I want to know!

[buttercup]

I want to know why God plays favourites?  Why does he choose who will have contentment in life and who will have nothing but turmoil and unhappy events? 
I struggle to try to understand why I am here?  I've been told "we're here for a reason".  I can't for the life of me figure out what reason I am here for?  I turned away from God when I was a child, it was so easy to do when he had taken away the three most important people away from me.  The people that could protect me, guide me, support me.  He left me in the wilderness to be abused every way imaginable.  I came back to God because he was a big part of my life when I was little, especially being Catholic, even though he took my parents and my guardian away from me, convinced myself it was for a reason. I pray everyday that I will find solace, peace and understanding, but today I feel more alone and tortured than ever. 
People think they know me, but they don't.  People think I chose to be what I am, but I didn't.  People want things from me that I can't give, People want me to disappear, and I will.
I understand God gave us free will.  He didn't make bad people, they chose to be bad.  But why doesn't he ever intervene?  When does he say enough is enough?  Why are there still children born to live a life of suffering and have that life snuffed out without knowing peace and love?  The news depresses me but I cannot disconnect.  I still want to know what is happening, but I continue to ask why?            

[Suzy]

Sorry I don't believe in god & I'm very happy.

Yvonne, I'm also glad you are happy, but look at the section this is under.  Buttercup asks a good question that should be answered.

That being said, I wish I had all of the answers.  I can indeed tell you some general things from a Christian viewpoint:

1.  God created this world perfect.
2.  We are born with a certain amount of freedom.
3.  It was us (humanity) who messed it up, not God.
4.  People are imperfect and will always let us down.
5.  God has provided a way of forgiveness in the death of his son, Jesus Christ.
6.  One day we will see all made perfect again.
7.  Until that time we wait and we trust, even through the times we do not understand.
8.  Jesus said that he would be with us even to the end of the age.
9.  Being a Christian does not mean that we do not suffer.  It means that we never suffer alone.
10.  If we feel alone, it is out feelings that are out of line, not Christ.

Now all of the above being said, Buttercup, sometimes God does indeed intervene.  Read the story of what happened in the wilderness.  Despite it all, God was there for the people.  The fact that you are even still being drawn to God is a sign of his intervention in your life.  However, the how and where and when of the timing we must leave to God.  We are not God and he is.  Sometimes we must simple fall back on the sentiments of Isiah 55:8-9
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Does God play favorites?  I do not think so.  I believe that God loves us all equally and that God's heart is more broken than ours when he sees pain, suffering, death, injustice, and poverty in this world.  Even Jesus told us to pray, every time we pray, for the time to come when those things will not exist.

I know this is a very imperfect start, but I hope it helps you start thinking in a broad way about the world.

Thanks for asking a wonderful question.


Kristi

[Jeannette]

No offense but ppl answer to their own beliefs.  Same thing with other topics.  ->-bleeped-<-s answer to ts topics, androgynes to mtf or ftm topics.  Everybody has got their own views & we respect them all.

Having said that, Buttercup, have you been to this website? http://www.tsroadmap.com/mental/spirit.html

I'm Christian & I've found extreme comfort there.

[Hazumu]

There are two takes on Christianity, or two ends of a spectrum.  Arkansas Governor Huckabee stated it when he said, "I am definitely a "grace Christian" & not a "law Christian." "

So there may be more than one way to look at Christianity

I present the bullet points for Grace Christianity, from Chapter 14 of the book, "Moral Politics" by George Lakoff.

