that is exactly my point. though in some aspects how can one laugh, love and live knowing so much pain of what is going in the reality around the world. is it not that the state of what is going on today seem like the world is absolutely grieving for help? people are dying everyday, poverty is sky rocketing in third world countries, the natural disasters thats been happening lately are creating wreckage in the economy because so many people are now getting laid off with no jobs and so much money is put into the war instead of emergency benefits for these people who are now living in shelters. god is good yes, infact i believe that for most of us he is the only source in life where we turn to to get faith and hope for ourselves when nobody else understands what we are going through psychologically for most of us anyway. but when you face the reality, you can't help but notice that what is happening is real, and that most of us disregarding religion dissillusion ourselves by thinking that what is happening in the world does not exist and therefore it is okay for us to live on our 'happy lives' you can say. i believe that what everyone lacks in this world is empathy. though most of us who choose the be happy and face life with pure optimism, just distorts the reality by believing that the things that are happening does not exist. people die everyday and whats even worse is when some of these people die like in places where it's corrupted and full poverty, these people die not knowing why they even exist, specially young children. i too am religious and believe in god even though at times i question his existence because of my curiousities, which i'm aware i'm sinfully engaging, though i'm only human to wonder. i just hope that he's listening to us all and knowing whats going on in the world today.

I believe profoundly in a God.  What I also believe is that today's problem of non-belief in God is that people try to explain him, just like they've tried to explain humanity and the universe.  But we cannot explain, therefore understand, him.  That is the crux of Faith - you have just got to believe he has a plan.  Its hard sometimes, but thus is the challenge.  Its like a line I read in a book, spoken in reference to whether or not this married fellow had ever been tempted by other women: "Of course!  But that happens to everyone - temptation is a test of fidelity."  Same with faith - there is always going to be 'temptations' that either draw us away from God or that tempt us to doubt him.  Its all natural; if someone spends a life time never questioning the Lord then they don't, in my opinion, have a very good knowledge of him.  Only by questioning can we come to a more intimate understanding. 

There is a lot of suffering in the world, it is true.  But that is our own doing.  North America itself has enough wealth and prosperity to end poverty within itself AND a large amount of poverty around the world.  Its well known North America is the biggest consuming land in the world.  As individuals we may not be able to change that; but who could expect one person to change an entire society?  All one can do is what one can: "I might not be able to do everything, but at least I can do something."  Whether buying a homeless man/woman lunch, or sponsoring a foster child, everybody has it in their power to change at least one life.  And one changed life encourages the change of many other lives.  Poverty has always been there; death and suffering on mass levels has been present since class distinction appeared.  The difference now is that the 'under-class' now has a voice; as a society, we are developing a conscience - and, actually, this social conscience is a direct result of social movements within the Catholic Church during the 18th and 19th century to help the increasing poverty caused by the Industrial Revolution.  God is forever at work.  He does not forget his people; for instance, according to the Bible, everytime you see a rainbow it is a memory that God shall never totally forsake humanity as he did in Genesis 6.  God had seen that "wickedness of humankind was great in the earth" (Gen.6:5), so he decided to 'purge' humanity to a state closer to purity.  I don't think we are this stage again today; yes, there is undoubtedly injustice in this world, but it must be realized that only in the setting of background can that injustice be distinguished. 

The events in my life have led me to believe there is hope in everything.  I don't mean to preach now, and sorry if I sound like it.  But if we focus on the negative, that is what we will see.  And, conversely, you had a great point as well - if we focus on the positive, we become ignorant to the other side.  That's just the thing though - you have to focus on both aspects of things.  We must recognize that there is a negative side - and we have to perceive how it affects us and others, and how we can affect it in return - but we must also recognize the good in a situation.  There always is a good side to things.  Somewhere even in the worst of disasters is there a good side.  I had a friend once whose grandmother died a very painful death, forever praying for God to finally take her.  Because he did not take her right away, this friend decided that either God did not exist, or if he did was not worth her time.  But I think she missed the very profound message being given to her.  Even in her last moments of anguish, like the last minute of a marathon when your muscles are screaming at you for respite, her grandmother had an unshakable faith in God.  She never questioned God and what he was doing - she believed in him to the last breathe.  Instead of taking comfort that her grandmother had a belief in a higher being that gave her a form of relief, my friend decided to forsake God. 

In the end, all one can do is make peace with oneself and the world they live in.  You cannot change the world or decide how some things in the world play out, but you can decide how you react to it. 

It sucks that we cannot change the world; it sucks that we cannot even change our own world sometimes.  But we are but humble beings, a mere breath in the existence of time.  Each has their part to play.  To put in an analogy of St. Augustine, we are all a part of God's will, ever being revealed.  It is like human speech.  If God's will was revealed all at once, it would make no sense, just as if an individual, excited about something, tried to blurt an hour long story in a single sylable!  Only by speaking, gradually revealing each word, each singular meaning, will the larger meaning come into to picture.  So is God's will - he is in a dialogue with humanity, ever gradually revealing his will.  And we are his words; each one of us makes up an individual sylable, adding to a larger meaning.  It is up to each of us to "be at peace with their world", to understand and acknowledge what their individual meaning is.  Thus is it a tragedy when one forsakes their own calling, for a piece of God's plan has been silenced.  But we can't affect that - all we can do is our part. 

