The Answerer

Many kids ask these things and many more adults too.

I guess He gave us the brains to make them and the ability to make them and use them to kill people - or to heal people of diseases.

Dangerous things: Well I have two large knives in my kitchen drawer. I keep them sharp. I cut bread, cake, and vegetables but I have never hurt anyone with them.

The ozone layer: a human was awfully clever to make up ozone for refrigerators. It was very good until another human discovered it was very dangerous and we stopped using it. Another better chemical was made for fridges.

Bad news: Ozone is banned here but it is still sold in some poor countries.

In this world there are 30,000 (might be 300,000) man-made chemicals and many are poisonous. They can poison / kill or make people very sick. Look up 'Bhopal' on Google to see a bad case of greed, death and pain.

God will not force us to be 'good.' He hopes we will be, but many choose MONEY!

Why does he make us die? So we can take the trip to heaven. Really, this life is only a sort of school to teach us about life and death. We have 70 to 80 years on earth. Heaven (eternity) is FOREVER.

I recall who wrote this question, a really kind and lovely girl. She hit the jackpot by seeing a part of the Bible that exposed who Jesus was and WHY He came to this earth. Thank you.

Long ago, a very long time ago, after Adam and Eve 'messed up' they were expelled from God's presence in the Garden of Eden. (see Genesis chapter 3)

God had to expel them simply because: "The eye of God cannot look upon evil." (Habakkuk 1:13).

Wanting a 'Family' God set in motion a plan to get his people back with him in heaven. (We could not be good enough by ourselves.)

Jesus was to go to earth, live as a human, yet be God's son, and teach 12 disciples all he could about God. Examples: Giving sight to the blind, raising the dead to life and yes, loving their enemies. (Loving them does not mean liking them.)

Then came the ultimate: "I will be handed over to sinful men and be crucified but I will rise to life again on the third day." (Luke.18:31-33)

NOBODY had ever said that before! Come back to life again!

Dunno what he means, they must have thought because people just don't do that.

Well He did.

Those 12 disciples were so changed when He did come back from death, that nobody could shut them up. They were the beginning of the Christian church in 33 AD. Just 12 of them.

Thank you for raising this subject. The Devil is very real. Many will say he is not but Jesus talked of him a lot. Paul the disciple wrote to Christians: "Satan masquerades (can appear to be) an angel of light." (2 Cor.11:14) Jesus said: "I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning." And the night Jesus was arrested Luke records that: "Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve disciples." Judas told the Temple police where they could arrest Jesus without a crowd around, for 30 pieces of silver. Judas later suicided.

You can read about how Satan operates in the Bible. See Job chapters one and two. A very interesting book.

I guess that while Satan is alive there is a chance for him to repent. God did create him, so I guess the answer may be that Satan is God?' child and to kill him would be like killing your own son for a criminal act.

'Repent' meant to tell God that you are truly sorry for all the wrong things you have done.

Satan will, in the end, be punished in hell. The Bible says so in The Revelation.That is the last book in the Bible. You could read just the last few chapters to read 'the end.'

All such questions really go together. 'The end' really means the end of this civilisation, as we know it. The earth "will be burned up with fire" and there will be a new heaven and a new earth to replace it. And, with, no night, no tears or crying and no pain or death - forever!

I wonder a lot about this. How will He clean up the awful mess we have made of this lovely planet?

In Matthew 24:36 the disciples asked Jesus this question and He said: "No one knows that day...not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Jesus' Father, God)

Jesus also said (of His Second Coming to earth): "I will come at an hour you'll not expect me." (Matthew 24:44)

Note: God's promises always come true.

I remember to this day the girl who asked me this question and I shall never forget her. A lovely girl whom I would be glad to welcome into any of my family gatherings...or just be on her Christmas card list. Very kind and good and I believe would never hurt anyone. Why? She knows what pain and anguish of heart is like...and would never inflict it on anyone.

I also get many pleas as to “WHY?” :“…that driver killed my son”…and many similar questions…from innocent, hurting people.

I consider the cousin question the ‘Mt. Everest’ of all questions. One cannot climb Mt Everest alone – you need help – and the help I need to answer this one, I believe rests with God alone.   A thoughtless quick answer can hurt more than the loss of the cousin…stay away from quick answers.

So can God help me to answer this one? No, not directly today, but I believe the Bible has something of an answer. Jesus said: “Just so, it is not my Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew Chapter 18:v.10. Please note that God regards those people under 20 years old to be not able to truly judge good and evil thinking, so are considered children.(Numbers Chapter 32 and verses 9-13) I believe that all children are considered innocent and go to heaven.

I have read of angels rescuing children and then vanishing and I know of ‘co-incidences’ for good that can only be explained as a miracle. (I have one of my own where a reversing tractor could have run over me but did not.) But not in every case and I know not why! It baffles me a bit. When Jesus was on the earth He left many people unhealed – and went to other villages to tell the story of His ‘Good News’ and eternal life. This I do know: I have worked as a teacher in ‘Special Education’ for children with disabilities. Mostly the parents were more kind, more giving and more caring to other people; and added up, that makes this world a much better place. I think the same applies to the families of those who have suffered the pain of the loss of a family member. Is this one of the ways God uses to spread kindness? I think “Yes.”

The untimely death of a child in an awful thing. And Jesus does not allow us to know everything…I think that would be too heavy a load to carry. I believe that in heaven all the unexplained things we carry will be explained. I am looking forward to that because in 1968 my family had a four-year-old member die of cancer – and children still die of cancer today. But many cures are being discovered for sicknesses of many sorts. 

It is all a puzzle to understand…but be assured, your cousin will be waiting in heaven for you. ☺

Added in 2020 by ‘theanswerer’ now 88 yo.

With deaths and injuries we need to remember that God placed within us the need to, and the pleasure in doing things, like playing sport, flying in the air, taking big and small boats across the oceans, driving cars and even climbing Mount Everest. All of them can hurt us but we choose to play sport, drive cars and the answerer thinks this is stupid – climb Mt Everest.

I write this is stupid, because Edmund Hillary and his helper the Tibetan Sherpa, Tensing Norgay did it first and were very wise and both came home safely. Many are not wise but have the money to pay Sherpas to help them get to the top.

The www say that 250 people have died on Mt.Everest since Edmond Hillary and Tensing Norgay did it in 1953. Why they went I know not!! Always have fun and enjoy sport but take care.