I guess then you have to go back to "God works in mysterious ways." I'll ask God when he and I have our next rap session and get back with y'all on that! :mrgreen:
Yes and no are certainly acceptable answers. God could have miraculously healed that child; but was that His plan? Was it within His will? The outcome indicates (to me) it was not. Consider this: God's plan may have been for the couple to bring their child to a doctor......maybe an unbeliever who, in time, would be exposed to the family's faith and then see the child healed of a disease for which there is no cure. God may have wanted to use the disease to bring another to Christ. His plan may have been for them to find a doctor who is a Christian who could have shared in their faith. Maybe, in time, to see the child healed of a disease for which there is no cure. This doctor, and possibley others, would have been additional witnesses to God's great power. Unfortunately, what we have is a child who has died far too early and grieving parents who have been left behind to deal with the circumstances of their decisions. It seems the parents had their own idea as to how God should work in their plan. Rather, they should have been seeking God's plan first to find out how they, and their child, should fit into it.
There are no right or wrong answers here. Its just like politics. Everyone has their opinons and beliefs and views. Thats what makes a person who they are. For every argument why they should be charged..there is an argument why they shouldn't...
The Bible quite clearly says "Ask, and it shall be given you;" and "For every one that asketh receiveth;" (Matt 7:7 and Matt 7:8) But how about those, such as these parents, who decide to put all their faith in God? They asked, did not receive, and so they are o be punished? So God is reduced to a source of transportation? (Sorry, but you have to give me one snipe) But that's you.
The Bible says many things, and they all have to be read in context. Everyone who has survived to adulthood must realize God does not always give us what we ask for.
well, b/c I have faith in the Lord, I will go pray about my blood pressure..... and if it gets to high, I know (b/c I have faith) the Lord will lead me to get up and take my ars to the Dr! Then when I get home, I'll just sue Clif, :jester::jester::jester: j/k Clif, even if you do think I'm a female dog..... that was a little strong..... :chillpill: but have a good evening, I will pray that the Lord provides you with some undertanding.
LOLOl ok one snipe But thats it no more tee hee Ok putting all their faith in god?? Isn't there somewhere in the bible about not putting all your eggs in one basket?? (thats my snipe) Oh wait maybe that an ole wives tale
I will pray, that God will give Clif the understand of what we are trying to say. But it doesn't look very promising. :lol:
Matthew 7:7,8 says: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Receives what? Finds what? What door is opened? Interpreting Matthew 7:7-8 to say every single thing we ask for in prayer will be given to us goes against much of the Bible, as well as much of our life experience. We don't always get what we want, however sincerely we pray for it. Building one's entire belief system around a couple of verses in the Bible is naive at best. The NIV study Bible note on that passage says: "Greek present imperatives are used here, indicating constant asking, seeking and knocking. Persistent prayer is being emphasized." The New Interpreter's Study Bible, NRSV, study note reads: "7:7-11 The language of asking, seeking and knocking concerns both prayer and a lifestyle of living God's purposes."
I have to disagree. There is a right and a wrong answer here. Extremists exist on both sides of the faith, no faith, beliefs. Like everything in our human lives we learn by experience and we pass on that knowledge to the following generations. The faith they are practicing belongs in the dark ages and it has no place in our society today. They bet faith against technology with a human life as the wager, instead of combining the two for the right choice. The sad part, it was a child’s life. Doing this to your own child, is barbaric. In times of no food the Swan will tear it’s own flesh to feed its young. It’s the only creature on earth to do so. Even nature tells us there’s always an answer to continuing the life of our children. If there were a way to give the parents the same disease and let them pray for their only cure, it would be my choice of punishment.
Such a good heart Clif you have such a good heart. It is a really good thing that you are wrestling with this. God wants us to really think about His nature and character. A pastor I really respected spoke on this topic once at church. I sincerely believe that my daughter experienced a faith healing while an infant through the prayer of elders of our church. That is a story for another time, but hopefully it will frame what I am going to say. We have to use the Bible as our ultimate authority and answer to the question "what is truth?" In Biblical times when there was sickness the elders annointed with oil and prayed. Annointing with oil was the best medical treatment of the day. The point is that the Bible tells us to do the best medical treatment we can and along with that pray. He gives the doctors knowledge and wisdom. He gives the medicines the ability to treat. He gives scientist understanding of the small piece we think we understand about chemicals and receptors. He decides. By praying AND treating we are living under God's commands. The rest is up to Him...
Should the parents be charged? I wonder if the parents ever went to the doctor or took any OTC meds for a headache or tummy ache or for a broken bone or did they just pray that God would heal them too? Prayers or not, I think they should be charged.
