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At 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the first of two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center, which began a subsequent terrorist assault on the United States Pentagon.
With a nation in turmoil, families in devastation, and world governments in crisis mode, it can be difficult to see any good from the situation at hand. Yet the one unchanging fact that Christians can depend on is the unalterable nature of the living God.
He is a God who is compassionate and who sympathizes with us in our weakness, in our sadness, and in our mourning. In Isaiah 51:12, the Lord says, "I, even I, am the one who comforts you."
When terror strikes, we often feel helpless and weak. The Lord knows how we feel; He knows that without Him we are weak. Like a doting Father, God reminds us of His power to work even in the midst of our heartache and debris. "Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust" (Psalm 103:14).
While such tragedy was NOT caused by the Lord, He did allow it. At times like these, you may find it hard to understand how a loving God could allow such upheaval; how He could allow such mourning to befall an entire nation; why He would let such evil pervade so many lives.
God alone knows the details involved, and we may never understand the tragic events and painful circumstances of life. But we can lean on His Word: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding..." (Proverbs 3:5—6).
You may wonder what to do at a time like this:
First, don't allow your inability to understand tragic events to deter your faith in God or to drive you from Him.
Oswald Chambers writes, "Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now."
It may be hard to imagine any bigger issues than the catastrophic loss of lives suffered by one nation. Yet we must remember that God knows and sees beyond this moment. He will use even this to display His glory.
People around the globe mourn the loss of loved ones. Others calculate the cost of this attack on the future of world relations and international finance. It appears that the security of many has been shaken. Secondly, however, we must remember that our security does not lie in this world. As Christians, our security lies in Jesus Christ alone.
Third, we as a body of believers are called to pray. Not only must we intercede on behalf of all families directly influenced by the victims of such a tragedy, but we must also pray for revival to sweep through our land. God uses devastating events to get people's attention. Let's pray that people around the world, even in our back yard or in our own home, take notice of Him. Let us pray for the salvation of souls.
Fourth, as a follower of Christ, you can saturate yourself in His Word. The enemy would like to discourage you and make you feel defeated at a time like this. Yet recounting the promises of God, and praising God for His goodness and unchanging attributes, will flood your mind with living water. Not only will you be encouraged, but God will also store up His Word in your heart so that you can encourage others.
Finally, we can open our eyes to more than what's happening in the media. We can pray for God to show us specific opportunities to minister His love to people in our lives.
I, personally, was not directly affected by the tragedy that the 'free and democratic world' experienced, but I have no doubt, that God has his hand on ALL his people.
With a nation in turmoil, families in devastation, and world governments in crisis mode, it can be difficult to see any good from the situation at hand. Yet the one unchanging fact that Christians can depend on is the unalterable nature of the living God.
He is a God who is compassionate and who sympathizes with us in our weakness, in our sadness, and in our mourning. In Isaiah 51:12, the Lord says, "I, even I, am the one who comforts you."
When terror strikes, we often feel helpless and weak. The Lord knows how we feel; He knows that without Him we are weak. Like a doting Father, God reminds us of His power to work even in the midst of our heartache and debris. "Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust" (Psalm 103:14).
While such tragedy was NOT caused by the Lord, He did allow it. At times like these, you may find it hard to understand how a loving God could allow such upheaval; how He could allow such mourning to befall an entire nation; why He would let such evil pervade so many lives.
God alone knows the details involved, and we may never understand the tragic events and painful circumstances of life. But we can lean on His Word: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding..." (Proverbs 3:5—6).
You may wonder what to do at a time like this:
First, don't allow your inability to understand tragic events to deter your faith in God or to drive you from Him.
Oswald Chambers writes, "Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now."
It may be hard to imagine any bigger issues than the catastrophic loss of lives suffered by one nation. Yet we must remember that God knows and sees beyond this moment. He will use even this to display His glory.
People around the globe mourn the loss of loved ones. Others calculate the cost of this attack on the future of world relations and international finance. It appears that the security of many has been shaken. Secondly, however, we must remember that our security does not lie in this world. As Christians, our security lies in Jesus Christ alone.
Third, we as a body of believers are called to pray. Not only must we intercede on behalf of all families directly influenced by the victims of such a tragedy, but we must also pray for revival to sweep through our land. God uses devastating events to get people's attention. Let's pray that people around the world, even in our back yard or in our own home, take notice of Him. Let us pray for the salvation of souls.
