₦airaland Forum

dot2002:
Dorcasde, you exposition are so sound and well informed i agree with you without a shadow of a doubt.

Thanks my dear! May we all receive streght from ABOVE to live in accordance to HIS WILL. AMEN!

Why Does God Allow Tragedies?

By Stephen Lampe


We seem to be living in a time of tragedies, natural and man-made. And as the first anniversary of the dastardly terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, approaches, many people are again asking why God permits tragedies to befall human beings. But it is not only major catastrophes that elicit the question. More generally, people wonder why God, who is described as Love and characterized as omnipotent, allows human suffering. Others put the question differently; they ask: why does God allow evil? Sometimes the question takes a very personal form when disaster hits. Victims ask: why me?

This question, which has been asked for ages, gives rise to several other important issues. One of these is whether our understanding of the Love and Justice of God is correct. Does the correct concept of Divine Love differ from our human conception? If so, in what way? The Omnipotence of God is another issue. The contemporary human understanding of the Omnipotence of God is captured by the popular saying that "to God nothing is impossible"; by which people mean that God can do and undo anything. In the light of tragedies, natural disasters, and widespread human suffering, what are we to make of this conception of the Omnipotence of God? Is it possible that our idea of God’s Omnipotence is wrong? Surely, if God were omnipotent in the sense most people think, He would banish suffering and tragedies. I do not intend to address these very important questions today. But I must hasten to state that, I am convinced that the popular contemporary conceptions of Divine Love and of the Omnipotence of God are wrong.

I recall that during the "National Day of Prayer and Remembrance" on Friday, September 14, 2001, Rev. Billy Graham raised and tried to answer the question "why does God allow evil?" But how do we understand something like this? "Why does God allow evil like this to take place?", he asked. He went on to say: "I have been asked on hundreds of times in my life why God allows tragedy and suffering. I have to confess that I really do not know the answer totally, even to my own satisfaction. I have to accept, by faith, that God is sovereign, and He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering. The Bible says God is not the author of evil. It speaks of evil as a mystery."

There is in fact a clear, simple, and intelligible answer to this all-important question. First, it should be noted that those who ask the question assume that the omnipotence of God is of such a nature that He can intervene at will in any matter, anywhere, and at any time. Such a conception of omnipotence implies the possibility of arbitrary action. But God does not act arbitrarily; His Perfection precludes all arbitrariness. The truth is that God does not at all intervene in the great and small affairs of men, be it wars, accidents, terrorism, floods, fires, famines, etc. From the very beginning, God wove into Creation His perfect Laws, which acting somewhat like a computer program, carry out His Will immutably and irresistibly. God’s Work is without flaws and, therefore, requires no correction or intervention. His Love and Justice are built into His unchanging and unchangeable Laws. It is through these Laws that Creation and all creatures came into being and it is through them that everything is maintained.

The Will of God and the Laws which manifest this Will in Creation are perfect. Because they are perfect, they cannot be improved upon and they cannot be subjected to even the minutest modification. All that God does is to permit His Laws and their applications to be brought to the attention of human beings dwelling on earth and in other parts of material Creation. This is the role that various earthly prophets and spiritual teachers have played over the ages. By adjusting to these Laws voluntarily, human beings receive the immeasurable blessings that are inherent in God’s Creation. When we deviate from His Laws, we invite suffering, tragedies, etc. on ourselves. In the light of this, instead of asking why God allows tragedies, the question really should be: why do we human beings allow tragedies? Why do we not learn the true Will of God and live accordingly so that only blessings will be our lot? God wills only joy and peace; He has no hands in our suffering and calamities!

I should add that human beings as human spirits are endowed with Free Will. This means that they are free to make choices and are compelled to experience the consequences of the choices they freely make, in accordance with the Law of Reciprocal Action, which ensures that we reap whatsoever we sow --- good or bad. The length of the interval between sowing and reaping depends on the nature of what is sown and the part of the material world in which the human spirit resides. Sometimes, the nature of what is sown is such that the harvest is not due until the next incarnation on earth (in another physical body) of the human spirit concerned. Tragedies and suffering are the consequences of the wrong and bad choices we human spirits have made during thousands of years of existence involving many incarnations in various parts of the earth and as members of various races, ethnic groups, and communities.

Dear Poster,

I bet, keeping malice for 5-7 days is not good for your health. It's not good for your relationship either. During your solitude period of 5-7 days, a lot can happen. You or your woman could derail (temporarily) to seek solace elsewhere and if this goes on and on, becomes a permanent thing. Such is not healthy for your relationship!