I don't know why God doesn't just end suffering.  I am not so willing to believe that Original Sin is the cause of suffering.  What I believe is that the world today has existed right from the start; it is not that suffering did not exist in Eden, it is that God created boundaries that contained those suffering.  Many people read Genesis 3: 14-19 as a PRESCRIPTIVE CURSE, meaning that God was pretty much saying "Because you have done this, I WILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN."  However, I would suggest that God spoke more DESCRIPTIVELY: "Because you have disobeyed me (or, if you will, "overstepped the boundaries that I have placed for your own benefit") these things will now happen to you."  Suffering and stife did not enter the world after Genesis 3; it has always been there.  Eden was a means of keeping these sufferings balanced with the joys of existence, but by disobeying God's word - which was a boundary placed on human action to contain such negative consequences as what happened - were these boundaries shattered.  But I diverge; again, I don't know why God does not end suffering.  I do know that if he did, if he made everything easy for everyone, where would the test of faith come from?  But he has not forsaken us.  For he is in each of us, he is what gives our 'sylable of existence' meaning.  He gives us the desire to change this; moreover, he gives us the ability to change this suffering, however minor a level it may seem.  Thus, I believe God listens to our sufferings, and knows what happens to us.  He answers us by moving individuals to do something about it, and giving them the ability to affect change. 

i don't know much about god, the bible and my own religion and i've only read the new testament once. but doesn't it ever occur to you why people have to pay money to learn more about god?  why is it do people engage themselves into paying money and sacrificing themselves to know the truth or what may seem the truth? if we do believe in him, isn't having the concept imbedded in our heads that god exists and 'we truthfully believe in him' enough? why must people learn more complex ideas about his existence even when they already believe in him spiritually and truthfully? can we state that learning more about him is proof that people who study more of what had happened have doubts about him? i agree that spiritually, he answers us by moving us to do something about the wrongs in the world and that he gives us the ability to affect changes, though i think that psychologically it's only positive common sense as well. i mean to make sense of the things going on in the world, isn't what we see proof enough to make a move and help those in need? it's true that one can't do as much to help the whole world, but one can at least learn to contribute and be aware instead of relying on the sideline facts - that what can really be done which is impossible to some, is truly possible.   

Wow...LONG time to reply on my part no? lol

Your question about "why isn't believing enough?" is a very common one indeed!  And it is simple, really, and quite rightly answered in the Bible itself.  I agree it is more problematic for me to get my head around the fact that as a member of the Church you have an obligation to give your money to the Church.  But its not meant as a membership or a method of exclusion: its a means of keeping that Church running!  Its a way so that the priest/minister can make a living for himself and (if he's not a Catholic) his family, and to pay the property taxes and bills on the Church itself.  In the past, and currently too but certainly not to the same extent, it allows the Church to comission certain things like works of art.  They may not be necessary to the Church, you would think, but there are so many stories of peoples' faith being invigorated by a piece of art that I would argue it is worthwhile.

However, as to why faith is not enough but that we must act on it.  A simple example: if you love somebody, you tell them that you love them.  You do things that show you love them, especially things that you know will make them realize you love them truly.  You would not be a good boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife if you loved but did nothing about that love.  The same is for with God, I think.  I encourage you to read the Gospels again, if not the entire New Testament.  I don't know if you know, but Gospel means "Good News".  There are many stories in there that can help you out with your doubts.  One of my favourites, that ties into my original post, is Mark 10:17-22.  Another passage, that is actually a parable, that deals with why we must act on faith is Luke 14:12-24 (the parable actually starts at 15, but vv.12-14 are a really good introduction).  It has a really profound meaning (for me) and if you want to talk about it after you've read we can.  As a parable, its got far more to it than meets the eye and I've actually just finished a paper on it so if you'd like we could talk about it.  In the end it all comes down not to this life, but the next.  God has invited everyone to partake of his Kingdom - but that invitation does not guarantee attendance.  One has to accept the invitation, and the act of acceptance is not a one time thing but a lifelong endeavour to follow what the New Testament speaks of.  And, yes there are a lot of things it says and some of it that we may not like but ultimately its for the best of ourselves and all humanity.  All the abuses that have come from the Bible - persecutions, wars (ie. crusades!), especially forceful conversion - have all resulted from a forced reading of the Bible.  The Bible is truly a Good book, trying at times but enlightening nevertheless. 

=D

do priests get paid?

Yep! - that's one reason that tithes are paid and people give money in the collection tray at Church.  It also pays for upkeeping the Church (taxes, maintenance, etc.), supplies for the Church, and also for the Catholic Church itself.  I *think* the way it works is that all the money goes to archbishop who then allocates the funds to the Churches, and gives a portion of it to the Vatican to help their finances.  I think that's how it works, but I could be wrong.