For those who are religious

Sonia32

and that means from any faith before I get attacked. :-p I'm just wondering do you blame God for getting cancer? Apologise if this question has been asked before. I'm just wondering today. I'm from the colon board, and some of our members are fighting the big C again, just months out of being in remission. I'm Christian, and I have suffered a lot not just with cancer, but I don't blame God. I might blame him sometimes for the relationships I get into, but even then I know it's down to who you attract, so I'm like a kid moaning to his dad. But I do not blame him for this or the loss of my mum.

Hugs
Sonia

PhillieG

Hi Sonia
I would not blame God for getting cancer any more than I would credit Him for curing cancer. I do not think that you could find anything in any Holy Book that would even entertain that thought. If cancer were based on being a sinner, why haven't people who are dictators or murders getting cancer?

As far as relationships go, I would think that if you are a Christian or of any of the other major faiths that the question of "free will" would come into play. People seem to attract certain types of people. I see it all the time with friends dating or marrying the same type of people and it never works out and I doubt it will until they break that pattern.

Now, if you were suffering from a plague of locusts, then I'd worry...
-p

ms.sunshine

PhillieG said:

Hi Sonia
I would not blame God for getting cancer any more than I would credit Him for curing cancer. I do not think that you could find anything in any Holy Book that would even entertain that thought. If cancer were based on being a sinner, why haven't people who are dictators or murders getting cancer?

As far as relationships go, I would think that if you are a Christian or of any of the other major faiths that the question of "free will" would come into play. People seem to attract certain types of people. I see it all the time with friends dating or marrying the same type of people and it never works out and I doubt it will until they break that pattern.

Now, if you were suffering from a plague of locusts, then I'd worry...
-p

No blame
I don't blame God, but I do wonder why he doesn't help His children more. It seems to me that those that are closer to Him, seem to suffer more. Why? I don't get it. This is something that I've been pondering, meditating on.

soccerfreaks

ms.sunshine said:

No blame
I don't blame God, but I do wonder why he doesn't help His children more. It seems to me that those that are closer to Him, seem to suffer more. Why? I don't get it. This is something that I've been pondering, meditating on.

"That way, out on HIghway 61"
The god of the old testament (bible), the god familiar to hebrews, christians, AND muslims, was not averse to testing his believers with trials and tribulations.

Look no further than the book of Job to find such an example. Do not skip past Abraham and the request to offer his son in sacrifice as an example.

Beyond that, of course, in the new testament god is certainly standing by while lucifer tempts jesus. Examples abound.

I would advise that 'those who are closer to him' do not suffer more, certainly not. Cancer is clearly without bias. I would suggest instead that you know more people of your own faith and thus witness their woes more frequently.

I wish you the best, in any event.

Take care,

Joe

luz del lago

Sonia
After my love's dire diagnosis, I began to ask God for a miracle. At first I asked for total and complete healing. I believed that if it could be done, it would be God who could do this. As time passed, and his cancer progressed, I began to ask that he could make it to the next chance for chemo and go into remission, even for a little more time. Two months ago, I began to ask that my love not suffer the pains and ravages of this Beast called lung cancer. Four and a half weeks ago, I began to pray that his death would be as pain free as possible, with peace and love surrounding him.

On Dec. 20th, he left this world with Jesus. Our room was softly lit, soft music playing and all those he loved and loved him surrounded him. For hours he rested calmly, sedated as to not feel any pain. I kissed and held him.

Was my prayer answered? Honestly, in the hours after his passing, I felt they had not. I asked for a miracle, that he be healed. He died, so he was not healed! The next day a feeling came over me, an Aha moment. He was healed, not as I had wished or willed, but as God had. And after further meditation, an even larger Aha moment! All my prayers had been answered.

So do I blame God for my love having gotten cancer? Do I blame God for taking him from me? No. For me, placing blame is not productive. It would overwhelm me with anger and bitterness. The sadness and grief are enough emotions to deal with.

Blessings and best wishes for you,

Lucy

believeit 2011

ms.sunshine said:

No blame
I don't blame God, but I do wonder why he doesn't help His children more. It seems to me that those that are closer to Him, seem to suffer more. Why? I don't get it. This is something that I've been pondering, meditating on.

First, Hi Sonya, good topic.
First, Hi Sonya, good topic. Now, I have to say, suffering is difficult to comprehend sometimes since it is relative to the subject witnessing it. What terribly hurts my wife is barely a scratch to me so by what standard do we decide is suffering? Example, the old saying, "I felt sorry that I had no shoes until I met a man that had no feet". Who is really suffering? I am religious and I would never blame God for anything that I encounter in my life. It is MY life to live and my "cross to bear" that I freely accept. I must say that I have known many people, personally, to appear to suffer in life and their faith lessens that suffering. I think truly religious Christians know that what we endure pales in comparison to what Christ endured so we put it in perspective. When I was going through treatment I had minor difficulties but they were TRIVIAL compared to what others on these boards live with everyday. Tell someone you had burning diahrea that brought tears to your eyes five times a day for five weeks and they may think that is pure Hell. But that is a MINOR side effect of chemoradiation.(I was thankfull that was all I had) Imagine how women gave birth centuries ago with no pain medication or santitation. That would be considered great suffering by today's standards. So, I believe people with "true faith" in any religion don't suffer as much as others since they have the relief in site. Like the saying" the harder the fight, the sweeter the victory" we know we will suffer while here, everyone does, but we know how much better it will be when we are done here. Many "religious" people feel guilty when they don't suffer any negative circumstances because they know so many other people do. Suffering is a necessary part of life to allow us to appreciate the opposite. You would not appreciate the Sun if you never knew the night. I thank God for some of the trials I have endured to bring me to a point in my life where I enjoy minor things and appreciate thing others overlook. I lost both parents and grandparents before I was 30 years old, had my heart broken (a couple times), had many health battles now including cancer but I would not say I have suffered more (or less)than the next person. And I assign no blame for any of it.
Sorry for rambling on, just my odd opinions...
Take care, Chris

neephee

blaming God
We seem to have a compulsion to want to blame someone or something for everything bad that happens to us. Perhaps this a way of finding meaning and understanding in what appears to be an irrational occurrence. Blaming is in fact contrary to divine faith because it is an attempt to try and regain control over what we think is unreasonable.

People of faith spend their whole lives trying to let go of their ego and live solely by the will of God. Just because something happens that I don't like, does that mean God is against me or punishing me? We often will lose or question faith when things don't go our way, but that is not how God works. Our beliefs do not give us permission to dictate to God what we think He should do for us. Rather, isn't faith trusting God to always provide what is best for us, even when we don't understand it?

Furthermore, some find intense trials, like cancer, to be a time of conversion or great deepening of their belief. For me, it has made me see how little control I over myself or things around me, and reminds me that I NEED God even more then ever.

Hondo

Hi Sonia
I don’t blame God for getting Cancer, but it is hard at times praying when another side affects starts showing up and giving more problems then the last one. I think that I am now at the point where I look at it like Job did, what ever the reason God knows best and so I just put it all in his hands and move forward in to a new day with him.

Take care
Hondo