I'd suggest that you and your woman should agree on ‘how to disagree’. You guys should sit down and map out some tips; ensure that you're on the same page (always). For example, resolve your differences amicably before you go to bed(same day); don’t assume she knows every thing, teach her how you want her to talk to you when she’s crossed and vice-versa; agree on your expectation when you’re angry…….eg, 1. apologise instantly 2. a kiss 3. give you some time(minutes or hours, not 5-7days)  to calm down; your expectations as regards her countenance when non-family members are around…… the list is endless.

Remember that actions and reactions and opposite. You must meet her emotional needs for her to meet yours, it’s normal and natural. No man or woman would cast peals before swine.

In conclusion, I’d say that, the way we plan towards archiving our dream as regards education, job, prosperity….etc is the same way we plan on how to make a happy home. It is hard work and it takes both parties to tango and make it work.

,

The power of a woman
Every woman needs a man who will love her unconditionally, she needs to be cuddled and held in high esteem, she needs both the money as well as the honey, she should not be seen as a second class citizens, she deserved to be respected and honored. She is not a necessary evil as some ignorantly call her, if you think a woman is a weaker vessel, just take a stroll to a nearby maternity home and you `ll know she’s not a punching bag to be beaten but a pillow to be hugged and  precious gift to be cherished and treasured forever. Although, she may look weak and feeble, blessings flow through her to the man. God calls her the same name he is called-a helper. Man is work-oriented while the woman is relationship-oriented.  She is sensitive, expressive and highly emotional. She has a strong need to talk and be heard. Without a woman in a man’s life, life is incomplete and void. A woman is man’s best form of defense against temptation. If every woman works in their calling, the man will be strong and formidable. An injustice done to the woman is an injustice done to humanity because the hand that rocks the cradle rule the world. An African woman with all her attendant and enormous responsibilities should be given all the necessary accolade due her. i strongly believe that there’s more to an African woman, she should not be treated as slave and a mere baby making machine. Don’t ever expect her to perform wonderfully on the bed at night when you `ve bruise and batter her emotion during the day, she is tired of this game that brought her no gain, During the day, she is the most neglected but during the raining ,dark and cloudy night, she suddenly becomes an essential commodity, After the whole episode, she’s then left alone to grope in the dark with the cruel knife of culture, religion, and hostile ethnicity, we have forgotten that what we sow ,we will reap. A woman neglected and unloved is a dangerous missile going somewhere to explode, she is heavily endowed with weapons of warfare, she can use all the weapons at her disposal to either make or mar the man. she `s either a blessing or a curse depending on the way she’s treated and wired –up.

@ Justcool,
Thanks for this nice thread!
May we all receive the strenght and guidance to LIVE aright

Justcool, I wish you strength!
Some years ago, I arrived at what I would call ‘MY LIFE RESOLUTION’. Since then, all I do is a regular appraisal especially about this time every year, to see how far I have gone in living up to this LIFE RESOLUTION which is just the same as your 2008 resolution. Frankly speaking, it has not been easy but with good volition put into action and unrelenting efforts, one will surely get there.
It is well!

Excuse me all, a bit of digression, Lafile, the text below is on sowing and reaping.

The Law of Sowing and Reaping -popularly expressed as whatever we sow, we are obliged to reap. This Law is described by various other expressions such as: the Law of Karma; the Law of Seed and Harvest; the Law of Cause and Effect; the Law of Reciprocal Action; and the Law of Retributive Justice. It is a Law that must be familiar to all Christians, for it is indicated in a number of Bible passages including the following:
As I have seen, those who plough iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same. (Job 4: 8 ).
For they sow the winshall reap thed, and they whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7).
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit. (Luke 6:43).
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7).
We know that if we sow maize, we can only reap maize, and if we want to harvest wheat, we must sow wheat. This Law ensures the maintenance of order and perfect justice in Creation. Imagine what confusion and bewilderment would result if we could not be certain what the harvest would be whenever we planted any seed; if at one time, a planting of maize gave us wheat, at another time the same planting gave us mango etc. Because of this Law, we know what harvest' to expect with each planting, and what we must plant if we desire a particular harvest. Every effect has a cause; and every cause must result in an effect.
It is important for us to note that this Law is no respecter of religions. Indeed, this is true for all the Laws of Creation as well as the Ten Commandments. If a Christian sows maize, he will reap maize; so also will a Jew, a Moslem, a Buddhist, or a pagan. If a pagan sows goodness, he is bound to reap goodness; so will a Bishop, a Hindu monk, or a Moslem Imam. Indeed, the Creator in His perfect Justice, cannot be expected to discriminate on any basis in the operation of His Laws. This viewpoint has ample support in the Bible. Peter, the Disciple, once declared:
"Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him." (Acts 10: 34 - 35).
The Apostle Paul made a similar point in several of his letters (see, for example, Romans 2: 9-11; Ephesians 6: 5-9; Colossians 3:25).
This fact should lead us to the realization that religions are only a means to an end, and not ends in themselves. If our religion helps us to understand thoroughly the Will of the Almighty and shows us how to do this Will, then it has played its part. But we would be wrong to imagine that membership of any religion or sect would guarantee salvation. In this regard, we recall what the Lord Jesus
Christ said: Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the Will of My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

