How does eating Kosher prevent any of the following 'Plagues spread, earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes, and fires'?

Kosher food is, in general, healthier food, and it can prevent some diseases. For instance, shellfish, when cooked improperly, can be harmful, and Israelites definitely did not know how to cook shellfish.

It doesn't. 

We live in a fallen world and it's evil.  So I guess the question everyone wants to know is why doesn't God eradicate evil?  If he did, there goes free choice.  If he destroyed every opportunity for choice he destroys every opportunity for love as well.  So therefore he allows evil for the highest good. 

For God to destroy evil is evil.  Instead God defeated evil thru Calvery.  And choice lives on but evil's days are numbered and weighed and found wanting. 

 

 

 

I don't think we live in an evil or fallen world.  I think God is still the number one power and presence not evil. 

Very interesting article Erath. But I think it's a bit easier than that. KCF pritty much said it, basically bad things happen because life is not perfect. Things happen and all you can do is learn from them so in reality, bad things can be good things at the same time.

I do however find it interesting that you and KFC sorta have different opinions about Basmas question. Goes to show just how different ones "interpretation" of God's words can b, even when bot of you seem to be close to equal in you faith.

I do have 2 things to pick on from both you and KFC:

I don't think free will is a loss. Suffering only happens because people allow it to happen. We all know death will come to us all sooner or later, yet we still cry and ask why they had to die. We all know fire burns yet we still play with it. It is our free will that gives up our humanity, our ability to love (and to hate as sad as it may seem) but some of the best things in life (such as love, happiness and freedom) would not exist without freee will because having the ability to hate, be unhappy and be locked up allows love, happiness and freedom to exist. And how could we love God and love did not exist because free will did not exist? The only suffering we can not control is physical pain and even with today's modern medicine there are some pains we can not control.

So you are saying God created a fallen evil world? And here I though God could do no wrong? But I'm sure you're gonna blame humanity for this fallen and evil world, right? But then didn't God create humanity as well? Kinda interesting how some see God as unable to make mistakes yet his greatest creation (according to us humans), humanity, is plagued with errors. But that is were free will comes in. God seemed to want things to be this way, otherwise he would not have created us this way. Don't you think?

not really Charles. Erath was talking of the OT times and I'm speaking of now. I believe back in the OT times not eating Kosher foods could have led to sickness which could lead to plagues and then eventually death...but not sure how tornados, floods and fires fit in. In fact they don't. That's why I said what I said.



No I didn't say that. I said we live in a fallen evil world. Big diff. When God created the world, it was perfect and good.



well do you think it's man's fault or God's fault? Do you believe man is perfect and God is not? Who is the one with sin? Who is the one without sin?



Yes. God created a free perfect world. Because of that freedom comes choices. God knew this when he created us. He gave us the freedom to choose. Otherwise as you stated, how could we be free to love and obey Him?



I do too but I also believe that God has given this world up to Satan who has corrupted the earth and mankind with sin. That's why we're promised in the book of Revelation a "new heaven and a new earth." This new earth will not be marred with sin. And we will have learned our lesson never to repeat it again. No pandora boxes will be opened this time.

But god created us with the brains that we use to decide what we do, god could have created us with brains that have free will but a greater desire to worship him.  God must have set up in our brains the desire for some people not to worship him and therefore to be punished for it.

He must have know that when he made Adam and Eve that they would fall as he is perfect and knows every consequence of his action.

 

Yes, He did create Adam and Eve with knowledge that they would fall, but He did not make them fall.

But he did make them in such as way so that they would.  If I make a bridge without enough supports who is to blame for it falling down the bridge or the maker?

Let's consider for just a moment a few examples of 'bad things' that could (and do) happen to people. (1) An aeroplane crashes, and all the occupants are killed. (2) Thousands of peasants die in a third world epidemic, or drown in a tsunami. (3) An entire community is wiped out when a dormant volcano unexpectedly erupts.

Erathoniel, I'd be interested in your thoughts on these scenarios. Specifically, what is the 'test' in each case to which those involved have been subjected? Were they 'broken' because they decided to 'give in', or have they indeed 'come out stronger'?

This is not a dig, Erathoniel - I'm in earnest. That said, I'm hoping you can muster a response that is a little more considered than the old 'God moves in mysterious ways' chestnut that some elect to wheel out when their arguments are subjected to such scrutiny; it's always struck me as little more than a hugely convenient cop-out.

the maker of course....but in your case in making this bridge...did you supply a safety net at the same time to catch any when they fell knowing they would fall when they chose to cross this faulty brige?

God did.

I would also be instrested in hearing the answer to that question.

 

KFC - god made Adam and Eve (and set up the world for the rest of us) knowing that he made them in such as a way so that they would make the choices they made which include the choice to eat the apple - when he made them he made them to make their choices and he must have know how they would make them. In the bridge analogy the maker made the saftey net knowing that it would never be used as the bridge/people had been designed not to use it.

If you are dead, it wasn't a test.

If you survive, however, there's something more happening. You are being given an opportunity to grow, or to wallow. Every single time.

Now just so we get the roles straight, Satan is causing this disaster in your life, not God. Satan wants you to wallow. God knows it's an opportunity for your growth, and allows Satan to do have his way with us.

God works in very obvious ways.

Romans 8:28
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

How it's done is infinitely variable, but the outcome of everything is good to those who love God. So why do bad things happen? Because Satan wants you to wallow in it, and question God, instead of growing in your faith and drawing closer to the one who loves you. So if you wallow, and no good comes from it, the reason a bad thing happened (instead of a good thing happening) is you.

But Jythier, this doesn't make sense when considered in respect of the examples I gave above. Yes, I know you also say:

But if it wasn't a test, what was it? The title of this thread is, after all, 'The reason bad things happen'. So what was the reason in these cases?

But didn't god make satan and designed him to do the things he does now?