The Omnipotent, Omnipresent, All knowing but Doing Nothing?
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Yeah that earthquake in Pakistan was very bad.
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Peace All,
I recall when I first saw the practice of the male lion who dethrones the existing patriarch of a pride. If there are any cubs around, he goes and kills them one by one. Sometimes, he'll even eat them. When I first saw this, it tarnished my appreciation for lions. I always thought of them as majestic creatures, however, this behavior left me feeling disgusted as I felt so sorry for those poor defenseless cubs.
As I grew older and my interest in nature expanded, I began to understand these things as the workings of nature. These are necessary behaviors for the strength of the group, and the strength of the group is necessary for the local food chain, which is necessary for the ecosystem, etc.
The compassion I felt for the cubs was my own projection of fear upon them. For all I know, lions have no sense of fear whatsoever. So this emotion that welled up within me was of my own making based on my own fears and had nothing to do with the lions at all. The Qur'an tells us that all of life knows it's salat. These animals accept their role. Even the mothers of the cubs accept their role, for within 2 hours of all the cubs being massacred, the females go into heat and the new, stronger male plants his seeds. It's a sex party right after the mass murder!
Now, I am not saying that we should be like animals and move on after tragedy within 2 hours of the event. What I am saying is that while compassion is a necessary human emotion, we shouldn't get stuck in it to the point where it becomes self-sabotaging, even in words. It should be energizing, catapulting us to find ways to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering. That is what seperates us from the animals. Animals go right back into their routine. We, on the other hand, learn the lessons and improve.
Thousands of people died in the process of our learning how to build bridges, skyscrapers, dams, etc. Now we do these things pretty well.
Today we can re-route rivers, we can build islands, we can live in space. We can also destroy mountains and pollute, destroy forests, consume resources to extinction, and pollute entire ecosystems.God has given us an enormous playgorund to explore and learn from, to enjoy it's many secrets. And we've been left with the ability to either survive and prosper, or to deteriorate. Either way, the Earth will cleanse herself of us eventually. So, it's not a question of why does God not intervene and end the suffering. The intervention took place a long time ago. The suffering is our own doing, and we can undo it, in more ways than one.
Peace,
Tay -
peace tay,
you said
I recall when I first saw the practice of the male lion who dethrones the existing patriarch of a pride. If there are any cubs around, he goes and kills them one by one. Sometimes, he'll even eat them. When I first saw this, it tarnished my appreciation for lions.
I too felt the same way when I saw it the first time, I did wish the omnipotent could have designed it in a more merciful way It is a good example how our understanding changes through experience and knowledge.
I agree almost completly with what you say my friend.So, it's not a question of why does God not intervene and end the suffering.
Now why we ask such questions? if you are told to dial 911 for help in case of emergency By your parents, by the media, in the school, through billboards and news papers etc, but in case of emergencies you keep on dialing 911 for help and get absolutely no response, it will be normal for you to ask why they are no responding.
take care. -
Peace Agent,
So, it's not a question of why does God not intervene and end the suffering.
Now why we ask such questions? if you are told to dial 911 for help in case of emergency By your parents, by the media, in the school, through billboards and news papers etc, but in case of emergencies you keep on dialing 911 for help and get absolutely no response, it will be normal for you to ask why they are no responding.
take care.So Agent, you don't believe that God exists?
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peace taj,
youwroteSo Agent, you don't believe that God exists?
There is no doubt in God`s existence the doubt are in the understanding of how he operates. For examples if he was omnipotent but not omnipresent or all hearing and all knowing it would have been much easier for me to understand why he doest help people who suffer or needs his help. But with all these attributes if he doesn?t help people, don?t you think it?s a little bit confusing? I hope you understand what I am trying to say here.
take care. -
SaLaM Agent
Will you plz tell me how God should influence the world? for example, if i need money, i sleep and wake up and voila! there is money by my pillow. Or say i have cancer and i make a little prayer to God and !!!!!!! my cancer is gone. IF im homeless i say "oh god give me a home" and !!!!!! i wake up in a nice 2 bed appt.
Is this how you want it to be?
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peace taj,
youwroteSo Agent, you don't believe that God exists?
There is no doubt in God`s existence ) the doubt are in the understanding of how he operates. For examples if he was omnipotent but not omnipresent or all hearing and all knowing it would have been much easier for me to understand why he doest help people who suffer or needs his help. But with all these attributes if he doesn?t help people, don?t you think it?s a little bit confusing? I hope you understand what I am trying to say here.
take care.3949 If the human is touched by adversity, he implores us, but as soon as we bestow a blessing upon him, he says, "I attained this because of my cleverness!" Indeed, this is only a test, but most of them do not know.
