Is there a God?

The question is academic. I am sure there is a God somewhere. There is a power that is ruling over us, that is deciding for us everything that happens, the whys and the hows and also the outcomes. I am sure there is a God that created all this we call our universe.

And, I am also sure that God has nothing to do with religions and beliefs. Since this earth has more than seven billion inhabitants it is very acceptable that people beliefs vary. In more primitive times beliefs were based on the more unexplained things, on phenomenons. As time went by beliefs changed and they got more "sophisticated".

Just like the story of Babel. People wanted to build a tower to heaven so they could reach God. Also, at this time the people of the world spoke in one language. Well, God didn't like this, demolished their tower and confused their language, causing them to speak in different tongues so they would not understand each other.

I think this is the same way with religions. God does not want the people to have one religion thus the reason for the myriad of beliefs.

I also believe that God can do whatever he wants. He can create miracles, he can change outcomes, he can do good or he can do bad.

That is why I can not get it through my simple mind why is it that everywhere I look I see trouble, I see misery, I see unhappiness.

If God is so forgiving and loving why he can not help the people who need his help the most, the people he himself created?

A friend called and let me know that her 11 year old granddaughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor. What bad thing that child did in her short life to deserve this? Why a loving God had to permit this condition to happen?

Why a supposedly loving God had to permit my wife to go through what She just went through? If God is forgiving and loving and omnipotent why he could not help Her and allow Her illness to be cured. Why he had to take Her from me and from this world?

I do not buy the explanation by clergymen that everything that happens happens for a reason. To me that is a copout. They don't want the faithful to lose faith yet, they have no explanation for the outcome of the events. When a tragedy like this happens it can shake anyone's belief because there is no rational explanation at the end.

I have to keep believing that She is in a better place now than She was before, where there is no pain and there is no suffering.

But, I am still waiting by the door!