My dear Dorcasde, You should have read that chapter a little further.
[b]Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
[/b]Peter Couldn't have been contradicting himself now, could he?
[quote][/quote]Yes, I am with you Lafile. To the best of my understanding, believe in this context means FAITH. And if you have FAITH in HIM, you will live in ACCORDANCE to HIS Word/Message.  When your thoughts, words and actions are in line with His Word, then you’re a changed person.  Remission of sin is not automatic, it comes through CHANGE.

Thought it might be a nice joint for importers/exporters to share their experiences. Would be nice to hear from importers/exporters around the globe. Introduce yourself, business and perhaps share your experience.

ctrume:
hello people,i just met this dg who told me to forward a proposal to his office,a government firm in abuja to supply stuffs,i don't have an idea of what to supply in the office,could anyone make suggestions,i promise to giv the one with the successful suggestion sumthin back when it clicks.thanks

If whatever you're supplying is in large quantity, China would be the best place to import from. Basically, most of the stuffs we use in Nigeria are from China, Though people whine about the quality of the goods from China; it’s not the fault of the Chinese manufacturers but the Nigerian importers who give them low specifications of which the price is affordable to an average Nigerian. China exports goods of different types to virtually countries all over the world, it all depends on what you want, quality or quantity!
If you need any assistance from China, hallo at me on dorcasde@yahoo.com.

Nice one Omagnus!

I also have a passion to run an NGO.
My interest centers on working with young girls especially teenagers of different target groups, eg. hawkers (those who hawk to get by), educate them on self development and empower them to start up something rather hawking. Also, I enjoy counseling people with some form of personality disorder due to their nature and nurture (environment and upbringing).
What inspired me was an intervention project I did in 2000/2001, it was sponsored by UNIFEM.  The project was tagged 'VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN''.  I was in charge of Ogun State. I didn't want the project to end because it was highly elating to see people beaming with so much joy and gratitude for the little bit the project did for them. People’s life's were positively affected and that made me feel so fulfilled. Though it was not my money but being part of a team that administerd the project changed my life dream and focus. I want to see people move on happily in life!

I am happy you've started. May you receive help, favour and leads as to how to fulfill your dream. You will surely get there so long as you keep the volition glowing!

enitan2002:
Am really happy with the number of seekers on this forum that have come to the recognition of the will of the creator embedded in the work IN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH: THE GRAIL MESSAGE
i was thinking of creating a post that will give us the opportunity in pouring out our experiencing.
what do you all think of that?

Enitan,
It would be terrific! I've been ruminating on it for a long time but haven't been able to figure out how and where. Infact that was what led me to Nairaland and I’ve been observing the trend here to see if it would work. I must say that meeting people of like minds here have been a thing of great joy to me. Let's roll!

justcool:
@ Dorscasde
Is that an excerpt from one of Herbert Vollmann's essays? It contains profound truth. It's really very touching, I hope more people will open themselves to the Truth contained in it.
Thanks for the tread, and I wish you strength in your spiritual accent.

I am not sure, Justcool! I got a couple of articles which I downloaded from different sites on The Grail Message. I have looked through the sites I visit frequently to see which one I got this particular writing from, but all efforts in vain…

Wait a minute………, I think I got it from www.cinemaseekers.com, however, they have edited their front page so it was not there as at the time I checked. On this same site, there are some lectures from the Grail Message in MP3 format, I tried downloading them but it didn’t work. I also got some writings from www.grailnet.org forum……, under the subject ‘’Essays’’.

Wishing you the strenght to grow in FAITH!

Mathew 7: 1-3
“And why beholdest the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considereth not the beam in thy own eye?”

John 8 :7
“Let him who is without since cast the first stone”.

Dear poster,

I appreciate your sincerity! It is very glaring from your post that you have a ‘heart’; I mean you have a conscience……….reason why you don't want to hurt your lady anymore.