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peace truth,
2- Al-Baqara
260-Behold! Abraham said "My Lord! show me how thou givest life to the dead. He said "Dost thou not then believe?" He said "Yea! but to satisfy my own understanding." He said "Take four birds; tame them to turn to thee; put a portion of them on every hill and call to them; they will come to thee (flying) with speed. Then know that Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.49- Al-Hujurat
6-O ye who believe! if a wicked person comes to you with any news ascertain the truth lest ye harm people unwittingly and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.
God bless you. -
peace jaxal,
you wroteWill you plz tell me how God should influence the world? for example, if i need money, i sleep and wake up and voila! there is money by my pillow. Or say i have cancer and i make a little prayer to God and !!!!!!! my cancer is gone. IF im homeless i say "oh god give me a home" and !!!!!! i wake up in a nice 2 bed appt.
Is this how you want it to be?dont we all wish that was true lol jaxal my friend my wish is irrelevant I am just trying to figure our how God really influence the world? when i was a kid I would pray for a toys or money or for anything that is interesting for a kid, if there was a positive result, i would relate it to some good deed of mine and if it turned out nagative i would relate it with some bad deed of mine, we are taught this philosopy right from the childhood. now i know this was not reality and i want to understand the reality.
And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close I respond to the dua (prayer) of every suppliant when they calleth on Me." (Quran 2186)take care.
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salaam jaxal
Loooll i know what you saying agent. Ok, answer this. Do you beleive that we all know what we want EXACTLY?
hmm! interesting. Surely sometimes.
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Peace be upon you,
Again it depends upon the circumstance? if a teenage girls is raped and killed how can his family remain at peace?
By practicing a life long discipine or programming this response, the neutral response of peace, so that they can choose thier solution to each problem in life from a fresh perspective. Would you rather be in pain of anguish, not able to function? Or be at peace, able to see clearly how to manage the funeral expenses and other duties that need to be done. You can look at people in a funeral, some are all over the floor crying, some are sad yet composed, etc etc. The highest degree is Peace. The urge for peace is the major force in the world.
if children die begging their helpless parents for day to get them out of the debris, how can they remain at peace?
By cultivating this mind state constantly. But if you are always watching Television PROGRAMS which sow emotional seeds constantly in your NAFS, it will be hard for you to respond in this manner.
its absolutely unnatural.
No, it is unnatural to be TENSE, removing Life giving blood from your vital organs because it went to the organs for "fight of flight" response. It is natural to be at PEACE, it is what we all seek. None of us does things to be aggravated and stressed out.
What is trust in someone? You trust in someone is you confidence or your belief that in a dire situation that someone will help you, if that someone does not help you or support you, then give me one good reason why that trust should remain?
This is the part where you have gone ahead of me, I never said trust in someone. We are to trust in Divine Law! Not blind belief in some person. Unfortunately, the human is created weak, subject to her animal nature, which we must transcend and eliminate the interference the animal creates so we cant hear the God's Word. So most of mankind are "dead", slaves to the animal(emotions). So it is he LAWS we trust, not persons. We trust that when we subject water to below 32 degrees that we will have Ice.
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salaam idol free
Or be at peace, able to see clearly
That is the million dollar question. I would love to be even near that point but I am still trapped in this emotional maze.
salaam -
peace layth,
you sayLoooll i know what you saying agent. Ok, answer this. Do you beleive that we all know what we want EXACTLY?
I cant say about the others but what i want is peace and harmony in the world, i want every one to be happy, free of miseries and pain, i want to see people helping each other rather then killing eachother, i want to see babies reaching old age rather then dying in their early age and layth my friend i dont want any thing bad to happen to a kid, i just cant take that happening and it makes me soooooooo cry
salam IF1,
you wroteBy practicing a life long discipine or programming this response, the neutral response of peace, so that they can choose thier solution to each problem in life from a fresh perspective. Would you rather be in pain of anguish, not able to function? Or be at peace, able to see clearly how to manage the funeral expenses and other duties that need to be done. You can look at people in a funeral, some are all over the floor crying, some are sad yet composed, etc etc. The highest degree is Peace. The urge for peace is the major force in the world.
i think you are a strong person, a lucky person. as for me i qualify for the "all over the floor crying type" and it take me a long long time to compose myself oops
salam stillearning,
you sayThat is the million dollar question. I would love to be even near that point but I am still trapped in this emotional maze.
me too my friend, i saw all the calamity on tv only but you are in the effected area and i can understand you emotions. i pray that the Almighty give you all the strength to cope with the extremely difficult situation you are going through, God bless you all.
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Miracles can happen. I'm sure of it. But the greatest miracle of all, I reckon, is that we have been gifted with intelligence. An intelligence that puts us apart from all the other creatures in the world, that enables us to reason, to chose, to act upon those choices, to distinguish morals and ethics, to conceptualize, to wonder, etc.
