years. So I guess not going to church is the answer.

Elwood, while this is a very common thought process, it is totally off-track from a biblical perspective.

Despite what all the TBN televangelists would have us believe, God has never promised us an earthly reward for faith. As a matter of fact, he promises the opposite. In 2 Timothy the Christian is actually promised persecution.

What God, through Christ, has promised is that when the Christian suffers, God's comforter, the Holy Spirit, is available. Paul referred to the "thorn in his flesh" that constantly tormented him; but in Romans 5 he says "we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

This perspective on human suffering also addresses your question about "why does God let this happen". I believe that you and I have pain and suffering in our lives because we, as a race, chose to separate ourselves from God through Adam and Eve. Their pride led them to sin. God, being holy and just, couldn't just look the other way, so mankind was cursed. But God, also being loving and kind, provided Christ as a way to make it right.

Once you look at suffering as something we deserve, which I do, God's mercy takes on a whole new light.

One of my favorite preacher/teachers, John Piper, said "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." I pray that you, I, all of us can be content and satisfied with God and rest knowing that He is enough.