Now that she has a baby with you, that should be a gum stick. However, if you truly love her, all you need to do is to Behind her up. Time and patience will help you to achieve this. But first of all, you need to talk to her. Let her know why you treat her the way you do. I believe she loves you, if you let her know that you can't compromise those flaws, grammar, reading writing and stuff, I'm pretty sure she will put in her best to change. As for grammar, in order to help her conversational English, you may decide to start communicating with her in English and always correct her, but not in a derogatory manner. She will get things straight. I came to China 4 years ago, before then I had no clue as to what the language was like. Even now, I can neither read nor write their characters but I speak fluently……, in a manner of 4 years.  So you imagine someone born and raised in Nigeria where English is the official language.  I am sure she will blend fast for the sake of love. It’s not going to be easy….but it is possible and patience is the answer.

Tell yourself you can do it and you’ll see that the subject of your post will change to ‘how to I love the mother of my baby’

Please if you need one-to-one counseling on this issue, you may reach me on dorcasde@yahoo.com.

Cheers

MasterUwem:
Bros why are u so close to your Inlaws, you inlaws should not or beware that you want to married they daughter, you should be a very far from the family, it is only when u will be going for introduction that they will all know.

even if any body will know that u want to married? it should be your girl, and your family


any way just take it easy, marriage is not a rushing issue, it is a life time some thing, you have to be very careful.

In a typical Nigerian setting, no parents/family would readily oblige to a 'military' kind of wedding arrangement. As in, you show face today and the next thing you talk about is getting married to their daughter. In as much as you're the lady's choice and the decision is hers, her family would be happy and would as well appreciate you the more by giving them the honour to know you and give their daughter the full support. That is not to say that it can not be otherwise, but it is better to do things right.

If my child is mature enough to get married and she comes home one day with her fiancé, I will be very happy. But at the time I would want to be sure that she is doing it right, it is for her sake and their sake. I would want to know this guy. I'm not being nosy by doing that, but only trying to ensure that I play my role. Of course, I can not stop them from getting married but I could be of immense help to them by counseling them and making sure that they know what they are delving into. This also gives me confidence that I am not erring, as a mother.

Even for people abroad, they try to keep in touch with their potential in-laws by calling. So for someone on ground in Nigeria, there is no excuse. Infact, you may be seen as having a skeleton in your cupboard. And you can’t defend that!

Besides, it is very important you know your potential in-laws. It’s important you know if you can put up with them. Guess you know what I mean. Take it or leave it, they can make or break your marriage. Marriage of ‘it’s me and my husband’ or it’s me and my wife’ doesn’t thrive well in Nigeria. If you want to give that a shot, go abroad where you are beyond the physical reach of intruders.

“Therefore awake! Your time on earth is precious! Because of our sins, the Saviour came- that is unassailably and literally true! It is also true that He died because of the gilt of humanity.

But this does not mean that your sins have been taken from you! The Saviour’s work of redemption was to take up the battle with the Darkness in order to bring Light to mankind, to open the way to the forgiveness of all sins.

But each one must tread the path alone in accordance with the irrevocable laws of the Creator. Christ did not come to overthrow the laws but to fulfill them. Do not fail to recognize Him Who should be your best friend! Do not attach wrong meaning to such true words!

When it is quite rightly said that for the sake of man’s sins all this happened, it means the coming of Jesus became necessary only because mankind could no longer find their way alone out of their self-created darkness, nor release themselves from clutches.

Christ had to show mankind the way. Had they not entangled themselves deeply in sin, that is, had they not taken the wrong road, then the coming of Jesus would not have been necessary. He would have been spared His life of struggle and pain.

Therefore, it is quite right to say that He was obliged to come for the sake of men’s sins, if the latter in their pursuit of the wrong road were not to sink into the abyss, into darkness.

This does not mean, however, that the personal guilt of every individual is therefore remitted at a moment’s notice, as soon as he really believes in and lives according to the works of Jesus. But if he does live according to the words of Jesus his sins will be forgiven him. Of course, only gradually, as soon as redemption sets in through the reciprocal action ensuing from the counter-activity of his good volition. Not otherwise! It is different with those who do not live according to the words of Jesus; for them forgiveness is absolutely impossible.

This does not imply however, that only members of the Christian religion can attain to forgiveness of sins.

Jesus proclaimed the Truth! His words must therefore also embrace all the truths of other religions. He did not want to found a church, but to show mankind the right path, which can equally well lead through the truths of other religions. For this reason His words often accorded with the religion already existing”.

The above is excerpt from the lecture The Redeemer, contained in the work, IN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH. [b][/b]


King James Version; Acts 10: 34-35………Then Peter opened his mouth, and said. Of a truth I perceive that GOD is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with HIM.
………same as
"Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him."

Thanks Enitan, I wish you well!

