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Old 09-12-2005, 12:16 PM
RJT RJT is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 111
Default Re: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

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I think the problem that people have is the belief that there is some inherent meaning and order to the universe. It would be nice to think that there is, but I've seen nothing compelling to indicate that is the case.

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Of course, belief in God doesn't necessarily add any "meaning" to the universe (this is one of the great fallacies of believers in my opinion). A supreme being creates a universe for the purpose of testing his creatures. Those who "believe" in Him, he takes to the afterlife with Him so they can serve and worship Him. Those who don't, He casts into an eternal fire. So ... where is the meaning again?

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This is semantics. You are correct when you say an existent God does not necessarily give meaning to the universe. It does, though, produce the question of what possible reasons He created (assuming this God was a creator God) the universe and us. Any meaning would derive from answers to that question.

Using your simplistic scenario is one of them, to test us. And if we pass we get to heaven (although I don’t think many believe it is so that we can serve and worship Him if we get there) and if we fail we go to hell. Again, this doesn’t give meaning to the universe. It gives meaning (the purpose) to one’s life. Whether or not one finds this “meaningful” is what your rhetorical question seems to be asking.

There are, of course, other potential answers to the same question.
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