Fourth, as a follower of Christ, you can saturate yourself in His Word. The enemy would like to discourage you and make you feel defeated at a time like this. Yet recounting the promises of God, and praising God for His goodness and unchanging attributes, will flood your mind with living water. Not only will you be encouraged, but God will also store up His Word in your heart so that you can encourage others.
Finally, we can open our eyes to more than what's happening in the media. We can pray for God to show us specific opportunities to minister His love to people in our lives.
I, personally, was not directly affected by the tragedy that the 'free and democratic world' experienced, but I have no doubt, that God has his hand on ALL his people.
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Agreed, YH - I've no intention of having a slanging match.
Wòókiee Møn§†€R wrote:
Like those whose 'God' tells them to kill anyone
> who doesn't believe as they do.
Or those who committed
> yesterday's crime in the name of their 'God'.
Yep!
Those were the ones that I mean.
I also feel that I can religion even less seriously now than I could before.
HOWEVER, we should not sit here and argue amoungst oursevles over religion, terrible events occured yesterday, we should not forget that in an effort to have a slanging match about god.
Wookiee, this was not to you specifically, but to everyone in general.
Like those whose 'God' tells them to kill anyone
> who doesn't believe as they do.
Or those who committed
> yesterday's crime in the name of their 'God'.
Yep!
Those were the ones that I mean.
I also feel that I can religion even less seriously now than I could before.
HOWEVER, we should not sit here and argue amoungst oursevles over religion, terrible events occured yesterday, we should not forget that in an effort to have a slanging match about god.
Wookiee, this was not to you specifically, but to everyone in general.
Your Honour wrote:
> sP what about people who beleive in a different God?
Like those whose 'God' tells them to kill anyone who doesn't believe as they do.
Or those who committed yesterday's crime in the name of their 'God'.
It is highly likely that yesterday's acts were related to religion in some way, and this is the very reason why I cannot take religion seriously.
I don't mean any offence here, but for me, Al Pacino summed it up as John Milton in the film Devil's Advocate:
"Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to watch. He's a prankster. Think about it. He gives man INSTINCTS! He gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for His own amusment, his own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules in opposition. It's the goof of all time. Look but don't touch. Touch, but don't taste! Taste, don't swallow. Ahaha! And when you're jumpin' from one foot to the next, what is he doing? He's laughin' His sick, off. He's a tight-ass! He's a sadist! He's an absentee landlord. Worship THAT? NEVER!"
> sP what about people who beleive in a different God?
Like those whose 'God' tells them to kill anyone who doesn't believe as they do.
Or those who committed yesterday's crime in the name of their 'God'.
It is highly likely that yesterday's acts were related to religion in some way, and this is the very reason why I cannot take religion seriously.
I don't mean any offence here, but for me, Al Pacino summed it up as John Milton in the film Devil's Advocate:
"Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to watch. He's a prankster. Think about it. He gives man INSTINCTS! He gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for His own amusment, his own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules in opposition. It's the goof of all time. Look but don't touch. Touch, but don't taste! Taste, don't swallow. Ahaha! And when you're jumpin' from one foot to the next, what is he doing? He's laughin' His sick, off. He's a tight-ass! He's a sadist! He's an absentee landlord. Worship THAT? NEVER!"
Oh dear, yes Christianity. Well, as a non-believer I am doomed to go to hell but even if I was a believer I would be doomed to reincarnation and various other things by other religions. As it happens I choose not to believe any of them (I'm in for a rough ride if any of them are right then). Still there's a lot you said that makes me not like the Christian religion. I have nothing against Christians, before I start because they are people too and allowed their rights to believe what they want or whatever as long as they extend me the same right.
If god is unchanging then why was he once vengeful, then peacful? Why did he suddenly decide to forgive us all but still send us to eternal damnation if we don't repent? If god is just as one of us, then why should I worship him, I will not hate him, I will not refuse him any rights that I would any other Human but I see no reason to worship him as special. Do you actually think god created us for his own benefit (not rhetorical, I mean it)? I suspect that he may have had personal reasons, assuming of course that it was him that created us in the first place. I often wonder why god would want us to worship him to make him happy when he doesn't do anything for us if he acted directly for our happiness or just allowed us into paradise for free then we could easily worship him there for all the good things he does. So why doesn't he just do this?