    * God is a Nurturant Parent to Human Beings.
    * Christ is the Bearer of God's Nurturance to Human Beings.
    * God's grace is Nurturance.
    * Moral Action is Nurturant Action (helping through feeling empathy, demonstrating compassion, acting out of love, etc.).
    * Immoral Action (Sin) is Nonnurturant Action Toward Others (harming through lack of empathy, lack of compassionate action, etc.).
Properties of Grace
    * God's Grace is the expression of God's Love.
    * God's Grace entails the Presence of God.
    * God's Grace entails the Closeness of God.
    * God's Grace involves a spiritual Feeding (or filling) that allows for moral Growth.
    * God's Grace Heals spiritual wounds and spiritual ills.
    * God's Grace results in Happiness.
    * God's Grace entails God's Protection.
    * Grace is not earned.
    * God gives his Grace freely and unconditionally.
    * God's Grace must be accepted if one is to receive the benefits of Grace.
    * Only through receiving God's Grace do people learn to act morally toward others (to feel love, feel empathy, act for the benefit of others and so on).
    * To learn to act morally toward others, one must receive God's Grace (e.g., One must be in God's presence, be close to God, etc.).
    * Nurturance is the expression of a parent's Love.
    * Nurturance entails the Presence of the parent.
    * Nurturance entails the Closeness of the parent.
    * Nurturance involves Feeding that allows for Growth.
    * Nurturance involves Healing.
    * Nurturance results in Happiness.
    * Nurturance entails Protection.
    * Nurturance is not earned. A Nurturant Parent gives nurturance freely and unconditionally.
    * Nurturance must be accepted if a child is to receive the her, fits of nurturance, only through receiving nurturance do children learn to be nurturant to others (to feel love, feel empathy, act for the benefit of others, and so on).
    * To learn to act nurturantly toward others, one must be nurtured by a Nurturant Parent.

Law Christians seem to be worried about trying to re-create the perfection of God's Garden of Eden in order to please Him.  Law Christians seek to 'weed out' imperfections, such as non-standard sexual orientation or gender identification.  Personally, I refer to fundamental conservatives and Christians who hold such beliefs and carry out actions to further such ends "Gardeners of Eden".

Grace Christianity says we are already perfect in our own way, even those of us who claim identity to one (or more) of the letters L-G-B-T.  That perfection is latent but can be 'developed' by accepting God's Grace.

One can open themselves to nurturance by providing nurturance to others.

Opportunities have been missed, but it is never too late to receive God's Grace.

Karen

[buttercup]

Thankyou Rebis, Kristi, Jeanette and Karen.  All your kind words and responses have helped me so much.  I've read through all of your posts very carefully and my heavy heart feels calmer.  God has given me some more trials to go through and I will try to do the best I can.  Thankyou again. 


I am sorry Yvonne if you are offended by my comments, and I am happy for your happiness.  I will never dessert my faith in God, it's just I am struggling and I am a stubborn person. 

Love to you all,

buttercup 

[David W. Shelton]

Thanks everyone for a great thread!

There are two takes on Christianity, or two ends of a spectrum.  Arkansas Governor Huckabee stated it when he said, "I am definitely a "grace Christian" & not a "law Christian." "

So there may be more than one way to look at Christianity

I present the bullet points for Grace Christianity, from Chapter 14 of the book, "Moral Politics" by George Lakoff.

    * God is a Nurturant Parent to Human Beings.
    * Christ is the Bearer of God's Nurturance to Human Beings.
    * God's grace is Nurturance.
    * Moral Action is Nurturant Action (helping through feeling empathy, demonstrating compassion, acting out of love, etc.).
    * Immoral Action (Sin) is Nonnurturant Action Toward Others (harming through lack of empathy, lack of compassionate action, etc.).
Properties of Grace
    * God's Grace is the expression of God's Love.
    * God's Grace entails the Presence of God.
    * God's Grace entails the Closeness of God.
    * God's Grace involves a spiritual Feeding (or filling) that allows for moral Growth.
    * God's Grace Heals spiritual wounds and spiritual ills.
    * God's Grace results in Happiness.
    * God's Grace entails God's Protection.
    * Grace is not earned.
    * God gives his Grace freely and unconditionally.
    * God's Grace must be accepted if one is to receive the benefits of Grace.
    * Only through receiving God's Grace do people learn to act morally toward others (to feel love, feel empathy, act for the benefit of others and so on).
    * To learn to act morally toward others, one must receive God's Grace (e.g., One must be in God's presence, be close to God, etc.).
    * Nurturance is the expression of a parent's Love.
    * Nurturance entails the Presence of the parent.
    * Nurturance entails the Closeness of the parent.
    * Nurturance involves Feeding that allows for Growth.
    * Nurturance involves Healing.
    * Nurturance results in Happiness.
    * Nurturance entails Protection.
    * Nurturance is not earned. A Nurturant Parent gives nurturance freely and unconditionally.
    * Nurturance must be accepted if a child is to receive the her, fits of nurturance, only through receiving nurturance do children learn to be nurturant to others (to feel love, feel empathy, act for the benefit of others, and so on).
    * To learn to act nurturantly toward others, one must be nurtured by a Nurturant Parent.

