[thebpman]

I hope I've spelled atheists correctly
There's two types of example of things that happen that make people wonder if God exists and because He does why would we want to follow Him.

The first one is why would He allow things such as bone cancer in children?

The second is why would he allow children to be raped?

One of them is nature, the other is the nature of man.

How do you respond to victims of examples like these without offending the victim or God?

[bluecross]

Maybe you should listen to God instead. He has all the answers.

The Medjugorje visionary Jakov once said: “All answers are found in prayer.”

In yesterday’s message from Our Lady she said, “God PERMITS me to still be with you.”

We could ask why, but she provides an answer and a reason.

My advice would be to resist the temptation to listen to atheists trying to prove there is no God. Instead, spend the time in prayer. Our Lady frequently requests prayers for non-believers.

How should we speak to anyone who has been hurt? Listening is always the first option. As for speaking, St Paul offers good advice: 1 Corinthians 13.

[thebpman]

I was hoping there was an answer for things like these, but, there isn't one that won't be potentially offensive to the victim. It's not a one answer fits all thing. You're right BC, just listening is about all anyone can do.

[gtc]

I used to think that I needed to try and change people to come to God. But that rarely works. People don’t generally like to be forced into something. So I can’t save the world, at least that isn’t the way to do it.

So what BC is saying makes a lot of sense. There are also truths that have helped me in dealing with these things.
--God takes us where we are at, and he will work with that.
--He loves us much more than we know, but will never impose his will on us unless we let him. So why should I be imposing my will on someone else when I don’t know half what God does about this other person.
--How we live our lives is a witness to others. In Mirjana’s last book, she spoke about how some of her classmates were drawn to her not by what she said but by how she lived her life. If we really want to draw others closer to God, the best way to do it is to live a Godly life and do his will.

All that said, this is some of what I have learned. But it is by no means the answer for everyone. I go back to what BC said. Listen to God. He will reveal to you how to proceed.

[ActionReq]

Want to convert people?: Pray!
I have a testimony to share here.
I doubted this power of prayer.
I prayed a lot and nothing ever
materialized. One day, years ago it
must have been 2008 or 2009, I
got angry with God and in reality I
mocked God and said to Him:
God if you exist, and if prayer works
then I will do anything for You if
you convert Ayaan Hirsi Ali to
christianity.
It was for me like saying God please
make the color red into blue and make
the cows lay eggs and pigs fly.
Impossible! On purpose!
But I wanted to make clear for
myself and for Jesus that He was
impotent, or unwilling in doing
concrete things for me.
This woman was an ex muslim,
religion hater, declared atheist,
ex dutch polemic politician,
feminist and activist.
I asked the impossible.
So I continued and said to God:
I will waste one single hail mary
on this one.
So I said one Hail Mary for that cause
and forgot about it.
years later some hints that
this Hirsi Ali became Christian.
Not sure what moved her in
that direction, but even so she
claims to still be an atheist it
looks like she is not in the position
to shout Christ from the rooftops,
even so that may be what she wants.
She disguises the intentions with
logic justifications. I have no illusions
that her denial phase will ever crystallize
into catholicism.
She has many followers of her kind
who pay her bills whom she does not
want to lose support from.
I am still perplexed, shocked and
in doubt if it would be the result
of one single Mocking Hail Mary?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/week ... s-movement
https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2011/08/ ... hristians/

And for me. Every time I am not
able to do something for God that
I feel I should be doing better.
Then I feel... I don't know.
Unfortunately there are many other
things that I prayed a thousand
Hail Mary's for that never materialized.

And then one day I become angry.
I mock God, and boom. God acts.
Materializes an intention that
is most likely of no use for me
directly. But it could be important
for many other people.