If science proves all these ideas about god and our existance wrong then surely god has lied to us about certain things (such as the creation of us and the universe). Or perhaps, god is just an invention made up by a group of people to try and give meaning to things, is science the new god and a more tangible one to boot? God seems to be too obsessed with restricting our freedom, most of the 10 commandments are reasonable but he says that thou shalt not carve graven images. Essentially he's restricting our freedom of belief, making god just another dictator that wants us to work for him. Perhaps if god really exists, he is just manipulating us to obtain power for his own ends. Our worship may be just fuel for his schemes. At one time there were many gods worshipped, it's quite possible that a god is an actual being and that they merely use us Humans as weapons in the fight against each other to rule. Many wars are fought in the name of gods, are we merely being controlled as pawns to wipe out the power of other gods?
Religion is dangerous, it can bring people a happiness inside but it is religion, of a sort at least, that causes almost every battle and war. Religion may just be an excuse for war on occasion or perhaps the truth is more worrying than that. Perhaps religion is reassuring but religion is also the reason that certain people use to try and get away with the evil they do. The crusades were made in the Christian gods name, were they good because of this or evil in spite of this?
I'm sorry if I offended anyone but these are my thoughts and opinions on religion. If you think I victimised christianity too much I actually meant religions in genreal are suspect, it's just that Christianity was the topic. No insult was intended towards any individual and if you feel angry at me for anything I have said then I apologise. Although if you do, it may well prove my point.
If god is unchanging then why was he once vengeful, then peacful? Why did he suddenly decide to forgive us all but still send us to eternal damnation if we don't repent? If god is just as one of us, then why should I worship him, I will not hate him, I will not refuse him any rights that I would any other Human but I see no reason to worship him as special. Do you actually think god created us for his own benefit (not rhetorical, I mean it)? I suspect that he may have had personal reasons, assuming of course that it was him that created us in the first place. I often wonder why god would want us to worship him to make him happy when he doesn't do anything for us if he acted directly for our happiness or just allowed us into paradise for free then we could easily worship him there for all the good things he does. So why doesn't he just do this?
If science proves all these ideas about god and our existance wrong then surely god has lied to us about certain things (such as the creation of us and the universe). Or perhaps, god is just an invention made up by a group of people to try and give meaning to things, is science the new god and a more tangible one to boot? God seems to be too obsessed with restricting our freedom, most of the 10 commandments are reasonable but he says that thou shalt not carve graven images. Essentially he's restricting our freedom of belief, making god just another dictator that wants us to work for him. Perhaps if god really exists, he is just manipulating us to obtain power for his own ends. Our worship may be just fuel for his schemes. At one time there were many gods worshipped, it's quite possible that a god is an actual being and that they merely use us Humans as weapons in the fight against each other to rule. Many wars are fought in the name of gods, are we merely being controlled as pawns to wipe out the power of other gods?
Religion is dangerous, it can bring people a happiness inside but it is religion, of a sort at least, that causes almost every battle and war. Religion may just be an excuse for war on occasion or perhaps the truth is more worrying than that. Perhaps religion is reassuring but religion is also the reason that certain people use to try and get away with the evil they do. The crusades were made in the Christian gods name, were they good because of this or evil in spite of this?
I'm sorry if I offended anyone but these are my thoughts and opinions on religion. If you think I victimised christianity too much I actually meant religions in genreal are suspect, it's just that Christianity was the topic. No insult was intended towards any individual and if you feel angry at me for anything I have said then I apologise. Although if you do, it may well prove my point.
Sorry Game, I wasn't having a go or anything....
Your Honour wrote:
"What about people who believe in a different God?"
*****
If they believe in a different God to me then I am in no position to say what they believe, because I don’t know. I have no say in what the views of other religions are, which is why I titled my piece appropriately.
What I posted, was my view on the situation and the views of any other Christian person.
I do believe it is correct, but I am not telling you that it’s correct. If you don’t believe in God, ignore it, if you’re blaming God, read it and see why it isn’t his fault.
Good Day, Sir!
Game
"What about people who believe in a different God?"
*****
If they believe in a different God to me then I am in no position to say what they believe, because I don’t know. I have no say in what the views of other religions are, which is why I titled my piece appropriately.
What I posted, was my view on the situation and the views of any other Christian person.
I do believe it is correct, but I am not telling you that it’s correct. If you don’t believe in God, ignore it, if you’re blaming God, read it and see why it isn’t his fault.
Good Day, Sir!
Game
I didn't write it.
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