The tsunami was absolutely the sort of thing that tests faith... (if you have it)

Read the following extract from an article written by Suketu Mehta (from The Wall Street Journal on 28/12/2004), writing about the impact of the Tsunami in Sri Lanka:

Quote:
"God saved me, but why?" a nine-year old boy named Subhani asked a reporter. He had just watched his mother and elder sister drown in front of him as he looked on, helpless; six months ago, the little boy had lost his father.
This is a part of the world where there are gods in the rocks, gods in the trees, gods in the sky and gods in the sea. It was the full moon day, an auspicious one for taking a dip in the ocean, for Hindus and Muslims both. It was also the end of the 40-day period of penance for the followers of a local deity, Aiyappa, when people take a bath on the sea after shaving their heads. And there were lots of Christian revelers on the beach, drawn there by the holiday. It was almost as if God had deliberately enticed his true devotees to the sea; struck them as they approached him to celebrate.
End Quote.

This has nothing to do with any sort of religion - it is far wider.

It affects all.

Fonts didn't work here!! [edit: there you go, SE!]

Edited by Singapore Eagle (07 Jan 2005 4:21pm)

Edited by Moose (07 Jan 2005 4:29pm)

This isn't a popular belief but it comes straight out of the Bible.

The truth is that none of us can ever be good ENOUGH for heaven.

The Bible tells us that all fall short of the glory of God. If we have commited one sin, then we don't deserve heaven, and we have all sinned, seeing as it is even a sin to have considered sinning.

So God created man in a perfect world without sin. The angel Lucifer rebelled against God, and God put him in his own kingdom which is hell.

Then through Adam and Eve, sin entered into humans. God doesn't want any of his creations to go to the place he created for Satan, but as there can be no sin in Heaven, anyone who sins must go to hell.

God is all loving, and does not condemn anyone, it is not HIS fault we deserve hell but our own, we have a free will.

But being the God of grace and giving us what we don't deserve he came down in our place as the Son, and died in our place.

This was a gift for all, but you cannot claim a gift unless you have received it.

No person is good enough but Christ, but we can claim His gift of salvation so long as we receive it.

Even the nicest people on Earth are not quite perfect, so fall short of the glory of God. So praise God, that He paid such a price because of our sin.

I worship God because He loves me enough to die for me. He died for you too!

mattwebb - you have your beliefs.

I am sure that you will agree that it does not make them 100% correct.

I've had sermons from my Dad (sister, mother-inlaw, brother-inlaw etc) for years..........I choose to make my own choice. Rightly or wrongly.

I think you are very honourable for trying to convert the unconverted, but don't see the unconverted as being totally wrong. We all make our own decisions.

Depends if you believe in Hell

As Sussex Porn Baron it's pretty much guaranteed!

FFS MURRAY

All the Christian faiths used to preach that it was fire and brimstone for anyone not Christened or who didn't follow their strict rules. However, Churches (in general) don't preach this anymore because its not popular with the punters. No punters mean no money and no power. Just goes to prove that religions are the making of men and not Gods.