[Raynaadi]

Disclamer: This is not meant to be a religious post. This is a question about recovery from the standpoint of AA and NA based programs, where we find sobriety from a trust in a Higher Power, more easily and universally called God. Please do not read if you are offended by talk of God or the program of AA.

Before I got sober, I didn't believe in God. Mostly because of all the horrible stuff that happens in the world. How do you take the blame off of God in events like the hurricane? I've always looked at natural disasters as nature's way of controlling overpopulation. This may sound horrible and morbid, but I just believe it's true. But I've turned my life over to God and MY life has improved drastically. But how can I have total faith in a God who causes so much misery for so many others? I need some experience strenth and hope on this. How do you keep your faith in the wake of such devestation?

[Allan]

Well I think to put it one way, do you think you know better what the overall plan is for this world than God does? Are you better to deside things better than God? I guess it comes do3wn to just how you really feel about it yourself. it does not matter what others think or feel, this is your life and things are not the same for all of us. Each of us have our own way of wanting things done and how we want thingsw done. If it still works, don't fix it then.

Allan

[Lexicon78]

I've often wondered why there was so much pain and agony in this world if god was so great. I'm now Wiccan, but grew up Catholic. I converted when I kept being sexually abused growing up. I didn't understand how god could let this happen to one of his own children....but now I have a different take on things.

[BamaSurvivor]

I've often wondered the same thing, Rayna. I didn't have faith in a Higher Power before I came to recovery. But now that I do believe in a Higher Power, I often times wonder what He's thinking when he allows such destruction and hate in the world. I truely don't believe he causes it, though. I believe it's natural disaster and people hating people who cause harm to the world. I just believe God (as I understand him) allows these things to happen for us to appreciate life more. If there weren't problems in this world ever, we wouldn't appreciate the good. We'd take it for granted, in my opinion. By allowing such things to happen, we can appreciate the good in our lives and be thankful we have it better than some.

[shadowalker164]

An excellent question, and I suppose if you get 10 responses you will get 10 different takes on an answer.

Here is mine…
This business of seeking God is an inside job. And when I say that I mean an inside job alone. I have my doubts that prayers to steer hurricanes somewhere other than where they are going really works. I am not sure that even the most heartfelt and unselfish prayer to fix someone else we love has any real effect on the person prayed for.
In my opinion, God does not live between the man pointing a gun and his victim, I feel that God lives between the thought to commit a hateful act and the action of committing that act.

The Big Book suggests that we pray only for the knowledge of what God’s will is for us, and the power to carry it out. Sounds like a straight up inside job to me.

When I am working with a guy and he has an issue with someone else, I suggest that he pray that all the things he might want in his life come to the person he is having a hard time with. And not just once, but every day for a month! I tell my man that I have no idea if his prayers will help the other guy, and I don’t much care either, but I have no doubt it will help him.

I leave the larger questions to greater minds. This world is a hard place, and it is full of inequity. But it is also full of the milk of human kindness. Perhaps the balance between the two is as it should be. I don’t know. But then again, I’m just workin’ on my side of the street.

Always your friend on the road to the good stuff,
Richard

[Raynaadi]

Thanks for your replies. I asked this question in a 12 step chat last night, and this girl replied that she blames mother nature on events like the hurricane, not God. That clicked for me, I had to take it away from myself. I can't say that I don't give a crap what happens to others as long as I stay sober, as some of the people in chat were saying. After she said that, I remembered that we basically create our God, that our higher power is something with qualities we'd want in a friend. So I was able to see my higher power who I chose to call God wheeping right along with the rest of us. The only way for me to look at is is that my God didn't have it in His plan for any of those people to suffer the way they did, that there are some things even my God can't control, as far as nature goes. I had forgotten that my God is of my understanding!! Duh, He's a custom guy that I built! Haha. I guess I can even kinda see what they mean by, as long as I stay sober, it doesn't matter what God does with everyone else, because my God is my God, not my sponsers, not yours, not the people of New Orleans. He's mine and mine alone. I've said in meetings that I picture all our higher powers sitting in the empty chairs, and when the room is full, that they're all lined up along the walls, haha! I need to apply that thought in events like this. Like all the higher powers get together sometimes to discuss our prayers for each other. =) Hey, whatever works right?

~Rayna

[CedarS]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Raynaadi said:
I've said in meetings that I picture all our higher powers sitting in the empty chairs, and when the room is full, that they're all lined up along the walls, haha! I need to apply that thought in events like this. Like all the higher powers get together sometimes to discuss our prayers for each other. =) Hey, whatever works right?

~Rayna

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(I bolded that last line myself.)

That is the key for me. Whatever Works. Within reason, not harming anyone, whatever works. Especially in our spiritual or lack thereof lives. Wouldn't it be grand if all human beings supported each other in this? We could respect each other for making our own choices about what works for us.

Sarah

[Raynaadi]

Amen sista! It's wonderful to have friends who understand that it is what it is, whatever it is!