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Originally Posted by Dion

The problem with that is people don't take personal responsibility for thier lives and actions. Like, how could one possibly be treated equal when there's endless choices we can make each day. They forget free will has a part in the equation.

They hear that someone was cured of cancer so the person also dealing with cancer expects the same treatment. The chap with lung cancer fails to recognise that his smoking addiction played a part in his illness. It's as if they feel they can abuse thier bodies and God will be there to heal it.

Despite free will and infinite varying situations it's a valid question though I think. Lots of people who abused their bodies and such claim to be healed. And some abuse may be a result of addiction, which mitigates the abuse and poses the question as to why didn't God help them with abuse... sure some don't want help, but there are lots who do want help and don't get it.

Ultimately it's more about revelation for the purposes of salvation than healing a specific thing, one makes live a bit easier, the other is the play for the soul. A miracle of the curing cancer level isn't necessary.. most people would be satisfied with the "miracle" of knowing God's talking to them. I don't have any problem knowing beyond a reasonable doubt I'm talking to my wife on the phone, God should at the very least be capable of that.

I think the reasonable conclusion is that there are no miracles; God (if they do exist) simply doesn't intervene in people's lives in that way.

The whole problem of evil (theodacy) has no satisfactory answer. At best it's left a mystery and shoved into the mental corner to be ignored, at worst it's a source of people turning to agnosticism and/or atheism.

That part was part of the reason i left organised religion. My premise was always who cares what other people believe. If it brings purpose and meaning to their lives, who am i to argue. Frankly there was too much condemnation and not enough forgiveness going on.

Heh, yeah that does go against the grain of most current religions.. Christianity especially as it was really the first one where what you believe determines your status in an afterlife.