Re: Acceptance and growth

I'll keep this as short as possible.

On May 4, 6:43=A0pm, Matthew Johnson <matthew_mem...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> In article <Yn8Sj.8780$r12.7335@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, jjsarg...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 says...
[snip]
> >Do you actually know God?
>
> You should be asking that question of yourself, since the 'God' you
descri=
be is
> such a monstrous perversion of the Christian God.

You ignored the question as regards yourself.
Don't answer it too glibly.  Be thoroughly,
deeply honest with yourself and with God
(if such there be); you're not required to tell me
what you find out.  If you do honestly believe
you know God, I'm not sure that what you know
is not also a perversion of the Christian God
(I don't observe much that comes across as
love for your neighbor).  Whether this is a
communication problem or an actual problem
with the content of your faith I'm not sure.

> People who _do_ know God say as St. John Chrysostom said as he was dying
i=
n
> exile: "glory to God for all things". They do not wilt under suffering
and=
 blame
> God for their distress.

Yes, but what would *you* do in similar distress?
Heck, you don't even say "Glory to God for
that pain in the rear Jeff Sargent", much less
for any more severe troubles you may have.
(Which brings up one side point:  I'm capable,
as I just demonstrated, of self-deprecating
humor; are you?  I have my doubts.)

As for me, my view is quite simple:  if God
is sovereign, He logically -- *necessarily* --
is responsible for all suffering.  He even said so,
in Isaiah 45:7.  He's no friend.

-- Jeffrey J. Sargent

  ----

[I understand the reason for the question. But Usenet does not bring
out the best in many people. I try to refrain from drawing conclusions
about people's spiritual state from how they participate in these
discussions, no matter how tempting that may be. --clh]