What I am getting ready to say is in no way an indication that I don't find your scenario horrible, because it is. Nor do I pretend to know why God lets things like this happen. In my experience the christians, jews, whatever donomination don't claim to know why God allows such horrible things. What many would say though is that there are lessons in Gods actions. In this situation though, who is to say that God in his infinit wisdom isn't protecting others from these horrible people who would do this. Sacrificing one so that these people go to prison and aren't allowed to do it again. I'm not saying that this justifies anything in my mind, but who's to say this isn't Gods reasoning.

If what you say has ANY basis in fact, your GOD is very limited in his power. "Sacrificing one so that these people go to prison and aren't allowed to do it again" is really a weak belief. We all know it isn't ONE. Countless children and innocent people are involved in these inhumane scenarios every minute of every day. I guess God has alot of lessons to be taught.
And to look at the world and the people that inhabit it in a reasonable, proveable way, there's an EASY explanation for what happens in this sometimes ****ty world we live in: We are masters of our own destiny. There are alot of sick people living in this world that have a perverted view of the world as they see it and everyone other than themselves are prey. Some prey upon people sexually, some pray upon other's self-esteem, some prey upon other's people's bank account.
Unfortuneatly, there's only US to hold these unmoral people to account. If you're smart, and care about those around you, you'll try your best to distance yourself and family from the sicko's of this world. Unfortuneatly also, most innocent kids can't do this for themselves and have noone to do it for them. If there was a God, I'd think this would be the time for him to put his almighty hand to task. But sadly, it doesn't happen. So, instead of taking responsibility for our own lives, people give God excuses for letting a baby be tortured, raped, and killed. "God has his reasons". Yeah, right.
So,,,,,,next time you see one of those feed the children commercials, feel good about yourself. You don't need to help those kids, God's got your back. And if he don't feed those innocent kids, he's got a reason, someone needs to learn a lesson.
If you really feel this way,,,,,,shame on you. That's just my opinion. But my opinion is backed with facts. Your opinion on this subject has an invisible guy looking down on a sick world with the power to FIX it, but chooses not to.

Other than you're belief there isn't God, I won't disagree with much of what you said. Please do not use the word "you", when referring to this or any other scenarios, when talking to me. I made it quite clear that this isn't my belief.

You know exactly what I was trying to say, but you co-opted my words into something entirely different. Regardless, you not understanding why God allows things like this to happen is not an indication of the lack of His existence.

I do not think I co-opted your words in anything other than what you wrote. Now you're the expert on judging me. Your judgement is that I "don't understand why God allows things like this to happen". Good thing you don't sit on a bench and actually judge the parents of the little kids that get raped and murdered everyday. If the world operated the way you see it, the rapist/murder would be set free to do it again while the parents would be chastised for not seeing that their kids were killed to serve a greater cause. You should be ashamed for your views. And those parents would be right to take out their frustrations on you after they were through with the murder/rapist.
It amazes me that you can't see this. You were taught that God has a plan in everything he does. Lots of ideas are taught to kids that grow up to believe it. Soldiers defending your right to argue this point are dying right now because terrorists were taught that God wants them to kill anybody that don't believe in THEIR GOD. And they're taught that after strapping on a bomb and blowing up themselves and everyone around them, they'll sprout wings and join God to celebrate.
Pretty weak argument you have there my friend. I only hope that these sick perverted acts perpetrated on innocent people never include you or your loved ones. If you lose a loved one to a sick, perverted mind and you know who he is, I doubt you'll care much for God's plan. I have a feeling you'll develop a plan of your own at that point.

Hope you understand that I'm not personally attacking you. I just think if we could start calling a spade a spade, and hold everyone accountable, the world will be a better place.

Judge? It's a fact, my friend. If that's being judgmental, well it won't be the first time someone has accused me of that on this message board.

You and I don't understand why God allows things like this to happen, so you have taken the easy way out of denying Him.

These are incorrect assumptions. A violent criminal would be served with an extremely violent sentence by me if I were on the bench. People on this earth are charged with obeying the laws of the country in which they live. "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's".

I am neither afraid nor ashamed to stand up and proclaim that Jesus is Lord.

Sir, you are accusing me of living an indoctrinated life. I was raised by a Baptist mother and Catholic father who took great pains not to anger eachother by forcing me down any particular path. I belonged to no youth groups, attended church once a week at many various venues, (mostly Catholic masses where the subject was me and what I could do to earn my way into Heaven). After church was over, I went about my business as if I hadn't gone.

God's will will be done. I don't claim to even understand that at this point, but I know it.

You won't be the first to equate Islam with Christianity. It's an old, tired, and unoriginal argument and one that is completely devoid of any factual basis other than comparing groups of extremists.

God will have to stop me if that were to happen.

for some reason that just makes religious folk believe more. i never understood why people would praise god almighty for "taking" someone they loved. to each his or her own though, if a god makes people feel good about dying, or that there is some cloudy nirvana waiting, great. To me it's just not logical. There has to be something in order for you to deny it.

The reason I praised God when my Grandmother died a few years ago was that I believe that she is in heaven. That she is in the very presence of God Almighty. I praised God because her physical suffering in this life was over and she is in a place that is beyond my wildest imaginations. I still praise God every time that I think about her as I cherish the memories I have of her, and how she made a positive impact on my life.

This is the reason that any Christian should rejoice when a fellow Christian loved one dies. We rejoice because they have gone to be with Jesus, forever. Absolutely, we miss them greatly here on this earth, but we have the assurance in Christ that we will see them once more as we spend eternity together in heaven.

The bible describes life on earth as a vapor, it comes breifly and then it is gone. The amount of time we spend on earth is nothing compared to the infinate amount of time that we will spend in either heaven or hell.

Great Post!

everyone here needs to take notes, this is how to make a decent, respectful reply.