Law Christians seem to be worried about trying to re-create the perfection of God's Garden of Eden in order to please Him.  Law Christians seek to 'weed out' imperfections, such as non-standard sexual orientation or gender identification.  Personally, I refer to fundamental conservatives and Christians who hold such beliefs and carry out actions to further such ends "Gardeners of Eden".

Grace Christianity says we are already perfect in our own way, even those of us who claim identity to one (or more) of the letters L-G-B-T.  That perfection is latent but can be 'developed' by accepting God's Grace.

One can open themselves to nurturance by providing nurturance to others.

Opportunities have been missed, but it is never too late to receive God's Grace.

Karen

Karen's post is wonderful as usual. Keep it up, friends!

[tinkerbell]

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was
walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the
sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he
noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one
belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When
the last scene of his life flashed before him, he
looked back at the footprints in the sand. He
noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed
that it happened at the very lowest and saddest
times in his life. This really bothered him and he
questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that
once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all
the way. But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life, there is only one set
of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed
you most you would leave me." The Lord replied,
"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would
never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it
was then that I Carried You."

By Mary Stevenson

tink

[buttercup]

Thankyou Tink for the lovely verse  , it makes a lot of sense, I just have to keep the faith and trust Him.

buttercup 

[Kimberly]

I want to know why God plays favourites?

Well, from my point of view he doesn't.

It is just some lives are better than others and such, you know?

Sometimes a life that has some, or a lot of hardship in it is a good thing. Sure, it doesn't seem it when your living one of these less than glorious lives but *shrug* Sometimes the larger picture is what matters more than the current puzzle piece.

An, smile. Seriously, it works out just fine if you let it. Either roll with the punches or get clobbered by them in essence. Such doesn't make the current life nice, of course, but there is a whole lot of good in rising above the hardships...

Luck, and smile. It really isn't as unjust as it seems.

Footprints in the Sand

Oh, I like that one by the way; I found it a bit ago myself.
You know what he told me? "I never stopped loving you." ... But given you know nothing of me, that means so very little, even though it means so very much with no data at all.

^*HUG* Don't worry, you are in very good hands indeed.

[noeleena]

hi ..      to you all here   as i do not know you  or you me .    its hard not to say something so .as not to offend . as a transfemale  .i have had some one go before me in most of what i have done ...yet have i done it... no ...how do i know .for most of my life .....i  .. have tried to open the doors . it did not work ..i know why .now..  the doors opened out ..which means i would try ...about 11 years ago it was time for me to become the female that i was & who would be . who went before me .  4 y &11 months ago i came out as a female to the world yes on t v & in the papers.      in my self i would not have done that.   well the Lord went before me & every door opened for me i did not knock or  touch those doors they were opened as i came to them .  they opened in wards a big change for me ....i know you will not see all of what i am saying here yet i hope i can say in all of this the Lord will  ... go,,before   ..take care ...lead you .& many other things will he do..... if......you will trust him ...i did .  from the age of 10 & yet he has never left me  he knows me in side out i have been given some thnigs to use not as a male .....as a transfemale as a woman .  do i have all the detail ...no... just what the Lord knows what i need .   it has not been easy .  its been hard.    yet the Lord has been working in my life all the time .   this is just a little about my self & its so neat how he does it .  check my details .   look up noeleena lochhead ....noel to noeleena...        .new zealand..waimate  .      trust in him he will not fail you .    ,,, there are no favourites he gives to all trust him...