Lightning kills 5 Mexican children in prayer: does this disprove God's existence?

SourceIf these children were doing something good (and it's hard to imagine doing anything better than praying to God), why did God let the lightning strike and kill them?This is not the same as the situation with Uzzah in 1 Chron. 13:10, since Uzzah, though he meant well, did something directly in violation of one of God's ordinances. It's hard to see how the Mexican kids could even have unintentionally been doing something evil or sinful.I don't know if this should go in Bible Accuracy and Inerrancy, Social Issues, or simply Bible Study. If there is somewhere else it might fit better, I would not have a problem with it being there.This message has been edited by DeclinetoState, 05-12-2006 01:17 AM

I don't know where to put this one. My first instincts were "Faith and Belief", but that too doesn't seem quite right. If the above quoted is intended to be the real focus of the topic, I think you need to elaborate on it more. Please edit your message 1.Also, I think we need something better than the "does this disprove God's existence" in the topic title. Pesonally, I don't think anything can disprove God's existence, although the situation might indicate something about God's activity or lack of activity. Anyhow, the topic title can also be edited via editing message 1.In all, I would prefer one of the more theologically inclined admins (AdminChristian, AdminBuz, AdminPD, or AdminJar) step in on handling this one.Input from any admin certainly welcome.Adminnemooseus

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Why didn't God protect the children who were praying to Him? Was it because He couldn't? If He was omnipotent (i.e., Almighty, and thus physically able to protect them), was it because He was angry with the kids for some reason? Or was it because He simply doesn't exist?The Uzzah story seems superficially similar, but one could argue that God killed Uzzah because He sinned (seems odd, considering what others got away with, but the Lord works in mysterious ways . . .). (Actually, I seem to remember reading about a replica of the Ark of the Covenant that was made following the specs given in the Bible, and it had a massive electrical charge, so that Uzzah probably was not wearing protection like the priests or those permitted to touch it were, thus resulting in his untimely demise.)

For those who think this topic might be more promising from a Bible Study standpoint, I guess it might be worthwhile to compare the tragedy that the children suffered to the things that happened to Job. Although Job did not die from the afflictions Satan brought up on him, his children did and much of his property was destroyed. Although he was restored at the end (after being rebuked by God as well as by Elihu), his questions about why he was forced to suffer are never really answered, IMHO (and that of others, I'm sure). Much speculation has centered on why Job had to undergo what he did, and perhaps the first effort to explain it was the conversations between Satan and God that now form the prologue to the book.

This Proposed New Topic (PNT) is too foreign to me, for me to make any sort of proper evaluation, other than my opinion that "disproving God" is a silly concept.Help from other admins, please.Adminnemooseus

I don't see anymore value to this topic than those designed to prove that God exists. I just don't see it as promotable, others my well disagree.

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