No Time for Spiritual Things

How little time indeed has man for any spiritual happening, although he himself, his real ego, his spirit, is a part of this happening, simply through the very fact that he originates in the Spiritual Realm. There is his paradisial home, which he has left in the urge and longing to become conscious.

Here, on earth a man who emigrates to another country does not forget his homeland. He at least thinks back to it now and then and might even be overcome by homesickness for the land of his earthly origin.

Yet he no longer knows anything of his spiritual home, which lies far above in Paradise. Not even a divining of it arises within him. And yet the spirit, filled with repressed longing, is always waiting for the dark walls built around it by human guilt to be torn down, so that it might direct its gaze towards the Light.

Man always has time enough for earthly things and earthly customs. However there is no time to spare for spiritual investigating and seeking, even though it is actually so essential for his ascent out of this world of perishable matter, a place only intended temporarily as a place of learning, of investigating and development. Man should indeed produce earthly goods and enjoy them with pleasure, but he must not place the acquisition of earthly possessions above spiritual gain, which alone mediates eternal values to him.

Only these values, which he is able to acquire through genuine inner experiencing, give him strong support in the beyond, firm confidence, and genuine trust in God. But the earthly values, which he has acquired with the help of his intellect, remain behind after death and pass away like the brain, which produces the intellect.

It is just the intellect that so often stifles the rising longing of the spirit, pushing aside fruitful recognitions and experiences, declaring that it has no time for them. May the human being in the pressure of earthly activity swing himself upwards more and more to devote sufficient time to the spiritual. It will bring the spirit multiple gain, here as well as over there in the beyond, which no earthly wealth however great can outweigh. No matter whether the search for the spiritual relates for example to the question of the origin of the human spirit, its task in Creation, life after death, the spiritual power by which it lives and exists, or whether it concerns its free will, its responsibility, its fate and its repeated earth-lives.

No time for spiritual things! This can only be a lazy excuse of the intellect, because by its nature it is in no position whatever to grasp spiritual things. Its field is the earthly.

The spirit, however, which is eternal, does not know this excuse. It always has time for spiritual things, as soon as and as long as it goes on striving to keep awake its longing for the Luminous Heights!

Fellows, please find attached an article on BIBLE ACCOUNTS THAT SUGGEST REINCARNATION. Wishing you a joyful reading!

You can use EDOLINE, IFESINACHI or ABC transport companies. They run courier services abroad. If you're sending stuffs to China, use DON CHRIS LINKS at the Lagos airport.

Hey, start shuttling between China and Nigeria for business, importation business. Think of the Nigerian market and your area of interest. If you want to give it a shot,  you can start with about 1.5M. If you're interested, hallo back at me on dorcasde@yahoo.com. You can also buy some shares.

If you're an importer or you want to go into importation business and you need some leads in China, be my guest!

I have a long experience in China market; I handle product sourcing, purchase and shipment on behalf of my customers.

If you have any queries, you may reach me on dorcasde@yahoo.com.

Cheers!

If your wife is up tp something, definitely she would be smart enough to give you her password, block off some email IDs, open a new acount and divert all 'such' emails to the new box. Instead of going through all these hurdles, if she's up to something, she could verbally alert her fans that you've now become a nosy husband so that they stop writing 'such' mails.

Maybe you're a secretive husband, but likes to know all. Why not let the sleeping dog lie!

My dear kconfused,

Please try this out.

Firstly, empty your mind of any emotions and feelings you have for this guy in question. Then, get a piece of paper and pen. Write down all the qualities you want in your ideal man(bear in mind that there is no perfect one, including you). After, get another paper.  Of all these qualities, list out the ones you CAN'T COMPROMISE, I mean the 'MUST HAVE' qualities. Be very firm, right and true to yourself. Look at your man and see if he has all the qualities that are a must in your ideal man, that is, all the qualities you need in a man to make you happy.

If you do this without any bias, it will help you to reach a decision. And please,  be ready to accept whatever you arrive at. There in lies your happiness!

Hope this helps.

I'm happy you have an understanding lady who is on the same page with you. Since you're looking at next year for your wedding and at the same time it seems you're close to your potential inlaws, I'd advise that you employ some diplomacy. Do less talking with them on this issue; push their daughter to them to answer the odd questions. Being close to your inlaws is not a crime, try to always apply wisdom in dealing with them.

I am a lady and I know how Nigerian parents feel about long courtship. There might not be any strings attached to their concerns. Guess they're just being careful so that nothing goes wrong with you and their daughter along the time.

Filter all the suggestions you've got so far and be sure to take a decision that is yours.
It's really nothing to worry about. Be calm!