God wants us to put our faith in Him, no matter what. So, no matter how horrible one's life may become, his or her trust must be with God, for unto Him everything returns. This is easier said than done, but a greater reward expects those who persevere, who are patient and remindful of Him.
And let us not forget that much of the pain and misery in this life is man-made. Innocent kids who starve to death aren't guilty of anything but I'm sure that in the Afterlife they'll be much rewarded and pleased.
For the one who only sees this life as the ultimate goal, death, destruction and suffering are not easy to understand, if understandable. But if one firmly believes that even if in this world there is such misery, unjustice and pain, the righteous people will be unimaginably rewarded afterwards, things become easier and comfort is brought into your mind.
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Peace Agentxxx,
My apologies for the delay.
You stated
Now why we ask such questions? if you are told to dial 911 for help in case of emergency By your parents, by the media, in the school, through billboards and news papers etc, but in case of emergencies you keep on dialing 911 for help and get absolutely no response, it will be normal for you to ask why they are no responding.
Maybe there was something wrong with the phone?
Peace,
Tay -
Peace be upon you Agentxxx,
IF1
By practicing a life long discipine or programming this response, the neutral response of peace, so that they can choose thier solution to each problem in life from a fresh perspective. Would you rather be in pain of anguish, not able to function? Or be at peace, able to see clearly how to manage the funeral expenses and other duties that need to be done. You can look at people in a funeral, some are all over the floor crying, some are sad yet composed, etc etc. The highest degree is Peace. The urge for peace is the major force in the world.Agent
i think you are a strong person, a lucky person.No, there is no such thing as luck, we reap what we sow. The difference between "strong" and "weak" is TRAINING, just like when working out in a Gym, nothing different. And because I am stating this is the proper way, it does not follow that I have mastered this. I am still trying to get my weight up, but its easier when the goal is clear.
as for me i qualify for the "all over the floor crying type" and it take me a long long time to compose myself
No, that is not "you", that is your personality that you are wrongly identifying with. You have to cultivate the ability to seperate the real "you" from your thoughts, emotions, etc. You are not the NAFS(spirit/mind), "you" are the one who is witnessing your thoughts and emotions and you have the ability to ignore them and change them.
What would happen if you did not fall on the floor crying? Nothing D
But we have to start understanding our different faculties and how they work, that is what these stories are teaching us, once we stop looking for the literal interpretations.
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That is the million dollar question. I would love to be even near that point but I am still trapped in this emotional maze.Yes, we are all dealing with this RESISTANCE, so we must be patiently perservere n the discipline of reprogramming ourselves.
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peace idolfree1,
you wroteNo, there is no such thing as luck, we reap what we sow. The difference between "strong" and "weak" is TRAINING,
most of the time we reap what we sow but not all the times.
can a sparrow punch an eagle knockout by training? surely we humane beings can achieve a lot by traning but mother nature has designed us as unique individuals, we are all different from one another and like a sparrow we all have our own limitations and levels which we can achieve.No, that is not "you", that is your personality that you are wrongly identifying with. You have to cultivate the ability to seperate the real "you" from your thoughts, emotions, etc. You are not the NAFS(spirit/mind), "you" are the one who is witnessing your thoughts and emotions and you have the ability to ignore them and change them.
I may be having the ability to ignore them but cannot seem to find my ability at the right moments lol
What would happen if you did not fall on the floor crying? Nothing
I have yet to discover it myself wink
But we have to start understanding our different faculties and how they work, that is what these stories are teaching us, once we stop looking for the literal interpretations.
there are so many different interpretations of these stories that people like me gets confused? every religious school of thought in my country have not only their own interpretations about these stories but they have their own standared style and size of beard lol
I have given up on blind faith, i want to know the truth, i want to follow the truth and not myths and beliefs based on assumptions.
take care. -
Why the most gracious, the most merciful is not helping?
- HE is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. When HE decrees a thing, HE only says to it `Be,' and it is.
All He has to say is a single word?
Peace,
The translations are misleading.
"Be and it becomes".
The laws of the universe are not broken. The God has put into place a system of laws / physics that must take place. The continents must slide, the earthquakes happen as a consequence.
No one has an anchor implanted firmly in this world. Life is temporary, fleeting. The death of these people may be a mercy, and it is certainly a test, and the God promises that people will be tested.
Do you expect to enter Paradise without being tested like those before you? They were tested with hardship and adversity, and were shaken up, until the messenger and those who believed with him said, "Where is GOD's victory?" GOD's victory is near.
We have tested those before them, for GOD must distinguish those who are truthful, and He must expose the liars.
3310 When they came from above you, and from beneath you, your eyes were terrified, your hearts ran out of patience, and you harbored unbefitting thoughts about GOD.
3311 That is when the believers were truly tested; they were severely shaken up.I hope you can work through it. Many times these sorts of thoughts are an expression of one's own fears.
Peace.
Good post Truth
thanks