[John H K]

There is a God and when we are living right He is a GOOD GOD.

So bad things happen to people who don't live right?

I notice Uday Hussein is hale and healthy, and Jim Kelly's poor kid has a terminal illness.

As I've said before, probably my greatest shock from FR is how many people can actually operate a computer keyboard that believe that bad things are punishments from God and when good things happen it's a reward. I thought that stuff went out with the worshipping-the-Volcano-God crap in prehistoric times.

[Paul Atreides]

The thing is, God has made us all free moral agents. There are times, when bad/good things happen to us, it is because of our own doing. Sometimes, there are things beyond our control (accidents, disease, etc.). Personally, I believe that God has blessed us with a planet on which to live, water, air, food, etc. What we do with those things is up to us. However, that does not stop me from praying. I also do not believe that God strikes down people on Earth, no matter what kind of person.

[AD from SpringBay]

John - the Bible is clear on two points concerning your comments. First of all, it rains on the just and on the unjust - even Solomon couldn't figure out why bad things happen to "good" people and why good things happen to "bad" people.

Secondly, we are given free will to make our decisions and this, in turn, allows us to live through the results of our decisions. Sometimes the wicked results of wicked lives are easy to see. I think this is why people are eager to point out how sometimes wicked people seem to get their just rewards in the here and now.

But I also take great consolation in knowing that no one is ultimately going to get away with anything.